Often times we need to give our dogs pills for whatever reason it may be, and it is important to go about it the right way.  Making dogs swallow pills can be hard, but it is essential for the health of your dog, and is a big contributor to dog care.  Dogs are like little kids, and will most likely have issues swallowing pills without being tricked, so here are a few dog owner tips for getting your dog to take their medication!

Food

Putting your dogs pill in their kibble will often work, but with my friends dog who eats like a monster, the Labrador somehow manages to eat all of the food within a minute and still avoid the pill.  If you have a dog who somehow never eats the pill within their food, then you might have to be a little sneakier…

Roll it up!

Rolling up a piece of cheese or lunch meat around a pill is a good way to get your dog wanting to take the pill.  They take one look at your ‘human food’ and the attraction is usually strong enough to make them eat the food along with the pill without difficulty.  However, be cautious, because some peoples dogs see them putting the medication inside the mushy food and refuse to eat it.  If your dog is that smart, you might need to wrap up the pill in private.

Tips

If your dog still will not swallow, here are a few quick easy ways to get the medicine in their tummies! If you put the pill in their mouths and gently stroke their throat while holding their mouth shut, it stimulates the swallowing reflex forcing them to swallow. (What’s funny is this works on humans too)   There are also ‘pill pockets’ available at pet stores which you can stick pills in.  These pockets work on all dogs big and small, and are a great way to go for dogs who can’t swallow pills.  For additional help or information, consider calling a few dog trainers.

Love your pet!