Does your dog require medication? Are you having a hard time getting them to take their pills? Well, there are several methods that you can use to turn this from being a struggle and a negative experience for both of you to making this a fun and positive time.
One method is to wrap the pill in a special treat. Most dogs love meat or cheese. If you take a small piece of this treasured food and put the pill inside of it, your dog is likely to devour the entire treat, pill and all, without even a second thought. In fact, using this method, they will likely look forward to taking their medication!
Also, there are several products on the market specially designed to help you give pills to your pet. Greenies makes Pill Pockets, that work under the same basic principle. You just slide the pill inside of this treat and give it to your pooch. Not only is it an easy way to give them their medication, it also is a healthy treat for them.
It's important to get your dog accustomed to having their mouth opened and inspected without biting. This will help with visits to the vet and also if they are ever injured in this area. Using positive reinforcement training with treats and praise will help make this a good experience and make pill taking much easier. Try using the command €open€ as you gently open their mouth. In exchange, give them a piece of Bil-Jac liver treats or another high value tidbit. Never force their mouth open or make this a painful or negative experience. The key is to have patience and work consistently over several days and weeks to learn this command. Soon, they will equate the word €open€ with good things and will quickly respond.
Some dogs seem to have a vacuum cleaner like ability to magically extract any hidden medication from a treat. Another, but less preferable method, is to open their mouth and then use a Pet Piller or similar device, or your finger to push the pill as far down the throat as possible until your pooch swallows it. You will need two people for this procedure, one to hold open the dog's mouth and one to insert the pill.
Don't ever force open a dog's mouth with your hand on the bottom jaw. Always place your hand over the top of the muzzle, then place your first finger and thumb just behind the large canine tooth, where there are no more teeth. Before you administer a pill, have the puppy or dog sit so they do not struggle or potentially choke. Speaking gently and positively, open their mouth as gently as possible. The second person will place the pill at the back of the tongue. The safest method is to use an inexpensive Pet Piller, but your finger will also work. After the pill is inserted, be sure to keep their head pointed up. You can stroke their throat until you see them swallow. Follow this up with more praise and treats.
If none of these methods seem to be working, contact your veterinarian. Is there a liquid or powdered form of the medication that you can mix into their food? Or is it OK to crush up the pill and sprinkle it onto their nightly meal? Believe me, your vet has dealt with finicky pooches before and will be able to offer you advice to make sure that your pet is getting the medication he needs.
One method is to wrap the pill in a special treat. Most dogs love meat or cheese. If you take a small piece of this treasured food and put the pill inside of it, your dog is likely to devour the entire treat, pill and all, without even a second thought. In fact, using this method, they will likely look forward to taking their medication!
Also, there are several products on the market specially designed to help you give pills to your pet. Greenies makes Pill Pockets, that work under the same basic principle. You just slide the pill inside of this treat and give it to your pooch. Not only is it an easy way to give them their medication, it also is a healthy treat for them.
It's important to get your dog accustomed to having their mouth opened and inspected without biting. This will help with visits to the vet and also if they are ever injured in this area. Using positive reinforcement training with treats and praise will help make this a good experience and make pill taking much easier. Try using the command €open€ as you gently open their mouth. In exchange, give them a piece of Bil-Jac liver treats or another high value tidbit. Never force their mouth open or make this a painful or negative experience. The key is to have patience and work consistently over several days and weeks to learn this command. Soon, they will equate the word €open€ with good things and will quickly respond.
Some dogs seem to have a vacuum cleaner like ability to magically extract any hidden medication from a treat. Another, but less preferable method, is to open their mouth and then use a Pet Piller or similar device, or your finger to push the pill as far down the throat as possible until your pooch swallows it. You will need two people for this procedure, one to hold open the dog's mouth and one to insert the pill.
Don't ever force open a dog's mouth with your hand on the bottom jaw. Always place your hand over the top of the muzzle, then place your first finger and thumb just behind the large canine tooth, where there are no more teeth. Before you administer a pill, have the puppy or dog sit so they do not struggle or potentially choke. Speaking gently and positively, open their mouth as gently as possible. The second person will place the pill at the back of the tongue. The safest method is to use an inexpensive Pet Piller, but your finger will also work. After the pill is inserted, be sure to keep their head pointed up. You can stroke their throat until you see them swallow. Follow this up with more praise and treats.
If none of these methods seem to be working, contact your veterinarian. Is there a liquid or powdered form of the medication that you can mix into their food? Or is it OK to crush up the pill and sprinkle it onto their nightly meal? Believe me, your vet has dealt with finicky pooches before and will be able to offer you advice to make sure that your pet is getting the medication he needs.
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