Tips for Giving Your Dog Medication

No one likes having to take medication, dogs included. To keep your pooch in good health and free of emotional agony, try these “spoonful of sugar” techniques for helping the “medicine go down.”

1. Wrap It Up.

No dog can resist the taste of a salty piece of ham. Wrap the pill in the ham – or a pill pocket – and by the time he realizes what else he’s devoured, he’ll already be licking his chops.

2. Hide It.

Similarly, if you sneak a pill into yogurt, your dog will be so preoccupied with the fruity treat that he won’t even notice the medication.

3. Crush and Dissolve It.

If he starts to get suspicious of the mysterious lump in his food, use a pill crusher to mash it up and then dissolve it in wet food. The taste will be more dispersed and he’ll be less likely to notice that something is up.

4. Coat It.

Using a syringe can present even more challenges than a simple pill. Lure your pooch in with a glob of peanut butter on the syringe’s tip.

5. Play With It.

Every fun-loving dog is all about food games. Give him a pill-less treat (or piece of ham) first, and then tease him with a second pill-less treat before letting him eat it. With the third treat, wrap the pill inside and tease him with it three or four times before finally letting him have it.

6. Time It.

A little psychological manipulation for a good cause never hurt any dog, right? Find a time when your dog is preoccupied and happy – such as on a walk – to give him the medication so that he is more likely to cooperate.

Taking medication may be rough, but with these simple tricks, you can keep your pooch healthy and happy.