Your dog won’t take pills? As I pried my dog’s jaws open to give him his medicine, I realized that, as a veterinarian, prescribing the appropriate medication for your dog is only half of the battle! What about YOU—standing ready, holding a pill, looking at your dog while your dog looks back at you, both wondering who’s going to win?
The answer, my friend, is YOU! As an integrative veterinarian and mom of three dogs, here are five of my favorite tips, tricks, and techniques for how to get your dog to take a pill.
1. The Bribe: For the food-motivated dog who won’t take pills
If your dog is food motivated, this technique is the obvious choice—and hopefully a foolproof way to get your dog to take pills. You can simply hide the pill in:
- Marshmallows: My personal favorite “bribe” in which to hide pills is marshmallows (or mini-marshmallows, depending on your dog’s size). I don’t worry about them causing pancreatitis (more on this soon), and it’s an inexpensive, low-calorie treat.
- A dab of peanut butter: Please make sure that xylitol is not on the ingredient list! It has become a common sweetener in peanut butter, but xylitol is highly toxic to dogs. Also, I prefer “chunky” peanut butter because it’s easier to disguise the texture of a pill among the chunks.
- Plain yogurt or plain greek yogurt: But please keep in mind that yogurt can cause GI upset in dogs who don’t handle lactose well. Plus, it is important to know that giving antibiotics with calcium-rich foods is a “no no” as it may make the antibiotics less effective.
- A cube of cooked boneless chicken breast or sliced turkey (NOT deli turkey or deli chicken as they are too high in sodium).
- Liverwurst: A small amount will do as it is very rich.
- Hot dog pieces: Always cut hot dog discs into halves or quarters to reduce the chances of your dog choking.
- Greenies Pill Pockets®(or similar products): This brilliant invention is a chewy dog treat with a hole inside for the pill or capsule. You insert the medication into the pocket, and then press the malleable treat around the pill to hide the evidence. Dogs generally love them! The downside is that they are not cheap, nor something you would normally have handy in your kitchen. Pill Pockets are sold through veterinarians and pet supply stores.
Above all do no harm.
The reason I left cheese, cream cheese, and ice cream off my “recommended” list is because I don’t want to take the risk of triggering pancreatitis through rich foods. Pancreatitis in dogs is a painful, serious inflammatory condition of the pancreas which can be caused by a dog eating high-fat foods.
If you have a pancreatitis-prone pup, you should also be cautious about using peanut butter or meat (turkey, chicken, hot dogs, or liverwurst) when trying to figure out how to give a dog a pill. These foods can also be higher in fat. They are less of a concern in my mind than cheese, cream cheese, and ice cream, but it is still important to be judicious about which dogs you give them to.
Additionally, when picking a food to put your dog’s pills in, keep your dog’s medical conditions in mind. Higher sodium foods can be problematic for dogs with kidney disease in dogs or heart disease in dogs. And dogs who are on prescription diets (for allergies or other conditions) may be better served to take their pills in a small amount of the canned version of their prescription diet. That way you know that the food you are hiding pills in meets your dog’s specific dietary aims.
If you are trying to figure out if a food or treat is right for your dog, check out my post on the 11 best foods to hide dog pills in. And also talk to your veterinarian! He or she has the ultimate say in which foods are, or are not, safe or appropriate for your dog.
2. How to get your dog to take a pill using “the bait and switch” method
For dogs who are tempted by “The Bribe,” but too smart for their own good, I employ “The Bait and Switch” method of getting dogs to take pills. This technique becomes second nature to most veterinarians who have learned the hard way—after scraping saliva-covered, mostly dissolved pills off the floor after a dog has spit them out—that it’s very important to have success on the first try.
Trust me, round two is ten times harder than round one, because of the state of the pill and the heightened state of the dog’s radar.
So unless I know the dog will basically eat anything, I always administer pills in this fashion:
1. Hide the pill in food or treats
2. Wash hands. (Yes, seriously. It’s amazing how you can ruin the whole process by having the smell of medication on your hands. Remember, a dog’s sense of smell is 10,000 times better than yours.)
3. Get two more of the same treats used to hide the pill in. For example, if I’m using hot dog pieces, when I’m ready to give the pill, I approach the dog with three hot dog pieces—and an innocent look.
4. Give the first treat without a pill in it. THE BAIT!
5. Give the second treat with the pill in it. THE SWITCH!
6. Give the third treat without a pill in it. THE HAPPY ENDING!
3. How to get your dog to take a pill using the “trick and treat” method
Occasionally, we have to up the ante. The “Bait and Switch” may have run its course and your dog has become wise to your antics, or your dog never fell for it in the first place. To have success giving medicine to these dogs, we must employ mind games.
- I do not recommend letting these astute dogs see you preparing the medication prior to administration. You will have to put the pills in the treats while your dog is occupied elsewhere. Do not let your dog see the medication bottle or hear it being handled. Remember the advantage of the element of surprise!
- Wash your hands after working with the pills. This step is critical.
- The Goal: Make your dog feel that the treat is an earned reward or special treat and there is nothing to be suspicious about. There are a few ways to do this:
- Have your dog perform a trick or two, for which he typically earns a treat. We’ve now put him in the mindset to expect/ask for a medication-laced treat. Give the spiked treats (ideally in the “Bait and Switch” sequence) as his reward.
- It’s key for the dog to swallow the treat rapidly, without taking time to chew. If your dog bites into the pill, certain medications like tramadol for dogs and metronidazole are so bitter tasting that your dog might even foam at the mouth. To avoid this, you can toss the treats to the dog and have him catch them. Speak to your dog in a happy, excited voice and build anticipation for the treats you are about to toss, so that he eagerly snaps them up and looks for more.
- Just like us, dogs are tempted by the forbidden. Feeding your dog his disguised medication off of a fork or spoon, or off of your own plate (strategically placed on the floor immediately after a meal) can yield uncanny success.
- Have your dog perform a trick or two, for which he typically earns a treat. We’ve now put him in the mindset to expect/ask for a medication-laced treat. Give the spiked treats (ideally in the “Bait and Switch” sequence) as his reward.
- Let’s face it. Dogs read us like an open book. If you approach getting your dog to take a pill with a guilty look or even feeling guilty, your dog will be suspicious. Project confidence, joy, and fun in the “pilling” process and your dog will be more likely to be cooperative.
4. How to get your dog to take a pill using the “JAWS” method
Disclaimer—Do not attempt this technique if you cannot utter these words with confidence: “Under no circumstances would my dog attempt to bite me.”
The technique I used on my dog was the “Jaws” method. It is a good option when the prescription label says not to give the medication with food or when your dog has become wise to the first three methods. Here’s the technique:
- I grasped the upper jaw just behind the canine teeth (the big fang teeth) with my thumb and first two fingers on either side, while my hand rested on the top of his nose.
- I did the same for the lower jaw just behind the lower canine teeth.
- Once I had my fingers safely in place, I gently (but firmly) pulled the jaws open. (My dog is a Pit Bull mix with exceptionally strong jaws, so this took some coaxing.)
- As soon as the jaws were open two to three inches wide, I took the pill between my pointer finger and thumb in my dominant hand and swiftly pushed it down the tongue until I deposited it at the very base (back) of the tongue. In fact, I pushed it over a decisive edge, down the hatch.
- As I pulled out my hand, I felt my dog swallowing a pill. He then licked his lips. At that point, I knew the mission had been successful.
Bonus Tips
The most common mistake people make in this technique is putting the pill ON the tongue. Unless the pill is very pleasantly flavored, the typical dog is going to spit out the pill. Success depends upon getting the pill as deep as possible in the throat as quickly as possible.
If it is challenging to get the pill in the right spot with your fingers, using a pet piller might help. This device looks like a straw with a plunger and allows you to get the pill further back in your dog’s throat.
Also, because certain pills can cause damage to the esophagus if left to sit in the throat, I always follow the “Jaws” technique with either administration of a few treats or syringing some water into the dog’s mouth.
5. Your dog still won’t take pills? Enlist an accomplice—the pharmacist
If all else fails and your dog will not take pills, while you’re at the vet, ask about getting your dog’s medication compounded and flavored. Specialty pharmacies (not the kind at grocery stores and big box stores) can pulverize your dog’s medication, mix it with a potent flavoring, and provide it to you in liquid form, which you can give orally via syringe or add to your dog’s food.
And you can have a say in that flavoring. Does your dog LOVE the smell of bacon? Mention it to your vet. There are several flavoring options, so you should stack the odds in your favor by expressing your dog’s preference if you know it.
Do not crush tablets or open capsules yourself unless directed by a vet
If you’re considering skipping the compounding pharmacy and crushing your dog’s pills or opening the capsules to add to food yourself, I want to stop you right there. Don’t do it.
The pharmacist who compounds your dog’s medication into a flavored liquid knows how to do so in a way that allows the medication to remain safe and effective. But crushing tablets or opening capsules at home can over or under dose your dog, make the medication less effective, and/or expose you to the medication.
So unless your vet expressly gives you the ok, you need to keep the tablets and capsules intact when giving them to your dog.
You + Your Dog+ Pills = Success
I hope that these five tips have given you the tools you need to confidently and successfully figure out how to give a dog a pill. But if you are still having trouble, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your vet. He or she is there to help! In the end, when your dog gets the medication he or she needs, everyone wins!
Do you have a tip on how to get your dog to take a pill?
Please comment below! May we always learn from each other!
Looking for more practical ways to help your dog live the happiest, healthiest life possible?
With 25+ years of experience helping my veterinary clients tackle everything from giving a dog a pill to keeping an aging dog’s mind fit, I’m passionate about helping you help your dog have the happiest life possible. Please check out these additional resources:
Is My Dog Too Old for Anesthesia?
Dr. Buzby’s Nail Trimming Without Fear: online, step-by-step video course with reference guides for confident at-home nail trims.
Why Non-Slip Grips Instead of Traction Socks or Booties
Are Antlers Good for Dogs To Chew On? Please “CHEWS” No
First published March 7, 2016
©Julie Buzby, DVM. All rights reserved.
Pretty sure I have the hardest dog in all the world to pill. He has allergies (hence the appoquel pills) and is a picky eater on top of that. We got away with a peanut butter blob the first week and then he got too smart. the jaws method worked for about another week, but now he just sits there letting it dissolve in his throat drooling out liquified pill chunks. If I don’t stick my hand all the way to his esophagus when I put it in he just drools it back out. I’ve tried everything in this list and then some, and it’s a traumatic event for both of us. As soon as I call his name now he goes running in fear, and my entire kitchen floor is covered in crusty drooled out pills all the time, at this point I think letting the allergy symptoms come back would be more feasible than continuing to try and give him this medication.
Hi Rebecca,
It can be so difficult, frustrating, and stressful to try to get a dog to take pills, and I am sorry to hear that your dog is giving you so much trouble. Have you read through the comments on this article as well? If not, I would suggest you do that because they are full of really creative solutions, so it is possible the secret answer might be hidden there. The other thing I would suggest doing is talking to your veterinarian about other ways to manage your dog’s allergies that don’t involve pills. My article on allergy meds Allergy Medicine for Dogs: 9 Solutions to Calm Your Dog’s Itch might give you some helpful non-pill ideas. However, selecting the medications or other management tools that are right for your dog is ultimately best left to your veterinarian because he or she is the one who can examine your dog and knows his history. I hope you are able to find a way to manage his allergies and keep your sanity and good relationship with your dog at the same time! Hang in there! ❤
My dog was the same way! He had surgery to remove a mass cell tumor and had 8 different medications he has to take! When we first brought him home he was so drugged up and had a very little appetite so we couldn’t get him to take any hidden pills with treats, so had to shove them down his throat…I agree, traumatic for everyone involved. As the days went on we’ve tried alllll the tricks and then some on here! About a week after being home, I decided to try cream cheese. I was sure to wash my hands and make them when my doggie was no where around. I just put the cream cheese in the palm of my hand and then put the pill in the center and rolled them up in a ball, making sure no pill touched the outside of the ball. I also made a lot of fake ones with no pills in them. Then I pop them in the fridge for a bit. I started giving him the fake ones as a treat and he loved them! (Keep in mind he wouldn’t even eat marshmallows or hot dogs with no pills..he didn’t trust any treats anymore.) i swear the trick was to pretend like I was getting a regular treat out, like I would open the lid and make the “treat noise” he was used to, then give him a fake, eats it, give him the one with the pill, eats it, give another fake! And it WORKED!! We have 2 dogs so I think giving the other one fakes at the same time too helped!! Keep trying, and hopefully we can all find something that works for our babies!
Cytopoint injections every 3 months solved both the allergies and the daily drama.
Dear Marie,
Thank you for reading our blog, and taking the time to comment. That is great that the Cytopoint injections are solving your dogs symptoms. They are a great option for many dogs, especially those who don’t like to take pills!
i have a dog that truely resist taking clavacillin i have tried everything from a-z he just had surgery could my vet give this in a shot form please advise thank you
Hi Phillis,
I’m sorry to hear that you are having so much trouble getting your dog to take his clavacillin. It can be stressful when your dog just had surgery and now won’t take the medication he needs. I would definitely recommend that you contact your veterinarian so they can advise you about injectable options or other ways to get him to take the clavacillin by mouth. Best of luck to you!
I need help please! My beagle has to take 6 different medications twice a day at least for 30 days. 3 of them are big capsules.
I have tried food, she eats the food and spits the pill out. I have tried mixing it in ice cream, peanut butter, hot dogs, chicken, beef. She always spits the pill out.
I tried pill pockets. She eats the treat and spits the pill out.
I have tried putting it down her throat. She even gags I get it so far down her throat. She won’t swallow no matter what I do. If I give her a treat or water, she spits it out and the pill/capsule.
My vets office was no help.
Is there anything I can do to get the much needed medicine in her?
I had success with wrapping a little raw ground beef around the medicine and she takes it no problem, but I know that isn’t good for her, even though it is a small amount of raw ground beef.
Please help me..
Hi Pam,
It would definitely be stressful and frustrating to have your sweet Beagle refusing to take her needed medications. You have done a good job coming up with a variety of methods and foods to try. You could consider trying the bait and switch method, using marshmallows (mini or regular) since they are sticky and hard to get the pills out of, wearing gloves to put the pill in the treat, and preparing the pill laced treats and decoy treats out of your dog’s sight. I would also recommend reading through the comments on this blog if you haven’t already because they are full of many helpful tidbits, tricks, food items, and creative solutions so it is quite possible that the magic solution might be hiding there. Hopefully one of the things I have suggested or something you find in the comments will help! I know it can be discouraging when so many methods don’t work, but know that you are doing a great job trying to do what is best for your dog. ❤
I just finished reading through y’alls struggles and hoping I can find an answer. I will definitely try freezing the Doxycyline (4 pills twice a day!!). It is a struggle and I have tried most of the tricks here with little success today. I will buy latex gloves today and liverwurst (again) while waiting for the pills to freeze.
At this point – 2 weeks into heartworm treatment – it seems to have turned into a psychological issue. She won’t even take unmedicated treats by hand anymore and just turns her head away when I offer them. She won’t even eat out of her food dish at this point – for several days. No food.
Hi Marilyn,
I’m so sorry to hear of your struggles trying to get your dog to take her doxycycline. As you can tell from the number of comments on this blog, you are definitely not alone in this, but that doesn’t make it any easier. It sounds like you have gleaned some good tips from the comments, so fingers crossed that one will be the magic solution to get your dog to take her pills. I would also recommend you check in with your veterinarian since your dog isn’t eating her food either. It may just be that her stomach is upset from the meds or it is psychological, but it would be good to ensure that there isn’t a more serious reason for her lack of appetite. I wish you all the best and hope she starts taking her pills and eating soon.
Hi Marilyn, I’m just wondering if you’ve had any success? I’m in the same boat with the Doxycycline, but 2 pills twice a day. Did freezing them help at all? We got a couple of the doses turned into a liquid to use in a syringe and squirt in her mouth but the vet had no success doing it themselves, so I’m not very optimistic that we will be able to.. so I’m still determined to try and hide the pills somehow, but haven’t been able to get anything to work twice in a row.
Hi there. This was helpful, I’m going to pick up marshmallows tomorrow. But I have a feeling that my Hudson will be on to me. He’s very smart. Hudson is about 7 years old, UTD on vaccines, and fixed. He is absolutely terrible with taking medications, and of course right now he is on several because of a recent diarrhea/emesis illness. He’s also on Prozac and pepcid daily, and he’s not a great eater, never has been since I rescued him almost 5 years ago.
I’ve tried different flavor pill pockets, turkey, low fat cream cheese, peanut butter, and just trying to “pill him”. He won’t take anything. Very challenging and getting very frustrating.
Any suggestions? I don’t want to torture him and I want to make sure he gets his medications.
Thank you!
Hi Jaime, That sounds very frustrating for both you and Hudson. But kudos to you for being so dedicated to getting it right and persevering in your sweet boy’s health needs. I love your rescue story! ♥️
Besides what I recommend in the blog, I would really try to focus on the psychological aspect of this process. Try keeping his medications in the same cupboards with his favorite foods and treats. Get his pills ready (in the marshmallows or whatever) in advance of him coming into the kitchen (or wherever you keep them) so that he doesn’t see the pills come out of the bottles and prepare for a fight. You’re going to have to “sell” the experience to him as positive and wonderful. He will definitely read you like a book if you are “guilty” or worries. Hopefully this new attitude about the routine will help him be more cooperative. 🙂
We have a siberian husky who will always refuse to take his pill.
We followed all the tricks above and none works.
Any other tricks? Thanks
Hello, Beleenda. I’m sorry to hear this! I’d recommend reading the comments in this blog. There are some good ideas posted! I hope this helps!
My dog is simply becoming fed up of the treat I hide the pill in. First I used cheese until he wanted it no more.. then I switched to sausage until he became fed up of that… and after that I used chicken, but now he wont take the chicken. And it’s not like I can revert to cheese or sausage because he remembers them and he doesn’t want them, He has to take medication daily for the remainder of his life and it’s becoming a pain to have him take the darn things… he is just fed up of them!!
Hello Juan, I’m so sorry that you’re having so much trouble. There are some great comments on this blog post that may be helpful to you. I assume you’ve already tried basic “pill pockets?” Also, speak with your vet about this. Sometimes, depending on the medication, there are other injectable options.
I think I read all the comments and responses, and I did not see my question already addressed. Is it ok to take the medicine out of a capsule and mix it with something I know Frankie will eat? Other pills I can get down his throat, but these stick to his tongue or something, his spits it all out, then there i am trying to scrape as much of the medicine off the tile as I can. It’s so frustrating when you’re trying to get or keep them well, and you end up with hands covered in slobber, teeth marks, and remnants of expensive medicine that they NEED. Thanks so much ?
Hello Shelley, Great question! I will defer to your veterinarian because I don’t know what medications your dog is on, but as a “general rule” the answer to your question is yes. However, because certain medications may be exceptions to that rule, please check with your vet first! Thank you!
i have the same question. my dogs medicine is gabapentin. she just got spayed. thanks!
Hi Brandi,
While many medications, including gabapentin, can be mixed into food without losing their efficacy, I generally don’t recommend doing this if you can find a different way to get your dog to take the medication. Mixing with food runs the risk of having your pet not receive the full prescribed medication amount if they only eat some of the food and can alter the taste of the food which may cause your dog to not eat it well.
My vet says not to do this because you’re losing the density of the ingredients of the pill. I
Have to start giving my italian greyhound medication for cushings disease. Haven’t started yet, but I am up at night with worry that I won’t be able to. IG’s are very timid.
Hi Joan,
I’m sorry to hear that your Italian Greyhound was recently diagnosed with Cushing’s Disease and that concerns with being able to medicate your IG are keeping you up at night. The thought of having to give long term daily medication can be daunting, but I think you can do it once you find the right tactic. The comments on this post are full of many fantastic and creative solutions that readers have used to get medications into their dogs, so I would encourage you to read through them and keep trying things until you find the right method. You may also want to check out this article (Cushing’s Disease in Dogs: The Ultimate Guide to Understanding Symptoms, Diagnosis, & Treatment (For the Best Care for Your Dog)) for some additional information on Cushing’s Disease. Best of luck to you and your dog.❤
Thanks for this valuable information, I followed your advice and had great success.
1st Tramadol: 15 minutes to get the pill swallowed, yogurt & wet food sprayed all over the kitchen, dog and I both traumatized
Once I’d read your article it took 30 seconds:
I eat 1/2 marshmallow
Dog eats 1/2 marshmallow spread w/crunchy peanut butter
Dog eats 2nd p butter-coated 1/2 marshmallow w/concealed peanut butter-dipped Tramadol. I slit the marshmallow with a knife and slide the pill inside.
Dog eats last 1/2 marshmallow coated w/peanut butter
I also followed your advice re hand washing & keep the pills in another room, in a bag, so my dog doesn’t hear me opening the bottle.
thanks again!
CW, great job! Thanks so much for letting us know of your success. Wuhoo! ?
I also have a dog who takes tramadol and has for about 8 years. In the beginning, it was a nightmare! I had the idea of empty gel capsules so even if she spit it out, she wouldn’t taste the bitterness of the pill. If she did taste it (before gel capsules) she wouldn’t eat whatever food I was trying to feed her, again! Once I started putting her halved pill in an empty capsule, I haven’t had a problem since! I took it into a piece of ham and she happily eats it, first try, every time! I just wanted to share my experience with you since our pups take the same med!
This sounds like this might work for my 15 yr old stubborn yellow lab! She has been on medication for years and always took it fine hidden in food. After a couple years she wouldn’t take it that way so we moved on to pill pockets and that has worked for many years now, until about a month ago. She decided she wasn’t having it anymore and we have been doing the fight, 3 times a day, since then. The marshmallow/chunky peanut butter, with you having the first bite, is genius. Heading to the grocery store tonight for Marshmallows and chunky PB! Thank you so much for sharing. Also, thank you Dr. Buzby for your blog, you have helped my girl many times over the years.
So it’s not just me! I really felt that my little dog was on to all the devious ways I could come up with to get him to take his anxiety meds but thought I could be projecting some of my guilt/frustration onto his behavior. Thank you so much for some extra tips I haven’t tried yet. I’m hopeful these will make life easier for both of us now.
Thanks for the encouraging words, Julie! Keep up the great work! 🙂
My 10 year old coton de tulear has a history of back problems and most recently is dealing with what we think is a patella (knee) issue so we’ve had to give her several pills over the years. The worst one is tramadol which must taste terrible. She quickly caught on to us sneaking it into balls of cheese so we had to adapt. Since I have to split the pills, it’s even worse because of the powder. I now use tweezers to handle the pill so I don’t get it on my fingers and put it deep in the middle of the cheese ball. Then, we coat the cheese with some peanut butter. That helps cover the bad taste and makes it sticky so she can’t easily spit out the ball. That’s the best tactic we’ve found and has a good success rate. Hope that helps.
Hi Vince,
It does seem like Tramadol is one that dogs particularly hate the taste of so it can be difficult to disguise. Thanks for sharing your creative solution with us!