If your dog is a slow or finicky eater, it will likely eat around a pill buried in its food, so you’ll probably have to hide it better. Give your dog a smaller portion than normal to ensure it eats all of the food and doesn’t accidentally leave the pill behind. If you have more than one dog, make sure the other dogs aren’t around so they don’t accidentally eat the medication.

Make sure the peanut butter doesn’t contain any xylitol, an artificial sweetener which is toxic to dogs. Other soft foods you can use to coat the pill include cream cheese, plain pumpkin, almond butter, and ice cream. [3] X Research source

Ask your vet if the pills are okay to be taken with dairy if you use cheese. Try offering the dog a few bites of the snack without the pill so it won’t be suspicious. Do not use foods that are toxic to dogs, like chocolate, grapes, raisins, or foods containing onions or garlic. [6] X Trustworthy Source Best Friends Animal Society Nonprofit animal welfare organization dedicated to saving animal lives by operating and supporting no-kill animal shelters Go to source

You can find these at most stores which sell pet supplies.

If your vet says it’s okay to crush the pill, you can proceed. Otherwise, try another option.

If you crush the pill with a dish that you do need to re-use, be sure to wash it very well with soap and water.

You could also mix the powder into ice cream, peanut butter, cheese, or anything else your dog loves!

If you have other dogs, it’s a good idea to keep them out of the room so they can’t eat any of the medicine.

If try to hold your dog down when it’s nervous, you’ll create a negative association and it will be harder to get it to take its medicine next time.

Speak in a reassuring voice to your dog so it will stay relaxed through this process. If you have a very small dog, you may be able to hold it still by cupping its head in your palm rather than using your fingers.

The dog’s mouth doesn’t have to be open wide enough for the pill yet.

In addition, having your fingers in the dog’s mouth will help you have better control.

Continue reassuring the dog in a soft, calm voice to keep it from getting uneasy. If the dog is pulling away from you or showing the whites of its eyes, this method may not work. If you start to feel like the dog may be afraid, stop and try a different technique so you don’t get bitten.

You can also use a pill popper to drop the pill into the dog’s mouth. A pill popper is a small device similar to a syringe, but it’s designed to shoot a pill forward a short way. Just place the pill inside of the pill popper and place the tip inside the dog’s mouth, then press the plunger firmly. This is especially helpful if the dog has a history of snapping or biting.

If the dog does swallow the pill, give it a lot of praise, and consider giving it a treat so it will associate taking medicine with doing something good![19] X Research source

You may also be able to crush up a pill and mix it with about 1  fl oz (30 mL) of water. However, you should ask your vet if it’s okay to crush the pill first.

Try mixing the medication into foods like cheese, applesauce, or peanut butter. Make sure your dog eats the whole portion of food at once so the medicine isn’t wasted.

Once you’ve administered the medicine, remove the syringe and stroke the dog’s cheek and throat until it swallows Do not tilt the dog’s head back when you do this, as it could cause the dog to inhale the liquid into its windpipe. [23] X Trustworthy Source Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine Leading veterinary medicine training institution and biomedical research center Go to source