Post by Kim Reid on Apr 10, 2015 14:22:37 GMT
Ever tried to give your dog a pill? Many know the trick of hiding in cheese or peanut butter. Many also know dogs get wise to that pretty quick. I have found an easy way to get them to take pills. My dogs come running just shaking the pill bottle. Three hard and fast rules to this:
1. Make it a fun experience for the dog. I have taught my dog "bites". which basically means I am going to share something with them food wise. As I give them a piece of cheese, apple, carrot and so forth I say "bites". My kids have learned pretty quickly that "bites" is a good thing. They will come running from another room if someone says "bites". Make sure that you give bites more often than when just giving medication, make it a daily habit. Then when you give meds they are less suspicious.
2. Always mix up the routine when giving medication. Do not fall into the same way of giving it to them. Different rooms, sitting on the sofa, outside, holding in the palm of your hand, placed on the floor in front of them, in the kitchen, in their food bowl. Be creative.
3. I always have two bites prepared when giving medication. One with a pill and one without. I show the dog both bites and they are generally excited to see them. I hand them one and while they are chewing I hand the other. The dog thinks less about what they are eating and are more focused on the next bite. Sometimes the pill is in the first bite and sometimes the second.
Make all your experiences with your dog Positive Ones.
1. Make it a fun experience for the dog. I have taught my dog "bites". which basically means I am going to share something with them food wise. As I give them a piece of cheese, apple, carrot and so forth I say "bites". My kids have learned pretty quickly that "bites" is a good thing. They will come running from another room if someone says "bites". Make sure that you give bites more often than when just giving medication, make it a daily habit. Then when you give meds they are less suspicious.
2. Always mix up the routine when giving medication. Do not fall into the same way of giving it to them. Different rooms, sitting on the sofa, outside, holding in the palm of your hand, placed on the floor in front of them, in the kitchen, in their food bowl. Be creative.
3. I always have two bites prepared when giving medication. One with a pill and one without. I show the dog both bites and they are generally excited to see them. I hand them one and while they are chewing I hand the other. The dog thinks less about what they are eating and are more focused on the next bite. Sometimes the pill is in the first bite and sometimes the second.
Make all your experiences with your dog Positive Ones.