How I give my dog essential pet supplements she doesn’t like

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Much like humans, dogs’ bodies often need help to function to their best abilities. Whether you have a German shepherd that needs extra hip and joint support, or you’re in the same boat as I am and have a Shih Tzu that needs help in maintaining healthy skin and coat, there are essential dog supplements out there for majority of pets owners may need to give.

Unfortunately, dog supplements aren’t always mouth-wateringly good. And it’s not always just the supplements that we have to give them either. Sometimes, it’s the essential dog medicine that not only taste bad, but smells unappealing to our canine companions.

Heidi, my Shih Tzu, isn’t a picky eater by any means, but she isn’t a big fan of her skin and coat supplements I have to give her. We chose soft chews from NaturVetas the best supplement for her skin and coat, and because these are large sized chews, I can’t hide them in her grain free dog food without her finding out (she’s a smart pup).

Whether she likes it or not, though, it’s essential for her to take this doggy supplement. It helps calm her itchy skin, makes her coat soft, and gives her coat a beautiful shine.

So how do I get her to take it? It’s actually quite simple: my favorite method is to reward her for taking the dog supplement. Basically, once she takes it, I give her a tasty dog treat to wash down the not-so-tasty chew to reinforce positive behavior.

I’ll expand on my techniques further in this article, but for more great and actionable tips on how to give a dog medicine (pills and liquid), supplements and vitamins, I recommend you watch Samantha’s video and step by step instructions I link to below.

FULL GUIDE: How To Give A Dog Medicine & Vitamins – Most Effective Methods

How I Give My Dog Essential Pet Supplements She Doesn’t Like

You have to think about this as if you were training your dog. If you told your dog to sit, and he ran away from you, would you give him a reward? Of course not!

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If you were to potty train your puppy and he pooped in the middle of your brand-new rug, would you praise him? I don’t think so.

This is the same concept, except instead of teaching your dog good pet-iquette, you’re teaching your dog to take essential dog supplements that will help him live a happier and healthier life – despite the temporary not-so-yummy taste.

So what do I do? I hype up the success of my dog consuming the supplement, just as I would during any other dog training session or method.

If you want an effective way to make your dog take the supplements, make the event a big deal. Clap your hands, give praise to your dog, give him a hug and a kiss, then offer him a tasty dog treat.

Dogs feed off their human’s emotions and have a natural desire to please their owners. When your dog sees how happy him eating the dog supplement made you, he will be more willing to eat it the next time (although not guaranteed).

Let’s look at this from another angle. Remember that nasty cherry cough medicine you’d have to take as a child? No one liked taking that – especially me. Now imagine that taste in the form of a small, brown chew… would you want to eat it? I know I wouldn’t.

I remember having to have a glass of water in my other hand so I could chug it after I drank the gag-worthy cough syrup. For this reason, I completely understand why my dog was hesitant to take her supplement if it tastes anywhere near as bad. She’s a child.

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