Dr. Maxwell Leung, an assistant professor and the director of Cannabis Analytics, Safety and Health Initiative at Arizona State University and his team studied 47,000 dogs to determine the behavior changes CBD caused.

They found that dogs on CBD for years initially became more aggressive, but the aggression became less intense over time. Several health issues were linked to higher CBD use. The strongest association was seen in dogs with dementia (18.2%), followed by those with osteoarthritis joint problems (12.5%) and those diagnosed with cancer (10%).

What is interesting is that dogs that had agitation or anxiety did not show improvement in their behavior. The team stressed that dog owners must only use quality products and be aware that CBC can cause side effects such as gastrointestinal upset and diarrhea.

Journal Reference:

Kendra D. Conrow, Richard S. Haney, Michael H. Malek-Ahmadi, Julia D. Albright, Barbara L. F. Kaplan, Noah Snyder-Mackler, Kathleen F. Kerr, Yi Su, Daniel E. L. Promislow, Emily E. Bray, Maxwell C. K. Leung. Demographic features, health status, and behavioral changes associated with cannabidiol use in the Dog Aging Project. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 2025; 12 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1666663

Cite This Page:

Frontiers. “Scientists studied 47,000 dogs on CBD and found a surprising behavior shift.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 28 November 2025. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251128050506.htm>.