Schnauzer (Detailed Introduction)

　　Normally, giving medicine to dogs is relatively easier compared to other small pets, but some dogs also find it difficult. It entirely depends on the Schnauzer in front of you. However, no matter if it’s a serious illness or a minor cold, medicine must be given, so you still need to practice this skill. After giving medicine to your dog, praise it and compliment it for being a good kid, then give it a tasty treat as a reward.

　　First, let’s talk about methods to give medicine to dogs unknowingly:

　　There is only one method: crush the medicine liquid or pills and put them in the food. This method works especially well for puppies because they are always hungry. When they see something tasty, they swallow it quickly without tasting, and may not even notice if you don’t crush the pill.

　　Next, let’s discuss the more complicated forced medication:

　　1. Open mouth to give medicine: Saying to make a Schnauzer take medicine doesn’t mean just putting the pill in front of it and it will eat by itself, which is impossible. This method suits relatively well-behaved Schnauzers that fully trust you won’t harm them, so even if you make them uncomfortable, they won’t strongly resist. The key is to place the medicine at the base of the Schnauzer’s tongue. If two people cooperate, one opens the mouth as wide as possible, while the other inserts their hand into the mouth, puts the medicine at the root of the tongue, then closes the mouth and holds the jaws firmly to force it to swallow. If one person operates, use the left hand to grab the Schnauzer’s lower jaw, while the right hand gently pushes upward and backward deep into the mouth (the dog will open its mouth wider to avoid biting). Place the medicine as far back as possible, then close the mouth and force swallowing. Sounds simple to give medicine this way.

　　2. Closed mouth medication: This method is for little dogs that absolutely refuse to open their mouths. In the picture I gave you, you can clearly see that even when a Schnauzer’s teeth are closed, there are gaps. We use this gap to give medicine. Crush the pills into powder and dissolve with water (liquid medicine is easier), then draw it into a syringe. Fix the dog’s mouth with your left hand and insert the syringe tip into the gap between upper and lower teeth, then gently but not too fast or too slow, inject the medicine into the Schnauzer’s mouth (if too fast, the dog may be startled and avoid; if too slow, it tastes and struggles). Slightly raise the dog’s mouth so the medicine flows down. Don’t let go immediately because it may try to shake its head to spit the medicine out. Hold on for a moment until it swallows the medicine inside.