It is important to practice tablet-giving from the time you first obtain a puppy. Put small vitamin supplement tablets deliberately down its throat occasionally, even though they are actually palatable enough for the puppy to eat them. This will help you acquire the skill of dosing your dog which could be invaluable in the future.

Actual medicinal tablets are much more satisfactory given whole, than crushed on food or disguised in other ways. Here is how to administer tablets to a reluctant dog.

1)      Stand in front of your dog, but slightly on its right handed side, while its left side is pressed against a wall or solid object by a willing assistant.

2)      Cup your left hand around the dog muzzle and open the top jaw by pressing its lips into the gap just in front of the carnassials tooth and behind the large canine tooth on each side of the dog’s mouth in the upper jaw. The lips should cover the upper carnassials teeth on each side. To do this, use your thumb on one side of the jaw and your first and second fingers on the other. They will be protected from being bitten by the dog’s lips.

3)      Hold the tablets between the thumb and the first and second fingers of your right hand, still holding the dog’s muzzle as noted above. Open the mouth wide by tipping the dog’s head up and back by pressing down on the lower incisors with the third finger of your right hand. Pop the pill onto the centre of the tongue as far back in the mouth as you can. If the tablet is put in the right place, the dog will have no option but to swallow it.

4)      Hold the mouth closed until the dog swallows the pill, then praise the dog and release it. Good Job.