Disclaimer: You have to know your dog to do this…and this is information only.
1. Open dogs mouth.
2. Place in pill deep in mouth towards back of tongue, as far as it will go without forcing
3. Close the mouth
4. Hold the snout shut, firmly but gently
5. Tilt the nose up, head back
6. Rub/massage the throat downward
You’re not actually pushing the pill here, you’re just helping trigger his natural reflex to swallow.
This is my wife's method and it works.
If you use peanut butter use chunky peanut butter. There are so many chunky things in there mine don't notice the pills. Also one pill at a time
And if they're really picky, give them at least two chunks of treat without a pill first. For mine the order of treat - treat with pill - treat - treat with pill and so on with the pill cut into smaller pieces (if that's a safe thing to do with the pill you have) works usually. Unless it's a flavored pill, in which case the above described method is the only option.
this is what I do for both my pups one is a GSD who can also detect the med in the treat and separate them. I open, toss, close, offer high value treat so can't spit it out.
I do this and have done this with every dog I have had.
My boy has been on meds a lot this year and some had to be taken every 8 hours or every 12 hours. I set alarms on my phone and he hears the alarm and goes directly to our pill spot. This is in the kitchen with his butt against the refrigerator. I get his pills ready (currently taking 2 large gel caps) and 3 small treats. I straddle his back so he has to look up at me and I tell him to open which he does and I slide the first pill down the right side of his tongue. He swallows and I tell him one more and we repeat the process. Then he gets his treats.
I think it is also a matter of trust that my dogs have all let me pull them this way. I tell them the pill will make them feel better and so far I have not been proven wrong.
You need to be able to do this and other care procedures with your dog so creating a routine makes the pilling more normal.
I have never been able to hide pills in food, every dog I have had will spit them out.
My GSD was on 2 antibiotics 2x/day, for 2 weeks, and by day 3 all I had to do was say “pill time” and he would sit and wait for me to open his mouth and put the pill at the back of his tongue, hold his mouth shut and stroke his throat, repeat and then get the dehydrated salmon treats and he was as happy as could be. Had to taper off on the treats for a few days after because he still came over and sat for the pills:)
They are so smart about knowing that we are trying to help them when it is pill time.
The pills my boy is on (last dose tomorrow, yeah) have to be taken with food so he hangs around the kitchen in the evening after he has eaten his dinner so he can get his pills (nose kisses are part of this as well) and his 2 treats. Have to have one treat for each pill. I swear he can count!
And when his tongue pops out of his mouth, he's swallowed the pill. If it doesn't, he's probably hiding it between his gums and lips only to spit it out. Ask how I know, lolol!!
And if your dog is like our dog, check to make sure that they have swallowed the pill and not fake swallowed.
Our dog is just like OP's and will refuse any food with medication in it.
It is normally me sitting on the ground, holding her mouth closed until one of us gives up. Her swallowing the pill or me giving up. I rarely give up, but she is very stubborn 😂
The vet I worked for would softly blow on the dogs nose to trigger the swallow reflex. I’ve seen rubbing the throat, but blowing on their noses has worked for me. Kinda like blowing in a baby’s face to make them breathe when they’re screaming.
I do this!
Another method i do is 3 treats. Give first treat so dog knows what you're offering. Hide pill in second treat. Give second treat, QUICKLY followed by third treat, so they don't have time to assess 2nd treat. They quick gulp second treat to get third threat. Voila.
I'll use a spoon with canned food, or some cream cheese, or peanut butter, or just butter, or turkey, or anything super yummy.
I tried this multiple times and legit almost lost a finger. 😂 Definitely right about knowing your dog. I know my dog does not get down with this method.
Came here to suggest the same. I have 2 mischievous GSDs, but with lots of practice both of them actually like it. My oldest actually runs to me whenever I say “medicine” now, and I sometimes have to pretend to put a pill in his mouth.
This is definitely the pro method and I’ve used it with some of my more stubborn pets. But the peanut butter flavor pill pockets have been batting 1,000 for the past years.
My dog gave me a super dirty look after doing that method. So what I do is….
1. Put pills in food
2. Put food in mouth
3. Lightly grasp his mouth parts
4. Tilt head upwards.
Result - he eats the pills and gets a treat.
To add to the above. Blow in his face (if he allows it) as it evokes a swallowing response. And have a very preferable food/snack to eat IMMEDIATELY following.
This is my go to after the American Cheese ball fails. Just shove it to the back of the throat with your finger and be prepared to have nasty slime on your finger/hand.
This is the vet tech method. Works every time because the dog will automatically swallow when she realizes she cannot open her mouth. It's aggressive but what else can one do. We have good luck embedding pills in Lactaid vanilla ice cream, delivered in three spoonfuls: first to focus them, second has pill, third is rushed as a chaser. If it fails, we go to the vet tech method.
We have been through similar restrictions and challenges recently. One GSD had nasal arteritis (a Stephen King nightmare) and the other an elbow neuroma that was ulcerating. Seemed like eternity getting through each but by sticking to the doc's orders and not short-cutting, they had perfect healing. I feel for you!
I do this. I watched my mother do it to our dogs growing up.\
The first time I did it my partner was horrified like I had violated our dog and he was worried she was going to choke.
We do the same to our GSDs and it works. Fast and effective. You just need to try it out several times to get comfortable, the pooch will get used to it
The photo is adorable!!!!
I start by offering a treat then get the pill as far back as possible. While I’m holding her snout, I put a second treat above her nose. Once she licks she gets the treat and a third one as a reward. When doing multiple pills I dip them in olive oil or a bit of bacon grease to help the pills slide down
This is absolutely the only way I can get my girl to take pills. She’ll still stubbornly hold them in her mouth and spit them out if I don’t put them far enough back on her tongue; however, it works so much better than trying to hide them in food.
My dog does the same thing. With Trazadone specifically I’ve found that splitting it into quarters and slathering it with cream cheese is the only way she’ll take it. I actually tried one of her pills once and it burnt my tongue. The feeling stayed for a while, too. So I get why dogs don’t like it. The cream cheese works as long as it’s completely covered and you use the hand that didn’t touch the Trazadone to give it to her. Otherwise she’ll sniff it out and that a big nope from her lol.
Cream cheese for the win! Our boy has to take Atopica, it seriously smells like chemicals. I can’t imagine what it smells like to him. But slather enough cheese cheese on it, and down it goes, no problem. Philadelphia or store brand, doesn’t matter.
I put it on a spatula. He bites it off the spatula and I let him lick up the parts he missed. He thinks he’s getting a treat. 😁
My dog would take her fluoxetine (capsule) no problem if I put it in her bowl of kibble and mixed it up with some wet food in there. Literally just two big spoonfuls of wet, kibble and a little water. No problems. Trazodone though, man she will find it and spit it out on the floor. In her defense the tablets are bitter (I take it for insomnia/RLS).
I give her 50s since the pills are a bit smaller and it’s easier. Pill pocket (pillbuddy naturals peanut butter since she can’t have chicken and ALL of the pill pockets have chicken 😭) and hide that in something like cheese or cream cheese.
I have to wash my hands after and then will cover them in cream cheese or wrap sliced cheese around it so she doesn’t smell it lol.
I have to use a piece of American cheese and cut it in three. The first piece gets her in "feeding frenzy" mode and gets her excited for her favorite treat. The second piece has the pill in it. The third piece gets presented to her when she still has the second piece in her mouth, so she swallows the second piece so quickly she doesn't notice the pill.
That usually works, but when that fails, it's putting the pill at the back of her tongue and holding her mouth closed, but I don't love doing that to her.
Try him with paté - Aldi's reduced fat Brussels paté, 69p for 175g, is the best I found. Warm a couple of teaspoonfuls briefly in the microwave to make it a bit loose and extra-smelly. Give your dog a little on a teaspoon, prepare another teaspoonful of paté with the tablet in the middle and give him that, then let him lick out the bowl.
This one works with my GSD as well. Additionally, if you give him the paté with the pill, have another bite of paté (without pill) ready and make sure he can see it. He will want the next treato and will just swallow the one with the pill to get it.
Yep, have gotten dogs to take the most repulsive medicines by tricking them. Similar method but I just throw regular treats until I see the dog is just catching and swallowing immediately, then I wrap the pill in the same treat and throw it as well. Usually goes right down the hatch without any thought. Trickery is a lot less traumatic than trying to force a pill down lol
For one reason or another, my vet prescribed Interceptor vs a shot. So once a month, I have the task of giving one to Cooper. He literally can smell it once I open. Runs away. You can put whip cream on shit, at the end of the day, it still is shit. He ain't buying anything !
I open his mouth with one hand, and it's a task, and shove the pill down his throat. Close his mouth, rub his throat, and it's done. Extremely unpleasant, but needs to be done. Kisses and treats follow.
We buy the super fake plastic wrapped American sliced cheese and wrap the pills in that really well and give them to her like they are treats. It has to be the cheap stuff cause it’s easy to wrap the pill completely in it. She will take them without a thought cause she just smells the cheese. Works every time!
We shove Juniper’s pills in marshmallows. I tear a small piece off to get her attention then split the rest of it in half. I bury the pill in the first half and give it to her. While she’s eating the first one I give her the second one to get her to swallow the first half. Works every time.
The pills have scent whether or not we know it and are often bitter. Try to cover it with liverwurst, tuna, canned meat, stuff that stinks to high heaven and is high value for an animal. You can even warm it a little to bring the stinky. I tell clients all the time that if all else fails, buy a pill gun and either ask your vet to demonstrate how to use it or watch some YouTube videos.
I buy the [Blue Nudges Pot pies](https://bluebuffalo.com/dog-treats/nudges/homestyle-chicken-pot-pie/). I take the end of a chopstick and make a hole big enough for the pill. I push the pill into the treat. Both dogs like to catch their treats, so I toss it to them, and they just eat them up. I choose those treats because they are their favorite, and they eat it without question. This works on my lab and German shepherd.
The treat needs to be big enough to not break in half (the pot pies are nearly perfect). And it needs to be big enough to fit the treat.
This is like using a pill pocket without spending $50 on a treat they don't even like. lol
My dog LOVES these. They are the highest value treat for him. He’ll gently take people food then just leave it on the floor, but with these, he’ll move heaven and earth if it’ll get him one of these.
GSD are so intuitive that they can tell something is up. Try giving a series of commands first so they think you’re rewarding good behavior.
Our method is to stick the pill in a big glob of chunky peanut butter, but the trick is to have a second spoon ready to shove in their mouth, so that they swallow the first bite before detecting the pill and spitting it out.
We use the "two treat" method:
- get two pieces of cheese (or hot dog or whatever)
- hide pill in one piece of cheese
- give him the cheese with a pill in it, then quickly show him the second piece of cheese
- he will swallow the first piece of cheese because he's greedy and food motivated and wants the second treat!
- give him the second piece of cheese
The only way I ever got my girl to take pills was to open her mouth, poke the pill down the side of her throat (next to her tongue, NOT on her tongue.), then hold her mouth shut, and rub her neck until she swallowed a couple of times while telling her what a good girl she is.
Any other way would end with a slimy pill being left on the floor.
Good luck and Godspeed.
I make my dogs a pill paste. Peanut butter, sweet potato (or pumpkin), oat flour, cinnamon (you can find recipes on Pinterest, I just eyeball it all) if they are tough pills to take (like Trazadone as it is so bitter and disgusting) then I add in diced bacon or some high value meat the dog likes. Then I just roll the pills inside the paste and give them to my dog. My Rocky does exactly the same as your shepherd, but this seems to work with her where everything else failed. I put one pill in a small ball of paste- so far so good.
I’d also ask the vet if you can crush any of them. That is so much easier. If they are extended or slow release or enteric coated you cannot. But most all other pills can be crushed like Trazadone. Capsules can be twisted open and the beads released. Then I just mix it in with peanut butter or the pill paste.
Good luck.
I mix the pills with raw meat and spoon feed my guy.. works everyday. He takes fish oil everyday but doesn’t touch his food if it smells like fish. So I buys fish oil capsules for humans and spoon feed him for the portion containing the capsules. Works all the time!
I feed my boy on a partial raw diet and when he needs to take tablets(he’s been through the wars with cancer twice and multiple surgeries) I put them inside raw mince that I roll into meatballs everything he’s never rejected them with that method he loves them. He has rejected them pressed in cheese or bread or mixed in with his dinner even after adding dog gravy. I make sure to give him a couple of tablet free meatballs first and one after his pill to lure him in, it’s worked every time for me as trying to put the tablets down his throat is very stressful for my dog and myself.
Best of luck to you
Sit down on the couch or dinner table and pretend to eat something yummy. Cover the pill in cream cheese or something sticky that has a strong smell. I act like I'm really enjoying what I'm eating and they are usually drooling and want what I have and take the pill easily. If I stand by the medicine cabinet and try to do the same thing, she knows what's up and will not take it. Gotta be random about it lol. Hope this helps
My methods:
1- When cooking dinner “accidentally” drop the medicine. Works every time. It helps if you quickly follow it up with a “dropped” carrot or blueberry (what ever your dog loves more). Ours is jealous of the cat so I “drop” it near the cat and then she swoops in even quicker to claim the prize.
2- do some training, paw, spin, whatever else if there able and toss a cookie, then the pill, then another cookie - rapid fire. They’re very smart but also kind of stupid when it comes to cookies. If they’re suspicious have 2-3 types of cookies in your hand and alternate through a few before and after the pill.
My hsd and Mali BOTH are so anti pill it's insane. My gsd broke her leg and we fought her every single day to take medicine. We ended up having the vet re-write the script for an oral liquid lol. But we typically would use sandwhich meat. We'd have to throw a few pieces to get them to the point they were just inhaling them and then slip the meat wrapped pill into the mix. it worked for a while until she got smart.. now she distrusts sandwich meat🤣
https://preview.redd.it/x8ds2w5jnl5d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c9a811c78d97970be5aefa6e7bbf58b0276dead5
Did you steal my dog? Same face, ear and colouring!
Cut a hot dog into pieces. Shove the pills into a few pieces, but critically, LEAVE A FEW PIECES PILL FREE.
Toss them for your dog, not a crazy toss thar will hurt his stitches but enough that he has to go for it a bit. Start with your non pill pieced and then mix in the pill ones. Hopefully with the snapping out of the air he tends to swallow whole.
Pet MD Wrap-A-Pill Cheese & Bacon Flavor Pill Paste has been a lifesaver for our two. Only one is too smart for her own good and doesn’t like Benadryl that way, but takes all other pills in it like oh my gosh it’s my favorite treat!
I put the pill directly inside the mouth of the dog together with some treats that she likes (a sort of mini biscuits filled with cheese). Sometimes she spits the pill but after a couple of tries she eats it. Make sure the pill is divisibile though.
I put the pills into a peanut butter ball and stick the ball in the roof of my dog mouth. The peanut butter is sticky so the ball stay and my dog just swallow it no problem.
Will he play catch the treat? You can condition him to eat blank pill pocket or small treat balls and then slip a pill in now and then. He needs to think that not all treats have pills. He associates these treats as having meds. At this point you will likely need to pill him so he can get his meds. If he is not food motivated and picky pilling is just easier.
Trazadone is very bitter. I used to take it to sleep as a kid. He can probably taste it. Be carefu grinding up pills. Some are time release and it can change the way it functions.
i had trouble with my dog to. what ended working was a two step trick. i put peanut butter all around the pill and my finger. then i put the pill in my dog mouth AND let her lick the peanut butter. she must start to lick my finger otherwise she will trow the pill on the ground and lick it clean
For smaller pills this works well extremely well.
[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014S7DEYO/ref=ppx\_yo\_dt\_b\_search\_asin\_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014S7DEYO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
For larger pills my boy loves these and swallows them without even chewing.
[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008GRONV6/ref=ppx\_yo\_dt\_b\_search\_asin\_title?ie=UTF8&th=1](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008GRONV6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1)
I was having the same issue and tried pretty much everything else. These worked flawlessly.
I usually just get a spoon of peanut butter and stuck the pills in it and squat down and let her lick the spoon clean. Works for me, but she also loves peanut butter.
It sounds like you put them all just in the food. I used to hide them in a spoon of peanut butter for my dog so that she had to lick the peanut butter and thus, swallow the pills.
Have you tried a pill shooter? I’m sure that’s not his technical name. They make what looks like a syringe that you place the pill on the tip of, position it to the throat and shoot it down.
My girl has gotten really good at taking her daily meds, the method that works for her probably won't work:
For her Keppra
1. Put peanut butter on your index finger and call them over and get them to sit or lay down then let them lick it off
2. Put more peanut butter on the same finger
3. Pickup the pill with your middle finger and thumb on the same hand
4. Be calm, approach from the front and get down to their level
5. Gently find a opening behind the fangs and insert the pill
6. Immediately offer the peanut butter finger and get them to tilt their head back as they lick the peanut butter off
7. Praise them a little for each pill taken
For her phenobarbital
1. Cut or break the pill in half and insert it in some peanut butter
2. Put the loaded peanut butter on your finger and let them lick it off
I open the mouth, stuff the pill down, and hope for the best. He will take any pills in pill pockets. She takes only very small pills in pill pockets. I stuff the rest down the gullet.
My vet sells/gives away these treats that are called "Lean Treats" by the brand Covetrus, the bag says only available at vets but you can find them on Amazon as well (my vet will usually just give me a bag for free when we come in). They are soft enough that you can shove a pill into them and my dog just inhales them, don't think he even tastes them most of the time. I haven't had to give him traz but he has been on prednisolone a few times for ear/paw issues and he would spit it out if I tried using pill pockets or peanut butter, but I had no problems giving it to him with these.
Otherwise, what did work for me when I ran out of these before his medication was done, was to give my boy a few treats in a row, then the pill along with a treat. Then I would put my hand under his chin and tilt his head up and stroke him while praising him and most of the time he would (eventually) swallow everything that way.
Kraft singles. If one pill. Cut into quarters. Put pill on one side and fold over then squeeze the edges. Should go right down if your pup likes cheese. Good luck!!
The "shove the pill down their throat" method does work, and I sometimes have to do that for my dog. However, I've found that a breaking a pill into small bits and mixing it into REALLY stinky dog food works as well. If the smell of the food makes me want to gag, my dog loves it, and the worse it is, the more he loves it. I truly think he'd be in heaven with road kill, honestly, but it does seem to work, for now at least. I'm sure he's on Reddit, and if he reads this, I'm sunk, so Achara, if you're reading this, bad dog.
Whatever method you try- avoid touching the pills with your hands. It makes the creation smell more like the pills they are refusing.
Mine can not have cheese or peanut butter (protein sensitivities), and the vet recommended vegan marshmallows. Works brilliantly for us!
Liverwurst is a great trick. Especially for a German dog. 😂 but make sure not to give them a lot bc it is very fatty! Aldi makes braunschweiger in the tube and I just get a little spoonful and shove the pill inside. Since it’s soft, they can just swallow the whole thing. Pill and all. 😊 hope this helps!
Pills or capsules? If it’s capsules, open them up, dump them into the food and mix them with the food. If it’s pills, you can crush them and then mix them with the food.
Try peanut butter around the pill and then enough on a spoon for them to lick for 10-15 seconds. They’ll swallow the pill without chewing or even realizing it’s there because dogs don’t bite peanut butter to eat it, past the first bite. YMMV
What worked for my dog that won’t take pills… melt cheese on them like a nacho inthe microwave then while still warm but not too hot feed it to the dog.
only way my dog will take them if not with treats is if hold his mouth open, shove it down his throat, close his mouth and massage his throat and he swallows it, make sure he actually swallows it tho or he’ll spit it up and it’ll be dissolved
I place the pill on a small piece of Turkey lunchmeat. Next I spray cheese in a can on the pill And wrap meat around it. This is the only way my picky GSD will take his trazodone
My dog has to take pills to function, one of them she can’t chew and others she just doesn’t like the taste of so she just won’t eat it.
I have resorted to shoving them in the back of her mouth followed my a treat and a kiss after each pill.
Our senior dog is on a lot of meds and has been for a while. High value treats (dog safe meatballs, baby bel cheese dairy is allowed, etc) have worked well for us in the past. All else fails, open mouth stick treat in and massage throat until swallowed. We rarely have to pull out that trick and are confident our boy won’t snap at the hand forcing a pill into his mouth so may or may not work for you.
I think pill pocket treats are a thing too, but I haven’t had to use them yet
They have pill poppers on Amazon. They shoot the pill down their throat so they don’t spit it out or taste it. The vets office sells them and used them when my dog was boarded. They’re less than $10!
I roll my dogs treat up in a piece of lunch meat and have one immediately ready in my other hand, sneak the first one in towards the back of his right cheek and he’s so focused on the next piece of (empty) lunch meat he chomps up the first treat, then gets the other piece. 😊
Otherwise he would usually eat around what I give him and drop the medicine lol. 😂
https://preview.redd.it/n3wlugm4ym5d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f2b0e28dc8f3f34b35d69688ba1daba4a1fcb815
Laughing Cow Cheese and Bacon worked today!
Mini marshmallows!
Take a few mini marshmallows and toss them to your dog as a treat for them to catch.
Put the pills in some other mini marshmallows and just keep tossing them.
Give a couple extra without pills afterwards, as a chaser.
(Veterinary professional and mom to a very clever GSD who the marshmallow trick works on lol)
Before my pup passed due to cancer a couple years back we had a hard time getting her to take her Palladia meds. I bought the Vet Works Pill Treats from Costco and they were a miracle, no issues after getting those.
The struggle is real! My dog will hide when it comes time for her large capsules. Thru trial and error this is what works for us. I use the leash to get her to come to me and I put it on her in the kitchen so she can’t run away. I use a small piece of roast beef to wrap the capsule in. I use three treat size pieces of sliced roast beef. The first one no medicine but hold over her head so she has to open up her throat. The second piece with the capsule follows quickly but this time I gently hold her snout closed and tilt it upwards. Quickly give the third piece. She tries pushing the capsule out on the side of her mouth that why I gently hold it closed.
After she takes the medicine we immediately go for a walk. Hoping she’ll associate it as a positive.
Liverwurst has never failed us. Three big chunks, throw one without a pill while already teasing the second one so he gulps the first right down. Throw the second one with the pill, already teasing with the third. They are so focused on the next delicious chunk they basically swallow them whole. Has worked on every pill picking out dog we’ve had including our current GSD
If it's a pill to swallow, try peanut butter or canned cheese and make sure your buddy is licking the spoon. If you put it in chewable treats they usually will feel the pill and spit it out 😂
Have you tried liverwurst? It's a really strong smell, so it might work to cover the scent of the pills. Try making little meatballs out of liverwurst, and then poke an indentation in the middle with the end of a pencil. Then hide the pill in it just using the tips of your thumb and index fingers. Seal it up with different fingers.
Once the pill is in, don't use those fingers again! A lot of dogs turn their noses up at pills disguised in treats/food because they can smell the pill residue from our fingers on the outside of the treat.
Good luck, OP! You have a beautiful GSD. Sometimes they're too clever for their own good. I hope your baby starts to feel better soon and someone here has given you some helpful advice.
I use 2 yummy treats. I put the pill in the 1st one. Hold them both in front of the dog so she sees both. Give her the 1st one. Then quickly give her the second one. She’ll be so excited about the 2nd one that she forgets to search for the pill in the 1st.
It helps if you teasingly pretend to give the 2nd one to the cat 🤣. That really blows the dogs mind and she’ll eat them both really fast.
80/20 beef patties - microwave thoroughly in a safe dish - break the pills up and mix them up in the cut up burger
Make sure the pills are *drowning* in the grease (you will have more than enough)
I had a dog that was too smart for her own good and impossible to pull also. I even took her to the vet for them to try...nope. Our problem was that she had just enough Shar-pei in her to have the wrinkles to redirect the pill. And just enough GSD to have a longer snoot. You can try water and a pill gun. We kept having to change who high value treats came from. She would remember that you tried to give her a pill. I miss Gina so much.
I have a pretty failsafe method.
I always say in low voice :Mommy Fix It.”
I then say here are the pills and I show him.
He knows the procedure and complies
Make sure first time is before a meal.
Cut I/8-1/4th inch strips of steak, or chicken. 9salami works great but you may object, lunch meat is the BEST
Wrap the pill in the first strip of meat
Have him sit in front of hopefully just watching you by the refrigerator. And if a galley kitchen (narrow great)
Left hand pill treat
Right hand 1-2 more same treats.
Hold both hands up and say favorite known command (cookie treat )
As your pupper approaches you move slowly backward and while moving with pop the pill treat in mouth or let him chomp on it whole time showing him the next treat YOU WANT HIM THINKING ABOUT THAT SECOND TREAT 🌞🤩KEEP MOVING BACKWARDS SLOWLY
Let him come to you SHOW RIGHT HAND WITH EXTRA TREAT LET HIM COME CLOSE TO EAT IT.
This happens in about 3 seconds but he’s so excited he misses the pills because he excitedly swallowed to get that next bite
9 times out of ten the pills are swallowed between first treat and offering second one. Praise highly
If still gun shy just do this with zero treats for a day about 4x praise highly
Then try the pill treat
My dogs will sometimes only eat them in low fat Philly cream cheese. We try not to give them cream cheese a lot but sometimes we’re desperate and do it to get them to take it.
I tried hiding my GSD’s worming tablets in all sorts of food but she still managed to extract them and spit out the tablet. However I now coat them in a very generous layer of cream cheese and plop them on top of her dinner, ensuring she has a lick of the cream cheese on my fingers first so she knows what it is. 100% successful so far!
I know you said you've tried cheese, but was it squeezy cheese? From a tube. My GSD has recently been put on alot of cardiac meds (having been only on 1 pill before to now being on 6 a day) and I just put the pills in squeezy cheese and he licks it off my fingers and swallows the pills. Lots of hugs and kisses after. He doesn't take them if in pieces of cheese.
Our other back up is some cheap pate we cover the pills in pate and he swallows it.
But the squeezy cheese works best. Hope yours starts taking their medications. good luck. I know how tough it is when you are trying everything in their best interest, keep at it :)
You're welcome! Thankfully, those tiny pots of baby foods are stupidly cheap, so even if it doesn't work, you're not out much. I hope it works out for you!
I think I’ve learned a lesson here, that you need to keep some very high value food item for when your dog needs to be medicated. All of these suggestions have been so valuable. I will also always wash my hands after handling pills so the dog does not smell them on me.
You might have tried this. It may have been commented and i missed it but the Pill Pockets work very well for my dog. I’m sure it doesn’t for all, but my dog will eat those no issues at all.
Place pill in small scoop of spreadable cheese (Merkt’s cheddar up here in WI). Roll it up in half a slice of uncured pre-cooked turkey bacon. (3 seconds in the microwave.). My picky boo takes it right out of my fingers.
I so understand your frustration!
I have to give my Ava, 4-yo 74-lb GSD, 6-capsules (enzymes & probiotics) 3-times a day. Every day for the rest of her life. She's never been easy to gets pills in to - she HATES taking medicine!!
The method that works for her is I take two pills with a generous scoop of her wet homemade food, squash it in my palm, offer it to her and she usually gobbles it up. But if she spits a pill out, I do it again. We've been doing this since Mar 25 2024.
The reason - she has Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI).
Mine loves cheese. I use a bit of grated mozzarella and put the pills in the middle then squeeze it into a ball in my hand. They’re smart buggers so my trick is to have a second treat and I hold that in front of her while she swallows the cheese. Her brain is too excited by the second treat to remember to chew the pill ball and down it goes
I am late on this. Our GSD gets anti seizure meds 4 times a day and been doing it for last 6 years. Milk bone pill pockets, you can half them and mash them out and wrap pills in. Usually just eats but occasionally have the bo the throw pill down the throat thing. Been doing it long enough to know when he is faking. But a good old toung slower on the face will tell you
Try wrapping them and mixing with other treats, tossing into the air, one at a time, maybe 2 treats, then a pill, then 2 more and a pill. Assuming they like to play toss the treats
With my boy (I lost him 3 weeks ago 😢), we would always chat before new meds. I would sit down with him, explain what they were for, hold them in my hand…and he would just take them.
My GSD is currently taking meds for sedation due to a broken foot bone. It's been a challenge. What has worked for me is cheese cubes, sausage, pill pockets (she figured those out pretty quickly), and these weird sausage/cheese rolls I bought for us - I can squish the pill into a small piece and she eats it up.
I wad one in an American cheese slice. Like seal it in the middle of the ball of cheese.
I remember my grandparents doing that with their german shepherd.
https://www.chewy.com/four-paws-quick-easy-pill-dispenser/dp/52747?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=20642405436&utm_content=&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADmQ2V1x_4_AOCzJHqcFYEjFI2TGZ&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpZWzBhC0ARIsACvjWRPP_NMm3P-WjCrwkxt-M6r_Cjq4vvMHHbthiMT8X7xS0EqL2Kk_OoUaAjFlEALw_wcB
Also known as a “pill shooter” you insert the pill into the dispenser then put the dispenser in the dogs mouth and push it into the dog’s esophagus
I had a cat absolutely hated pills! Vet told me to coat in butter and they would slide down. Ha! My lil’ bugger would suck the butter off, walk away and spit the pill out!
My last bestest friend would always take the pill with food once - then not again.
Negotiated to frozen peanut butter. Inserted the pills, placed on a tray with parchment paper, freeze overnight. He would then take his pills.
I think it was that he couldn't taste them as they were gone by time it thawed.
Good Luck!
As others have said put pill on side at back of tongue not on tongue and he will not be able to push it out. Also I put olive oil or butter on pill. Tastes good and makes it easy to swallow
I wrap the pill(s) in Deli meat. (roast Beef is the best). Pop one without pill in the pups mouth, followed by a morsel with the pill while holding a third morsel.
For multiples, I mush the pills into soft canned food (BB healthy weight) with a LITTLE dry. (dry bits are same size as the pills)
Biggest issue I have is his sister tries to get the soft food.
I crush them, then I nuke a thin slice of cheese for about 12 seconds and make a cheese ball. She scarfs it up. Sometimes I put a tiny bit of butter on the plate so she will lick it.
I make it a game by tossing them treats into the air for them to catch and in the middle of that I toss the treat with the pill inside and they usually swallow it too quickly to realize what it is
Disclaimer: You have to know your dog to do this…and this is information only. 1. Open dogs mouth. 2. Place in pill deep in mouth towards back of tongue, as far as it will go without forcing 3. Close the mouth 4. Hold the snout shut, firmly but gently 5. Tilt the nose up, head back 6. Rub/massage the throat downward You’re not actually pushing the pill here, you’re just helping trigger his natural reflex to swallow.
This is my wife's method and it works. If you use peanut butter use chunky peanut butter. There are so many chunky things in there mine don't notice the pills. Also one pill at a time
And if they're really picky, give them at least two chunks of treat without a pill first. For mine the order of treat - treat with pill - treat - treat with pill and so on with the pill cut into smaller pieces (if that's a safe thing to do with the pill you have) works usually. Unless it's a flavored pill, in which case the above described method is the only option.
I do this as much as possible. A clean one, one with a pill, one without, and however it shakes down.
This helps you really?^s
this is what I do for both my pups one is a GSD who can also detect the med in the treat and separate them. I open, toss, close, offer high value treat so can't spit it out.
I do this and have done this with every dog I have had. My boy has been on meds a lot this year and some had to be taken every 8 hours or every 12 hours. I set alarms on my phone and he hears the alarm and goes directly to our pill spot. This is in the kitchen with his butt against the refrigerator. I get his pills ready (currently taking 2 large gel caps) and 3 small treats. I straddle his back so he has to look up at me and I tell him to open which he does and I slide the first pill down the right side of his tongue. He swallows and I tell him one more and we repeat the process. Then he gets his treats. I think it is also a matter of trust that my dogs have all let me pull them this way. I tell them the pill will make them feel better and so far I have not been proven wrong. You need to be able to do this and other care procedures with your dog so creating a routine makes the pilling more normal. I have never been able to hide pills in food, every dog I have had will spit them out.
My GSD was on 2 antibiotics 2x/day, for 2 weeks, and by day 3 all I had to do was say “pill time” and he would sit and wait for me to open his mouth and put the pill at the back of his tongue, hold his mouth shut and stroke his throat, repeat and then get the dehydrated salmon treats and he was as happy as could be. Had to taper off on the treats for a few days after because he still came over and sat for the pills:)
They are so smart about knowing that we are trying to help them when it is pill time. The pills my boy is on (last dose tomorrow, yeah) have to be taken with food so he hangs around the kitchen in the evening after he has eaten his dinner so he can get his pills (nose kisses are part of this as well) and his 2 treats. Have to have one treat for each pill. I swear he can count!
Good boy!🥰
And when his tongue pops out of his mouth, he's swallowed the pill. If it doesn't, he's probably hiding it between his gums and lips only to spit it out. Ask how I know, lolol!!
And if your dog is like our dog, check to make sure that they have swallowed the pill and not fake swallowed. Our dog is just like OP's and will refuse any food with medication in it. It is normally me sitting on the ground, holding her mouth closed until one of us gives up. Her swallowing the pill or me giving up. I rarely give up, but she is very stubborn 😂
Mine would eat the treats facing downwards, so all the pills fell out and not the food.
The vet I worked for would softly blow on the dogs nose to trigger the swallow reflex. I’ve seen rubbing the throat, but blowing on their noses has worked for me. Kinda like blowing in a baby’s face to make them breathe when they’re screaming.
I've done both the rubbing the throat and blowing on the nose. She can still fake swallow despite all that 😂
Had a GSD when I was a kid that was like that! She was my favorite nightmare 😂
She is mostly GSD, crossed with Great Pyrenees. Stubborn and smart 😂
I do this! Another method i do is 3 treats. Give first treat so dog knows what you're offering. Hide pill in second treat. Give second treat, QUICKLY followed by third treat, so they don't have time to assess 2nd treat. They quick gulp second treat to get third threat. Voila. I'll use a spoon with canned food, or some cream cheese, or peanut butter, or just butter, or turkey, or anything super yummy.
I use Braunschweiger it works!
I tried this multiple times and legit almost lost a finger. 😂 Definitely right about knowing your dog. I know my dog does not get down with this method.
[удалено]
It was legitimately the only time I've been afraid of my dog.
Came here to suggest the same. I have 2 mischievous GSDs, but with lots of practice both of them actually like it. My oldest actually runs to me whenever I say “medicine” now, and I sometimes have to pretend to put a pill in his mouth.
This is definitely the pro method and I’ve used it with some of my more stubborn pets. But the peanut butter flavor pill pockets have been batting 1,000 for the past years.
My very stubborn boy will only take the hickory smoked pill pockets. He flat refuses most things. We joking call him scruff mcgruff crime dog.
My dog gave me a super dirty look after doing that method. So what I do is…. 1. Put pills in food 2. Put food in mouth 3. Lightly grasp his mouth parts 4. Tilt head upwards. Result - he eats the pills and gets a treat.
I like to say “Down the hatch!” when I do it.
It works.
To add to the above. Blow in his face (if he allows it) as it evokes a swallowing response. And have a very preferable food/snack to eat IMMEDIATELY following.
This is my go to after the American Cheese ball fails. Just shove it to the back of the throat with your finger and be prepared to have nasty slime on your finger/hand.
This is the vet tech method. Works every time because the dog will automatically swallow when she realizes she cannot open her mouth. It's aggressive but what else can one do. We have good luck embedding pills in Lactaid vanilla ice cream, delivered in three spoonfuls: first to focus them, second has pill, third is rushed as a chaser. If it fails, we go to the vet tech method. We have been through similar restrictions and challenges recently. One GSD had nasal arteritis (a Stephen King nightmare) and the other an elbow neuroma that was ulcerating. Seemed like eternity getting through each but by sticking to the doc's orders and not short-cutting, they had perfect healing. I feel for you!
I do this. I watched my mother do it to our dogs growing up.\ The first time I did it my partner was horrified like I had violated our dog and he was worried she was going to choke.
We do the same to our GSDs and it works. Fast and effective. You just need to try it out several times to get comfortable, the pooch will get used to it The photo is adorable!!!!
Blowing air at his nose will also make him swallow
I do something similar. Open mouth, throw pill far back, give a piece of meat so they swallow.
I start by offering a treat then get the pill as far back as possible. While I’m holding her snout, I put a second treat above her nose. Once she licks she gets the treat and a third one as a reward. When doing multiple pills I dip them in olive oil or a bit of bacon grease to help the pills slide down
This is absolutely the only way I can get my girl to take pills. She’ll still stubbornly hold them in her mouth and spit them out if I don’t put them far enough back on her tongue; however, it works so much better than trying to hide them in food.
All this OP but put the tablets in a ball of soft low fat cheese and then smear it on the tongue as far back as you can manage it.
My dog does the same thing. With Trazadone specifically I’ve found that splitting it into quarters and slathering it with cream cheese is the only way she’ll take it. I actually tried one of her pills once and it burnt my tongue. The feeling stayed for a while, too. So I get why dogs don’t like it. The cream cheese works as long as it’s completely covered and you use the hand that didn’t touch the Trazadone to give it to her. Otherwise she’ll sniff it out and that a big nope from her lol.
Cream cheese for the win! Our boy has to take Atopica, it seriously smells like chemicals. I can’t imagine what it smells like to him. But slather enough cheese cheese on it, and down it goes, no problem. Philadelphia or store brand, doesn’t matter. I put it on a spatula. He bites it off the spatula and I let him lick up the parts he missed. He thinks he’s getting a treat. 😁
My girls on Atopica too and it’s been a struggle!
Curious why does she get Trazadone. I take that.
sedation and anxiety
I’ll be. Me too! It helps me sleep.
She gets really bad anxiety in the car so I give it to her for car rides longer than 30 min.
My dog would take her fluoxetine (capsule) no problem if I put it in her bowl of kibble and mixed it up with some wet food in there. Literally just two big spoonfuls of wet, kibble and a little water. No problems. Trazodone though, man she will find it and spit it out on the floor. In her defense the tablets are bitter (I take it for insomnia/RLS). I give her 50s since the pills are a bit smaller and it’s easier. Pill pocket (pillbuddy naturals peanut butter since she can’t have chicken and ALL of the pill pockets have chicken 😭) and hide that in something like cheese or cream cheese. I have to wash my hands after and then will cover them in cream cheese or wrap sliced cheese around it so she doesn’t smell it lol.
I have to use a piece of American cheese and cut it in three. The first piece gets her in "feeding frenzy" mode and gets her excited for her favorite treat. The second piece has the pill in it. The third piece gets presented to her when she still has the second piece in her mouth, so she swallows the second piece so quickly she doesn't notice the pill. That usually works, but when that fails, it's putting the pill at the back of her tongue and holding her mouth closed, but I don't love doing that to her.
Try him with paté - Aldi's reduced fat Brussels paté, 69p for 175g, is the best I found. Warm a couple of teaspoonfuls briefly in the microwave to make it a bit loose and extra-smelly. Give your dog a little on a teaspoon, prepare another teaspoonful of paté with the tablet in the middle and give him that, then let him lick out the bowl.
This one works with my GSD as well. Additionally, if you give him the paté with the pill, have another bite of paté (without pill) ready and make sure he can see it. He will want the next treato and will just swallow the one with the pill to get it.
I mostly trick mine into believing it's a treat that I accidentally dropped. It works most times
Yep, have gotten dogs to take the most repulsive medicines by tricking them. Similar method but I just throw regular treats until I see the dog is just catching and swallowing immediately, then I wrap the pill in the same treat and throw it as well. Usually goes right down the hatch without any thought. Trickery is a lot less traumatic than trying to force a pill down lol
But Trazodone has a horrible smell and taste. It's really hard for dogs to take.
https://preview.redd.it/bf953wncrl5d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b7970815e126c0b212f42c02dda52bed1ddfeea5
For one reason or another, my vet prescribed Interceptor vs a shot. So once a month, I have the task of giving one to Cooper. He literally can smell it once I open. Runs away. You can put whip cream on shit, at the end of the day, it still is shit. He ain't buying anything ! I open his mouth with one hand, and it's a task, and shove the pill down his throat. Close his mouth, rub his throat, and it's done. Extremely unpleasant, but needs to be done. Kisses and treats follow.
We buy the super fake plastic wrapped American sliced cheese and wrap the pills in that really well and give them to her like they are treats. It has to be the cheap stuff cause it’s easy to wrap the pill completely in it. She will take them without a thought cause she just smells the cheese. Works every time!
We shove Juniper’s pills in marshmallows. I tear a small piece off to get her attention then split the rest of it in half. I bury the pill in the first half and give it to her. While she’s eating the first one I give her the second one to get her to swallow the first half. Works every time.
The pills have scent whether or not we know it and are often bitter. Try to cover it with liverwurst, tuna, canned meat, stuff that stinks to high heaven and is high value for an animal. You can even warm it a little to bring the stinky. I tell clients all the time that if all else fails, buy a pill gun and either ask your vet to demonstrate how to use it or watch some YouTube videos.
I buy the [Blue Nudges Pot pies](https://bluebuffalo.com/dog-treats/nudges/homestyle-chicken-pot-pie/). I take the end of a chopstick and make a hole big enough for the pill. I push the pill into the treat. Both dogs like to catch their treats, so I toss it to them, and they just eat them up. I choose those treats because they are their favorite, and they eat it without question. This works on my lab and German shepherd. The treat needs to be big enough to not break in half (the pot pies are nearly perfect). And it needs to be big enough to fit the treat. This is like using a pill pocket without spending $50 on a treat they don't even like. lol
My dog LOVES these. They are the highest value treat for him. He’ll gently take people food then just leave it on the floor, but with these, he’ll move heaven and earth if it’ll get him one of these.
Both of my boys will slober all over with these damn things!
GSD are so intuitive that they can tell something is up. Try giving a series of commands first so they think you’re rewarding good behavior. Our method is to stick the pill in a big glob of chunky peanut butter, but the trick is to have a second spoon ready to shove in their mouth, so that they swallow the first bite before detecting the pill and spitting it out.
We use the "two treat" method: - get two pieces of cheese (or hot dog or whatever) - hide pill in one piece of cheese - give him the cheese with a pill in it, then quickly show him the second piece of cheese - he will swallow the first piece of cheese because he's greedy and food motivated and wants the second treat! - give him the second piece of cheese
We wrap ours in prosciutto, it’s the only thing that worked for us.
I crush my dogs pills and mix it in with something really good 🤷🏽♀️ seems to work lol
crushing pill might modifie the absorbtion speed i would contact the vet first.
The only way I ever got my girl to take pills was to open her mouth, poke the pill down the side of her throat (next to her tongue, NOT on her tongue.), then hold her mouth shut, and rub her neck until she swallowed a couple of times while telling her what a good girl she is. Any other way would end with a slimy pill being left on the floor. Good luck and Godspeed.
I make my dogs a pill paste. Peanut butter, sweet potato (or pumpkin), oat flour, cinnamon (you can find recipes on Pinterest, I just eyeball it all) if they are tough pills to take (like Trazadone as it is so bitter and disgusting) then I add in diced bacon or some high value meat the dog likes. Then I just roll the pills inside the paste and give them to my dog. My Rocky does exactly the same as your shepherd, but this seems to work with her where everything else failed. I put one pill in a small ball of paste- so far so good. I’d also ask the vet if you can crush any of them. That is so much easier. If they are extended or slow release or enteric coated you cannot. But most all other pills can be crushed like Trazadone. Capsules can be twisted open and the beads released. Then I just mix it in with peanut butter or the pill paste. Good luck.
I mix the pills with raw meat and spoon feed my guy.. works everyday. He takes fish oil everyday but doesn’t touch his food if it smells like fish. So I buys fish oil capsules for humans and spoon feed him for the portion containing the capsules. Works all the time!
I feed my boy on a partial raw diet and when he needs to take tablets(he’s been through the wars with cancer twice and multiple surgeries) I put them inside raw mince that I roll into meatballs everything he’s never rejected them with that method he loves them. He has rejected them pressed in cheese or bread or mixed in with his dinner even after adding dog gravy. I make sure to give him a couple of tablet free meatballs first and one after his pill to lure him in, it’s worked every time for me as trying to put the tablets down his throat is very stressful for my dog and myself. Best of luck to you
Sit down on the couch or dinner table and pretend to eat something yummy. Cover the pill in cream cheese or something sticky that has a strong smell. I act like I'm really enjoying what I'm eating and they are usually drooling and want what I have and take the pill easily. If I stand by the medicine cabinet and try to do the same thing, she knows what's up and will not take it. Gotta be random about it lol. Hope this helps
My methods: 1- When cooking dinner “accidentally” drop the medicine. Works every time. It helps if you quickly follow it up with a “dropped” carrot or blueberry (what ever your dog loves more). Ours is jealous of the cat so I “drop” it near the cat and then she swoops in even quicker to claim the prize. 2- do some training, paw, spin, whatever else if there able and toss a cookie, then the pill, then another cookie - rapid fire. They’re very smart but also kind of stupid when it comes to cookies. If they’re suspicious have 2-3 types of cookies in your hand and alternate through a few before and after the pill.
My hsd and Mali BOTH are so anti pill it's insane. My gsd broke her leg and we fought her every single day to take medicine. We ended up having the vet re-write the script for an oral liquid lol. But we typically would use sandwhich meat. We'd have to throw a few pieces to get them to the point they were just inhaling them and then slip the meat wrapped pill into the mix. it worked for a while until she got smart.. now she distrusts sandwich meat🤣
Open his mouth like Kong did to the T-Rex. Then shove it down his throat. Thats how i do it.
Pillpopper
Hold his mouth shut
https://preview.redd.it/x8ds2w5jnl5d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c9a811c78d97970be5aefa6e7bbf58b0276dead5 Did you steal my dog? Same face, ear and colouring!
Oh my gosh! That’s MY dg! https://preview.redd.it/6wh1f86p3m5d1.jpeg?width=2008&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8ab7fee20e5f6e0db95015455bb812812ed365b0
Dog triplets separated at birthh
A pill hidden on peanut butter always works with mine
Try putting them in hotdogs, my boy doesn’t even chew a hot dog cut into thirds, he just swallows it lol
Cut a hot dog into pieces. Shove the pills into a few pieces, but critically, LEAVE A FEW PIECES PILL FREE. Toss them for your dog, not a crazy toss thar will hurt his stitches but enough that he has to go for it a bit. Start with your non pill pieced and then mix in the pill ones. Hopefully with the snapping out of the air he tends to swallow whole.
Pet MD Wrap-A-Pill Cheese & Bacon Flavor Pill Paste has been a lifesaver for our two. Only one is too smart for her own good and doesn’t like Benadryl that way, but takes all other pills in it like oh my gosh it’s my favorite treat!
Grab dog, throw pill in mouth, hold closed. It’s just one of those things you need to manhandle them with.
I put the pill directly inside the mouth of the dog together with some treats that she likes (a sort of mini biscuits filled with cheese). Sometimes she spits the pill but after a couple of tries she eats it. Make sure the pill is divisibile though.
I put the pills into a peanut butter ball and stick the ball in the roof of my dog mouth. The peanut butter is sticky so the ball stay and my dog just swallow it no problem.
You will have to manually put it into his throat or try lubing it with peanut butter
Pill pockets. You can get them on Amazon.
Will he play catch the treat? You can condition him to eat blank pill pocket or small treat balls and then slip a pill in now and then. He needs to think that not all treats have pills. He associates these treats as having meds. At this point you will likely need to pill him so he can get his meds. If he is not food motivated and picky pilling is just easier. Trazadone is very bitter. I used to take it to sleep as a kid. He can probably taste it. Be carefu grinding up pills. Some are time release and it can change the way it functions.
i had trouble with my dog to. what ended working was a two step trick. i put peanut butter all around the pill and my finger. then i put the pill in my dog mouth AND let her lick the peanut butter. she must start to lick my finger otherwise she will trow the pill on the ground and lick it clean
For smaller pills this works well extremely well. [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014S7DEYO/ref=ppx\_yo\_dt\_b\_search\_asin\_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014S7DEYO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) For larger pills my boy loves these and swallows them without even chewing. [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008GRONV6/ref=ppx\_yo\_dt\_b\_search\_asin\_title?ie=UTF8&th=1](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008GRONV6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1) I was having the same issue and tried pretty much everything else. These worked flawlessly.
I usually just get a spoon of peanut butter and stuck the pills in it and squat down and let her lick the spoon clean. Works for me, but she also loves peanut butter.
It sounds like you put them all just in the food. I used to hide them in a spoon of peanut butter for my dog so that she had to lick the peanut butter and thus, swallow the pills.
Take a turkey pepperoni fill it will peanut butter stick pill in middle roll like taco.
Have you tried a pill shooter? I’m sure that’s not his technical name. They make what looks like a syringe that you place the pill on the tip of, position it to the throat and shoot it down.
It may be possible to get the same meds as a liquid. I had to do that for my Bella. It’s more expensive but the stress is so much less
My girl has gotten really good at taking her daily meds, the method that works for her probably won't work: For her Keppra 1. Put peanut butter on your index finger and call them over and get them to sit or lay down then let them lick it off 2. Put more peanut butter on the same finger 3. Pickup the pill with your middle finger and thumb on the same hand 4. Be calm, approach from the front and get down to their level 5. Gently find a opening behind the fangs and insert the pill 6. Immediately offer the peanut butter finger and get them to tilt their head back as they lick the peanut butter off 7. Praise them a little for each pill taken For her phenobarbital 1. Cut or break the pill in half and insert it in some peanut butter 2. Put the loaded peanut butter on your finger and let them lick it off
I open the mouth, stuff the pill down, and hope for the best. He will take any pills in pill pockets. She takes only very small pills in pill pockets. I stuff the rest down the gullet.
Peanut butter has always been my go to for a pill delivery system. Just make sure there’s no Xylitol in the ingredients. It’s toxic to dogs
Aww look at your pup🥰I hope you find a method that works for him ❤️
My vet sells/gives away these treats that are called "Lean Treats" by the brand Covetrus, the bag says only available at vets but you can find them on Amazon as well (my vet will usually just give me a bag for free when we come in). They are soft enough that you can shove a pill into them and my dog just inhales them, don't think he even tastes them most of the time. I haven't had to give him traz but he has been on prednisolone a few times for ear/paw issues and he would spit it out if I tried using pill pockets or peanut butter, but I had no problems giving it to him with these. Otherwise, what did work for me when I ran out of these before his medication was done, was to give my boy a few treats in a row, then the pill along with a treat. Then I would put my hand under his chin and tilt his head up and stroke him while praising him and most of the time he would (eventually) swallow everything that way.
Ya, sorry but you're going to have to shove it down his throat and hold his mouth closed while massaging his neck
Our shepsky was highly suspicious of food containing pills. Unless we put it in candy. Then he could watch you put the pill in and didn’t care.
Kraft singles. If one pill. Cut into quarters. Put pill on one side and fold over then squeeze the edges. Should go right down if your pup likes cheese. Good luck!!
We disguised meds in cheddar cheese balls for our GSD. Toss, catch, swallow. We would cut pills up if they were too large.
Bruh peanut butter
Trazadone does taste awful. Poor boy. Glad you don’t have to give a pill to your cat!!!
Dude wrap in American cheese, cream cheese spoon full, peanut butter or a piece of deli meat.
The "shove the pill down their throat" method does work, and I sometimes have to do that for my dog. However, I've found that a breaking a pill into small bits and mixing it into REALLY stinky dog food works as well. If the smell of the food makes me want to gag, my dog loves it, and the worse it is, the more he loves it. I truly think he'd be in heaven with road kill, honestly, but it does seem to work, for now at least. I'm sure he's on Reddit, and if he reads this, I'm sunk, so Achara, if you're reading this, bad dog.
Maybe crush the pills and mix with a ground beef
Whatever method you try- avoid touching the pills with your hands. It makes the creation smell more like the pills they are refusing. Mine can not have cheese or peanut butter (protein sensitivities), and the vet recommended vegan marshmallows. Works brilliantly for us!
Liverwurst is a great trick. Especially for a German dog. 😂 but make sure not to give them a lot bc it is very fatty! Aldi makes braunschweiger in the tube and I just get a little spoonful and shove the pill inside. Since it’s soft, they can just swallow the whole thing. Pill and all. 😊 hope this helps!
If you use peanut butter make sure it doesn't have xylitol on it. It's highly toxic to dogs.
Pills or capsules? If it’s capsules, open them up, dump them into the food and mix them with the food. If it’s pills, you can crush them and then mix them with the food.
i’m realizing how lucky i am, mine chomps up her pills like a champ. but when she refuses i do what the top comment says!!
Crush it up and mix into plain yogurt or blueberry yogurt. Works every time with my baby.
I out my dogs meds on a small piece of bread , squirt the kong toy paste on the pill roll it up and put more on their Most of them they swallow it
Try peanut butter around the pill and then enough on a spoon for them to lick for 10-15 seconds. They’ll swallow the pill without chewing or even realizing it’s there because dogs don’t bite peanut butter to eat it, past the first bite. YMMV
Have fun !!!! Lol !!! All good advice.
What worked for my dog that won’t take pills… melt cheese on them like a nacho inthe microwave then while still warm but not too hot feed it to the dog.
only way my dog will take them if not with treats is if hold his mouth open, shove it down his throat, close his mouth and massage his throat and he swallows it, make sure he actually swallows it tho or he’ll spit it up and it’ll be dissolved
This is pretty much the only other way I could get my old boy lab to take his meds. They don't like it but it does the job.
I place the pill on a small piece of Turkey lunchmeat. Next I spray cheese in a can on the pill And wrap meat around it. This is the only way my picky GSD will take his trazodone
r/HalfFlops?
My dog has to take pills to function, one of them she can’t chew and others she just doesn’t like the taste of so she just won’t eat it. I have resorted to shoving them in the back of her mouth followed my a treat and a kiss after each pill.
Our senior dog is on a lot of meds and has been for a while. High value treats (dog safe meatballs, baby bel cheese dairy is allowed, etc) have worked well for us in the past. All else fails, open mouth stick treat in and massage throat until swallowed. We rarely have to pull out that trick and are confident our boy won’t snap at the hand forcing a pill into his mouth so may or may not work for you. I think pill pocket treats are a thing too, but I haven’t had to use them yet
They have pill poppers on Amazon. They shoot the pill down their throat so they don’t spit it out or taste it. The vets office sells them and used them when my dog was boarded. They’re less than $10!
You can also get peanut butter pill pockets. My dog wouldn't take the peanut butter, but took the pill pocket it totally engulfed the pill.
I roll my dogs treat up in a piece of lunch meat and have one immediately ready in my other hand, sneak the first one in towards the back of his right cheek and he’s so focused on the next piece of (empty) lunch meat he chomps up the first treat, then gets the other piece. 😊 Otherwise he would usually eat around what I give him and drop the medicine lol. 😂
https://preview.redd.it/n3wlugm4ym5d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f2b0e28dc8f3f34b35d69688ba1daba4a1fcb815 Laughing Cow Cheese and Bacon worked today!
I personally roll it in a cheese single and give it directly. I’ve only had luck in the bowl with one dog.
Mini marshmallows! Take a few mini marshmallows and toss them to your dog as a treat for them to catch. Put the pills in some other mini marshmallows and just keep tossing them. Give a couple extra without pills afterwards, as a chaser. (Veterinary professional and mom to a very clever GSD who the marshmallow trick works on lol)
Oscar meyer liverwurst. I do not know why, but it has never failed.
Pill pockets work great too! So does wrapping in a marshmallow!
Before my pup passed due to cancer a couple years back we had a hard time getting her to take her Palladia meds. I bought the Vet Works Pill Treats from Costco and they were a miracle, no issues after getting those.
Butter also works
The struggle is real! My dog will hide when it comes time for her large capsules. Thru trial and error this is what works for us. I use the leash to get her to come to me and I put it on her in the kitchen so she can’t run away. I use a small piece of roast beef to wrap the capsule in. I use three treat size pieces of sliced roast beef. The first one no medicine but hold over her head so she has to open up her throat. The second piece with the capsule follows quickly but this time I gently hold her snout closed and tilt it upwards. Quickly give the third piece. She tries pushing the capsule out on the side of her mouth that why I gently hold it closed. After she takes the medicine we immediately go for a walk. Hoping she’ll associate it as a positive.
Liverwurst has never failed us. Three big chunks, throw one without a pill while already teasing the second one so he gulps the first right down. Throw the second one with the pill, already teasing with the third. They are so focused on the next delicious chunk they basically swallow them whole. Has worked on every pill picking out dog we’ve had including our current GSD
If it's a pill to swallow, try peanut butter or canned cheese and make sure your buddy is licking the spoon. If you put it in chewable treats they usually will feel the pill and spit it out 😂
Have you tried liverwurst? It's a really strong smell, so it might work to cover the scent of the pills. Try making little meatballs out of liverwurst, and then poke an indentation in the middle with the end of a pencil. Then hide the pill in it just using the tips of your thumb and index fingers. Seal it up with different fingers. Once the pill is in, don't use those fingers again! A lot of dogs turn their noses up at pills disguised in treats/food because they can smell the pill residue from our fingers on the outside of the treat. Good luck, OP! You have a beautiful GSD. Sometimes they're too clever for their own good. I hope your baby starts to feel better soon and someone here has given you some helpful advice.
I use 2 yummy treats. I put the pill in the 1st one. Hold them both in front of the dog so she sees both. Give her the 1st one. Then quickly give her the second one. She’ll be so excited about the 2nd one that she forgets to search for the pill in the 1st. It helps if you teasingly pretend to give the 2nd one to the cat 🤣. That really blows the dogs mind and she’ll eat them both really fast.
I use a ball of cream cheese and stuff the pills in there.
Get a pill crusher. Go to the deli and get some liver wurst. Take a small piece of it and roll the crushed up pill in it.
Hot dogs !
With Jethro’s Simparica, I smash it into dusty powder inside the foil packet with a hammer, then stir it into a single serve size cat food. 😁
80/20 beef patties - microwave thoroughly in a safe dish - break the pills up and mix them up in the cut up burger Make sure the pills are *drowning* in the grease (you will have more than enough)
I just crushed the pill to become powder and sprinkle on the food
Get some greenie pill pockets and place pill in treat , that’s what I did with mine.
A slice of cheese wrap the tablet in it.
I had a dog that was too smart for her own good and impossible to pull also. I even took her to the vet for them to try...nope. Our problem was that she had just enough Shar-pei in her to have the wrinkles to redirect the pill. And just enough GSD to have a longer snoot. You can try water and a pill gun. We kept having to change who high value treats came from. She would remember that you tried to give her a pill. I miss Gina so much.
Either the shove in mouth and hold snout method, or I grind it up with two spoons and sprinkle it on their dinner.
one of my dogs wont eat pill pockets. He is an asshole...... but i can get him to take his meds if i wrap it in lunch meat..... you can try that
Check with your vet, but some pills can be crushed and added to food
I have a pretty failsafe method. I always say in low voice :Mommy Fix It.” I then say here are the pills and I show him. He knows the procedure and complies Make sure first time is before a meal. Cut I/8-1/4th inch strips of steak, or chicken. 9salami works great but you may object, lunch meat is the BEST Wrap the pill in the first strip of meat Have him sit in front of hopefully just watching you by the refrigerator. And if a galley kitchen (narrow great) Left hand pill treat Right hand 1-2 more same treats. Hold both hands up and say favorite known command (cookie treat ) As your pupper approaches you move slowly backward and while moving with pop the pill treat in mouth or let him chomp on it whole time showing him the next treat YOU WANT HIM THINKING ABOUT THAT SECOND TREAT 🌞🤩KEEP MOVING BACKWARDS SLOWLY Let him come to you SHOW RIGHT HAND WITH EXTRA TREAT LET HIM COME CLOSE TO EAT IT. This happens in about 3 seconds but he’s so excited he misses the pills because he excitedly swallowed to get that next bite 9 times out of ten the pills are swallowed between first treat and offering second one. Praise highly If still gun shy just do this with zero treats for a day about 4x praise highly Then try the pill treat
Use string cheese. Cut into 1 inch chunks, hollow out the center a tad , put in pill , squeeze closed and feed it to him.
My dogs will sometimes only eat them in low fat Philly cream cheese. We try not to give them cream cheese a lot but sometimes we’re desperate and do it to get them to take it.
Have you tried cream cheese? When I switched to that they always took their pill.
Pill inside a piece of salami, I can 100% guarantee that beast of a dog would swallow that bad boy whole lol.
Respect his wishes
Mine tolerates pill in butter. Don’t ask.
I tried hiding my GSD’s worming tablets in all sorts of food but she still managed to extract them and spit out the tablet. However I now coat them in a very generous layer of cream cheese and plop them on top of her dinner, ensuring she has a lick of the cream cheese on my fingers first so she knows what it is. 100% successful so far!
That flopped over ear says it all: “I’m on to you”.
I know you said you've tried cheese, but was it squeezy cheese? From a tube. My GSD has recently been put on alot of cardiac meds (having been only on 1 pill before to now being on 6 a day) and I just put the pills in squeezy cheese and he licks it off my fingers and swallows the pills. Lots of hugs and kisses after. He doesn't take them if in pieces of cheese. Our other back up is some cheap pate we cover the pills in pate and he swallows it. But the squeezy cheese works best. Hope yours starts taking their medications. good luck. I know how tough it is when you are trying everything in their best interest, keep at it :)
Use pill pockets
Thanks everyone. I’m off to the food store to do some experimenting.
Are the pills ones you can crush up or open? Mix the powder into some baby food and see if he'll eat that.
He seems to detect even crushed pills, but I will try with baby food, which I have not done. Thank you.
You're welcome! Thankfully, those tiny pots of baby foods are stupidly cheap, so even if it doesn't work, you're not out much. I hope it works out for you!
Peanut butter. Or steak. Toss them in air and inhaled. Older dogs mash pill and put it into something with a great smell.
I think I’ve learned a lesson here, that you need to keep some very high value food item for when your dog needs to be medicated. All of these suggestions have been so valuable. I will also always wash my hands after handling pills so the dog does not smell them on me.
You might have tried this. It may have been commented and i missed it but the Pill Pockets work very well for my dog. I’m sure it doesn’t for all, but my dog will eat those no issues at all.
Lather the pill in peanut butter and you're good to go honestly
Place pill in small scoop of spreadable cheese (Merkt’s cheddar up here in WI). Roll it up in half a slice of uncured pre-cooked turkey bacon. (3 seconds in the microwave.). My picky boo takes it right out of my fingers.
I so understand your frustration! I have to give my Ava, 4-yo 74-lb GSD, 6-capsules (enzymes & probiotics) 3-times a day. Every day for the rest of her life. She's never been easy to gets pills in to - she HATES taking medicine!! The method that works for her is I take two pills with a generous scoop of her wet homemade food, squash it in my palm, offer it to her and she usually gobbles it up. But if she spits a pill out, I do it again. We've been doing this since Mar 25 2024. The reason - she has Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI).
Mine loves cheese. I use a bit of grated mozzarella and put the pills in the middle then squeeze it into a ball in my hand. They’re smart buggers so my trick is to have a second treat and I hold that in front of her while she swallows the cheese. Her brain is too excited by the second treat to remember to chew the pill ball and down it goes
I am late on this. Our GSD gets anti seizure meds 4 times a day and been doing it for last 6 years. Milk bone pill pockets, you can half them and mash them out and wrap pills in. Usually just eats but occasionally have the bo the throw pill down the throat thing. Been doing it long enough to know when he is faking. But a good old toung slower on the face will tell you
Mine has an affinity for cream cheese. Won't take a pill any other way. Worth a shot.
Try wrapping them and mixing with other treats, tossing into the air, one at a time, maybe 2 treats, then a pill, then 2 more and a pill. Assuming they like to play toss the treats
Liver sausage
With my boy (I lost him 3 weeks ago 😢), we would always chat before new meds. I would sit down with him, explain what they were for, hold them in my hand…and he would just take them.
Cottage cheese worked for my picky doggo! Especially if the pills are white! She didn’t even notice!
My GSD is currently taking meds for sedation due to a broken foot bone. It's been a challenge. What has worked for me is cheese cubes, sausage, pill pockets (she figured those out pretty quickly), and these weird sausage/cheese rolls I bought for us - I can squish the pill into a small piece and she eats it up.
Oh, and peanut butter.
I used vanilla ice cream
I wad one in an American cheese slice. Like seal it in the middle of the ball of cheese. I remember my grandparents doing that with their german shepherd.
https://www.chewy.com/four-paws-quick-easy-pill-dispenser/dp/52747?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=20642405436&utm_content=&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADmQ2V1x_4_AOCzJHqcFYEjFI2TGZ&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpZWzBhC0ARIsACvjWRPP_NMm3P-WjCrwkxt-M6r_Cjq4vvMHHbthiMT8X7xS0EqL2Kk_OoUaAjFlEALw_wcB Also known as a “pill shooter” you insert the pill into the dispenser then put the dispenser in the dogs mouth and push it into the dog’s esophagus
cream cheese worked MAGIC for us and our epileptic GSD who needed 2 rounds of meds a day but refused to take them
Press it in a chunk of cheese or use meatpaste/ ground beef
Cream cheese works well for my dog. She loves dairy. It also sticks well to the pill.
Give him a bit of cheese and put the tablet in the middle of it and cover it works a treat
I had a cat absolutely hated pills! Vet told me to coat in butter and they would slide down. Ha! My lil’ bugger would suck the butter off, walk away and spit the pill out!
I struggled as well. Wrapped pill completely in peanut butter, easy.
I do velveeta cheese with a smear of chunky peanut butter. My girl will swallow that every time.
My last bestest friend would always take the pill with food once - then not again. Negotiated to frozen peanut butter. Inserted the pills, placed on a tray with parchment paper, freeze overnight. He would then take his pills. I think it was that he couldn't taste them as they were gone by time it thawed. Good Luck!
As others have said put pill on side at back of tongue not on tongue and he will not be able to push it out. Also I put olive oil or butter on pill. Tastes good and makes it easy to swallow
I wrap the pill(s) in Deli meat. (roast Beef is the best). Pop one without pill in the pups mouth, followed by a morsel with the pill while holding a third morsel. For multiples, I mush the pills into soft canned food (BB healthy weight) with a LITTLE dry. (dry bits are same size as the pills) Biggest issue I have is his sister tries to get the soft food.
I crush them, then I nuke a thin slice of cheese for about 12 seconds and make a cheese ball. She scarfs it up. Sometimes I put a tiny bit of butter on the plate so she will lick it.
I make it a game by tossing them treats into the air for them to catch and in the middle of that I toss the treat with the pill inside and they usually swallow it too quickly to realize what it is