I'm not sure where to put this topic, but I feel it might have dominant issues. Here's the problem. I am fostering a deaf boxer female (yes she is white). She also has a hyperthyroid she is taking meds for (if anyone knows of a way to control this without med, let me know. I'm trying to get her on BARF, but that's another posting I'll put in that section) and will not take the meds. I try to hide them in hotdogs, and she chews them with small bites. As soon as she feels the meds she spits everything out. I tried crushing them in liquid, and she turns away. So I went to force. Tried to force them to the back of her throat, and she snapped at my had. Out of reaction, I jerked back, and she turned and came at me snapping. I knock the crap out of her, just trying to keep from getting bit. Well, this morning, I went to crate her so I could go to work, and she snapped at me again, and continued forth, snapping. I was dressed for work, so really couldn't get into a fight. I put the leash on her chain, hoping she would do it again, and I could get a good correction, but she walked right into the crate. Just like all the other times without the leash. I feel that the family the gave her to the pound, let her get away with snapping when she didn't want to do something, and now I have a problem. Does this seem like a logical philosophy, and what are some suggestions to correct this, and to give her meds. I might get one of those "pill poppers" and use that so if she bites, she bite that and not my hand, until she learns, she is going to take the damn medicine. Please help.

Try crushing the pills and mixing them with a bit of Cheez-Whiz or peanut butter on a cracker.

Do you think her aggression may have anything to do with being hyperthyroid and deaf?

...and, depending on how long you have been fostering her, she is probably under a lot of stress being in a new environment.

I've had her only 2 weeks, so that could be the problem also. I really don't want to use the deaf issues as an excuse for her aggression. Dogs don't really rely on hearing as much as sight and smell. Dogs communicate through body posture and more than sound. Since she is white, there is a very good possible she was deaf from the very beginning, so she wouldn't know what sound was to feel a change. I will try the peanut butter and see how that works. Thanks

fyi, I have been very successful putting the pill into a ball of peanut butter. I don't even crush. I put it in then middle of a ball on a spoon and then just spoon it in. The dogs love the peanut butter and it is thick enough to cover pill.

Jason, Peanut Butter has always worked well for me. I've also used cheese ravioli's-cooked, cut a hole in the corner and slip the pill in. Or, if you go the crushed up pill method-you can crush it and mix it w/ different things to add to her food. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
I have never had a foster snap at me-even in the stressful times. I would think her hearing does play some role in it. We have 1 dog in our program now who is the 1st to snarl at anything and he is blind in 1 eye.

Dogs rely heavily on their sense of hearing. A dog that does not have that sense available for interpreting the world around them could definitely have confidence issues, regardless of whether the deafness was congenital or developed later. Also, do not discount thyroid dysfunction as an influence on her behavior. IMHO, this dog is under an incredible amount of stress, and certain situations push her beyond her ability to cope with it.

I guess I should add in that the blind dog in our program isn't being fostered by me. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I'd suspect that this girl's deafness and thyroid issues factored in w/ being in a new home probably have alot to do with it. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Jason,

If the dog is hyperthyroid that could well be a big part of the problem. In people the medication used doesn't usually work very well. There is a treatment for hyperthyroidism that is permanant is to treat with radioactive iodine. However the result of the treatment is that the dog will be hypothyroid and require medication for that. Often the thyroid will "burn" out on it's own, but that can take time. In addition it can cause other problems including heart problems, eye problems, weight problems, and a host of temperament problems.

Thanks...Sometimes she'll eat the hotdogs with the pills in it, and sometimes she won't..She is funny, because even the hot dogs, she smells them for 2 seconds or so, and then takes it with a small bite, almost nibbling. I tried crunchy peanut butter thinking the crunchy peanuts might hid the crunchy pills. It worked so far. Does anyone know if a RAW diet might help with her thyroid problem or does it really matter? I'm switching her to it anyways, but was just curious if it will make a difference since it doesn't have all the added junk that kibble does.