If you own a dog, you have to know how to give them tablets, even if they are never ill. Most regular worming treatments come in tablet form so you may need to give your dog a pill every few months to keep them healthy.

One of the easiest ways of giving tablets is to hide them in your dog’s dinner. This works if they are an enthusiastic eater, but some dogs are very talented at eating all around the pill and leaving it behind in their bowl.

You may choose to hide the tablet in a piece of tasty meat or cheese and make sure your dog eats this before they have the rest of their meal. Good idea, but if your dog has lost their appetite, it won’t work either.

Let’s look at how to give your dog a tablet without having to use stealth and subterfuge.

Firstly, get your dog to sit and stay. If they aren’t good at this, then stand behind them and lean them back against your knees to stop them getting up and wandering off. Hold the tablet in the fingers of your dominant hand, ie if you are right handed, this is your right hand.

With your other hand, place it over your dog’s muzzle, and put the thumb and index finger on each of their upper canines. Lift their head up and back, and use the fingers of your dominant hand, with the pill between them, to press their lower jaw open. Quickly push the tablet over your dogs tongue and right to the back of their throat. Don’t worry about it going down the wrong way; there is a flap called the epiglottis that blocks the entry to the windpipe, so your dog won’t choke.

You can rub your dog’s throat to encourage them to swallow, but a more effective way is to blow a short sharp puff of air into their nose from several inches away. This startles them, and more often than not they will gulp in surprise. Voila. Tablet gone.

In Summary – This is an important skill for any dog owner to master. Make sure you practice this regularly with small candy or similar sized treats when your dog isn’t ill, so that you’re confident you can treat him when they are sick. If you are having difficulty, ask your veterinarian for help.