How much melatonin can I give my dog?
A 50 lb dog gets 2.3 to 6.8 mg of melatonin per dose, which is 0.1 to 0.3 mg per kg, and Freeice Organic Calming Chews (Duck) gives 6 mg a day for $0.22, the lowest cost of the chews inside that range.1 A 10 lb dog gets 0.45 to 1.4 mg, and Elypuff Dog Calm Chews gives 1 mg for $0.06 a day. Give one dose up to every 8 hours; the labels below give it once a day.2
Best for most dogs, 50 to 100 lb
Freeice Organic Calming Chews (Duck)
6 mg a day at the label dose for a 50 lb dog$0.22 a day3
Best with the NASC seal
Pet Wellbeing Pet Melatonin (liquid)
3 to 6 mg (label range) a day at the label dose for a 50 lb dog$0.64 a day at the low endNASC seal5
How we pick: the lowest cost a day among chews whose label dose for that weight falls inside the 0.1 to 0.3 mg per kg range, the same rule as our calming chews page. Prices on Amazon, October 28, 2026.1, 6, 7
Melatonin per dose, by weight
0.1 to 0.3 mg per kg
Dose range: Abdous et al., Veterinary Medicine and Science, 2025. Labels read October 2026.
Melatonin dose by weight
Vets use 0.1 to 0.3 mg of melatonin per kg of body weight for sleep. Clinical use runs from 0.1 up to 1.7 mg per kg, with the higher doses used for hair loss.1 That is the chart below. It is the amount for one dose.
A PetPlace veterinary drug page by Dr. Nicholas Dodman gives the same idea by size: 0.5 to 1 mg per dose for a small dog, 1 to 3 mg for a medium dog and 3 to 9 mg for a large dog.2 So for a 100 lb dog, the top of the chart (14 mg) is above PetPlace's 9 mg for large dogs. The Merck Veterinary Manual lists 3 to 6 mg per dog every 6 to 8 hours for hair-growth problems.8 See also best calming chews for dogs.
Check the label for xylitol. Some human melatonin gummies contain it, and it is toxic to dogs.9, 10 Skip sustained-release melatonin, which VCA says not to use off label in pets.9
| Dog's weight | Per dose |
|---|---|
| 10 lb (5 kg) | 0.45 to 1.4 mg |
| 25 lb (11 kg) | 1.1 to 3.4 mg |
| 50 lb (23 kg) | 2.3 to 6.8 mg |
| 75 lb (34 kg) | 3.4 to 10 mg |
| 100 lb (45 kg) | 4.5 to 14 mg |
Melatonin calculator
Type your dog's weight. You get the dose range, then each product that has a label dose for that weight: what the label gives a day, how that compares with the range, and the cost.
Every melatonin product: what a 50 lb dog gets
Each product's melatonin per serving, how many servings make one 50 lb dose (2.3 to 6.8 mg), the amount the label gives that dog in a day, and the cost. Cheapest first.
One dose = the servings that give 2.3 to 6.8 mg (0.1 to 0.3 mg per kg). Label gives a day = the servings the label says to give a 50 lb dog, times the melatonin in each. Cost = those servings at the Amazon price read October 28, 2026.
| Product | Melatonin per serving | One dose, 50 lb dog | Label gives a day, 50 lb | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamatic Pets Melatonin 6 mg Chewable Tablets | 6 mg per tablet | 0.4 to 1.1 tablets | 12 mg (above the range) | $0.15 a day |
| Petrivium Melatonin Calming Chews | 1.5 mg per chew | 1.5 to 4.5 chews | 1.5 mg (below the range) | $0.17 a day |
| Freeice Organic Calming Chews (Duck) | 2 mg per chew | 1.1 to 3.4 chews | 6 mg (in the range) | $0.22 a day |
| Elypuff Dog Calm Chews | 2 mg per chew | 1.1 to 3.4 chews | 4 mg (in the range) | $0.23 a day |
| Yuma's Hemp Calming Chews, Advanced Strength | 1.5 mg per chew | 1.5 to 4.5 chews | 4.5 mg (in the range) | $0.31 a day |
| Yuma's Melatonin Calming Chews, Maximum Strength | 1.5 mg per chew | 1.5 to 4.5 chews | 4.5 mg (in the range) | $0.31 a day |
| Carmelie Hemp Calming Chews with Melatonin | 2 mg per chew | 1.1 to 3.4 chews | 6 mg (in the range) | $0.34 a day |
| Trecozy Calming Chews | 4 mg per chew | 0.6 to 1.7 chews | 12 mg (above the range) | $0.34 a day |
| Furaland Advanced Hemp Calming Chews, Beef Liver | 1 mg per chew | 2.3 to 6.8 chews | 3 mg (in the range) | $0.35 a day |
| Grateful Pawz Hemp Calming Chews | 1.5 mg per chew | 1.5 to 4.5 chews | 4.5 mg (in the range) | $0.36 a day |
| TTLXRL Calming Chews with Melatonin | 4 mg per chew | 0.6 to 1.7 chews | 12 mg (above the range) | $0.39 a day |
| K9 Select Melatonin 3 mg Beef Chewable Tablets, 120 ct | 3 mg per tablet | 0.8 to 2.3 tablets | 12 mg (above the range) | $0.60 a day |
| Pet Wellbeing Pet Melatonin (liquid) · NASC seal | 3 mg per ml | 0.8 to 2.3 ml | 3 to 6 mg (label range) (in the range) | $0.64 a day |
| Native Pet Calm Air-Dried Chews · NASC seal | 5 mg per chew | 0.5 to 1.4 chews | 10 mg (above the range) | $1.00 a day |
Source: Each brand's label; Amazon prices read October 28, 20261, 6
How often to give it
PetPlace's Dr. Dodman lists small and medium dogs at up to every 8 hours, and large dogs at up to three times a day.2 The labels in our table give one dose a day. For fireworks or a storm, AKC says to give a fast-acting melatonin a couple of hours before the event.10 VCA lists sleepiness as the main side effect.9
Questions people ask
- How much melatonin can I give my dog?
- Vets use 0.1 to 0.3 mg per kg per dose for sleep: 2.3 to 6.8 mg for a 50 lb dog and 0.45 to 1.4 mg for a 10 lb dog.
- How often can I give my dog melatonin?
- PetPlace lists small and medium dogs at up to every 8 hours and large dogs at up to three times a day. The labels in our table give one dose a day. For fireworks, give it a couple of hours before.
- How much melatonin for a dog per pound?
- About 0.045 to 0.14 mg per pound per dose, from the 0.1 to 0.3 mg per kg range. A 25 lb dog gets 1.1 to 3.4 mg.
- How much human melatonin can I give my dog?
- Use the same mg-per-kg range, and read the label first for xylitol, which is toxic to dogs and is in some human gummies. A plain 3 mg tablet sits inside the range for a 50 lb dog (2.3 to 6.8 mg).
- How much melatonin for a dog with anxiety or fireworks?
- The sleep range is 0.1 to 0.3 mg per kg, so 2.3 to 6.8 mg for a 50 lb dog. AKC says to give it a couple of hours before the stressful event.
- How much melatonin for dog hair loss?
- Merck lists 3 to 6 mg per dog every 6 to 8 hours as an empirical dose for hair-growth problems, and a 2025 paper quotes 1 to 1.7 mg per kg for seasonal alopecia. AKC describes a 2 to 3 month trial.
- What is the best melatonin for dogs?
- For a 50 lb dog, Freeice Organic Calming Chews (Duck): 6 mg a day for $0.22. With the NASC seal, Pet Wellbeing Pet Melatonin (liquid) is $0.64 a day.
Notes and sources
- Melatonin per serving and the label dose by weight come from each brand's label, read October 2026. See how we do the math.
- How we pick: the lowest cost a day among chews whose label dose for that weight is inside 0.1 to 0.3 mg per kg, with a NASC-sealed chew first if one is inside it (the rule our calming chews page uses). The large-dog check is the range at both 75 and 100 lb. The NASC pick is the lowest cost at 50 lb among products from a maker with the seal.
- The Petrivium feeding directions on the label are in chews (0.5 chew under 22 lb, 1 chew for 22 to 55 lb, 2 chews over 55 lb); its panel serving is 2 chews with 3 mg of melatonin, so each chew has 1.5 mg.
- The NASC Quality Seal is from NASC's own member list.
- Product photos come from Amazon.
- Prices checked on Amazon October 28, 2026. Published .
Sources
- Abdous A, Jokar M, Farhoodi M, Shirani D, Moayer F, "Dose-Response Effects of Oral Melatonin on Reproductive Parameters in Intact Male Pomeranian Dogs With Alopecia X: A Controlled Study," Veterinary Medicine and Science, 2025;11(3):e70410 (introduction: 0.1 to 1.7 mg per kg in clinical use, 0.1 to 0.3 mg per kg commonly for sleep; the study gave 0.1, 0.3 and 0.5 mg per kg twice daily), read October 28, 2026.
- Dodman N, "Melatonin (Melatonex) for Dogs and Cats," PetPlace Drug Library, July 17, 2015 (small dogs 0.5 to 1 mg per dog, medium 1 to 3 mg, large 3 to 9 mg; up to every 8 hours), read October 28, 2026.
- Freeice label: Organic Calming Chews (Duck), read October 2026.
- Elypuff label: Dog Calm Chews, Chicken (plant-based), 180 ct, read October 2026.
- Pet Wellbeing label: Melatonin, liquid, 2 fl oz (55 ml), read October 2026.
- Prices: Amazon product data, read October 28, 2026. Cost per serving = listing price divided by the servings in the container.
- NASC Quality Seal: from the National Animal Supplement Council's own member list and the seal on each label, read October 2026.
- Merck Veterinary Manual, "Hormonal Treatment for Integumentary Disease in Animals" (full review April 2022) (an empirical oral dose of 3 to 6 mg per dog every 6 to 8 hours has been used for hair-growth problems), read October 28, 2026.
- Hamilton A, Gollakner R, "Melatonin," VCA Animal Hospitals, updated January 23, 2026, read October 28, 2026.
- Johnstone G, "Melatonin for Dogs: Uses, Benefits and Dosage," American Kennel Club, updated December 4, 2025, read October 28, 2026.
Labels for the products in the tables
- Carmelie: Hemp Calming Chews with Melatonin, Chicken, 200 ct.
- Elypuff: Dog Calm Chews, Chicken (plant-based), 180 ct.
- Freeice: Organic Calming Chews (Duck).
- Furaland: Advanced Hemp Calming Chews, Beef Liver.
- Grateful Pawz: Hemp Calming Chews, Chicken, 170 ct.
- K9 Select: Melatonin 3 mg Beef Chewable Tablets, 120 ct.
- Native Pet: Calm Air-Dried Chews, 30 ct.
- Pet Wellbeing: Melatonin, liquid, 2 fl oz (55 ml).
- Petrivium: Melatonin Calming Chews, Chicken, 120 ct.
- TTLXRL: Calming Chews with Melatonin, 200 ct.
- Trecozy: Calming Chews, Chicken, 200 ct.
- Vitamatic: Pets Melatonin 6 mg Chewable Tablets, Beef, 120 ct.
- Yuma's: Hemp Calming Chews, Advanced Strength, Chicken, 170 ct, Melatonin Calming Chews, Maximum Strength, Chicken, 170 ct.