I started writing this article on how to give a dog pills as I have just given my fourteen year old Jack Russell, Murdoch, the last of a total of fifteen days worth of antibiotics, two tablets, twice a day. He had to have ten day’s worth before his operation (infected tooth) and five days after.
Even though Murdoch is an old sweetie and would never dream of biting me, he is also a cunning old rogue and at first, even when I thought the pill had been safely swallowed, he would somehow manage to manipulate it to the corner of his mouth so that it fell out onto the floor!
This set me to thinking that with something as crucial as a long-term medical condition or for preventative heartworm medication when it is vital that all of the medication goes down, every time, without fail to ensure that the dog is effectively protected against a heart worm infection, that other owners might also like some tips on how to give their dogs pills and tablets effectively.
So, I have been gathering information from across the Internet. Some has been posted by pet owners in forums, some by animal healthcare professionals but in amongst them, I hope you find something useful that will help you and your dog. I will reveal my method of choice at the end of this page!
Three Methods For Giving A Dog Pills That You Could Try

This is Murdoch now aged 14 who has recently had to have a course of antibiotics for an infected tooth
- To ensure the pill goes down, there are a few tricks that will help.
- Hold the mouth closed, lift his nose up and gently rub his throat to encourage swallowing.
- Blow on the dog’s nose whilst you are holding his mouth closed, this also encourages swallowing.
- Talk to your dog the whole time, encouraging him and be sure to give him a tasty treat afterwards so that he associates submitting to the pill swallowing with something nice at the end.
This video effectively demonstrates the pill push method and shows another way of getting your dog to swallow too!
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