Does Your Dog Refuse To Take Medicine?

Updated: 8/2024

Giving your dog medication can sometimes feel like wrestling a bull. However, it doesn’t have to be a daily battle! My dog, Jonas, needs to take anxiety and thyroid medicine twice a day…twice! So believe me when I say, that it can get frustrating when he refuses to take his pills. In this article, we will take a look at some reasons why dogs refuse to take pills and different ways to make this task easier.

Understanding Why Dogs Resist Medication

To solve the problem, we need to understand it, so here are reasons why your dog would refuse to take their medicine.

• Bitter Taste: Many medications have an unappealing, bitter taste that dogs instinctively reject. Especially if the pill is encapsulated, no enticing aroma will trigger an eating response.
• Strange Texture: The feeling of a pill in their mouth can be unfamiliar and off-putting. Dogs have stronger senses than humans, so once that pill touches their tongue their first reaction is to spit it out.
• Negative Association: If past medication experiences were unpleasant, your dog may associate pills with fear or discomfort. This is particularly true in rescue dogs because they might be forced to take medicine resulting in a stressful interaction.

Methods to Make Medicating Dogs Easier

Ok, so we know that medicine doesn’t taste good, and could trigger an emotional response… so how do we fix that? Here are some ways that have helped Jonas take his medication without a fight.

Before You Begin, Create a Calm Environment – Reinforcing that medicine time is a happy time, so keep the energy level down, and praise your dog before, during, and after medicine is given.

Hide The Pill In Food

The most common way to give a dog a pill is by hiding it in some sort of food.  This will cloak the bitter taste of a pill and trick the dog into swelling the medicine along with the food you are providing it. There can be some drawbacks though, depending on what and how much you are giving your dog, you could be throwing off their diet and unintentionally causing digestive issues like gas or loose stools. Hiding a pill in cheese, or peanut butter for example, can have high-fat contents which could add weight to your dog over a long time (remember Jonas needs medication twice a day) and for dogs, a few extra pounds can make a real difference.

Use Treats / Pill Pockets

This is the same general concept as hiding a pill in food, however, some dogs can be very picky eaters when it comes to foods, in this case, tasty treats and pill pockets (treats designed to hold a pill inside) to do the job.  This method could require 2 treats or more per cycle if you are trying to trick your dog into taking the pills or if you have multiple pills to give your dog. Just like with certain foods, treats add additional calories and fat content to a daily diet that may not seem like a big deal, but over time take its toll. Remember to always check the ingredients in dog treats as well, because dog treats can contain many different ingredients (some natural, others made in a lab) that you may not necessarily want your dog to digest.

Administer Medicine With Force

This is my least favorite method, and often results in something negative whether it’s scratches or bad energy, using force is never fun.  If the situation is dire and you need to give your dog a pill, yes this method will work, so start out by communicating your intentions in a calming or as positive as possible and then stick the pill as far back into your dog’s throat as possible.  Asses the pill size beforehand to make sure there isn’t a choking hazard or break the medicine up into smaller bits.  Let’s move on…

Use ChowPow – A Nutritions Topper Designed To Help With Medication

I was determined to find a way to remove the stress of giving a dog a pill, and with ChowPow, Jonas takes his medication without a struggle and gets some health benefits at the same time.  All you have to do is place the medicine on a spoon, sprinkle just a bit of ChowPow on top of the pill, and watch your dog lick it up.  Thats it! You might be thinking, how is this any different from a treat or food? The answer is, that ChowPow is made with all-natural ingredients specifically designed to provide positive health benefits without any of the unwanted fats or cholesterol building up over time. Here is a deeper dive into the benefits ChowPow Provides.

ChowPow Solves Each Reason A Dog Doesn’t Want Medication

• Irresistible Flavor: Beef heart is a flavor most dogs adore, completely masking the unpleasantness of the medication.
• Nutritious Boost: While making medicine time tastier, ChowPow also delivers a dose of valuable nutrients, supporting your dog’s overall health.
• Positive Association: Using ChowPow transforms medication time into a treat-filled experience, reducing anxiety for future doses.

Take a look at our video below to witness the magic and see our pup, Jonas!

How ChowPow Solves Medication Struggles

Giving Your Dog A Pill Doesn’t Have To Be A Battle!

By first understanding why your dog avoids taking medication and using the methods outlined above, we can take the stress out of giving your dog medication. At the same time, there is even an opportunity to fuel your dog by adding additional nutrients to your dog’s diet by using the ChowPow method.