How to Make Homemade Pill Pockets for Your Dog

Co-authored by Sophie Amphlett

Last Updated: February 20, 2024 Approved

Pill pockets are a great way to get your dog to take his or her medication. They can get expensive, however, and not every dog will eat pill pockets. A great solution would be making your own at home using simple ingredients. You can control exactly what goes into each pill pocket. You can also tweak the recipes to suit your dog's personal tastes. They do not last as long as store-bought pill pockets, but luckily, they can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Ingredients

Basic Pill Pockets ^{[1]
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2 tablespoons (15 grams) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) milk
1 tablespoon (15 grams) smooth peanut butter

Makes 9 to 12 small pill pockets

Chicken-Flavored Pill Pockets ^{[2]
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2 tablespoons (15 grams) chicken powder
1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) meat broth or baby food
1 tablespoon (15 grams) smooth peanut butter or bacon grease

Makes 9 to 12 pill pockets

Healthy Pill Pockets

¾ cup (75 grams) oat flour or oatmeal flour
¼ cup (25 grams) gelatin powder (beef)
3 tablespoons (45 grams) peanut butter
⅓ cup (75 grams) coconut oil
½ cup (120 milliliters) chicken stock

Makes about 20 pill pockets

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Making Basic Pill Pockets

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If you don't have any all-purpose flour at home, you can also try one of the following: barley, brown rice, coconut, spelt, or whole wheat.
If your dog is lactose intolerant, try almond milk or coconut milk. You can also use coconut oil instead.

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Make sure that the peanut butter is unsalted and does not contain xylitol. Xylitol is a substitute sweetener and can be deadly to dogs.
Once everything comes together, knead the dough with your fingers.
5
Divide the mixture into small balls. You can also make them square or oval-shaped instead, but make sure that they can fit your dog's pills. You should be able to make 9 to 12 pill pockets, depending on the size of the pills.
- If the dough is getting too sticky to work with, roll the balls in a little flour before moving on.
You can use the end of a wooden spoon, a chopstick, a pencil eraser, or even a thermometer to make the pocket. It needs to be large enough for the pill to slide into.
7
Store the pill pockets in a zippered bag. They will last in the fridge for about 1 week, and in the freezer for 3 months. If you want to freeze the pill pockets, freeze them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper of wax paper for 1 hour first, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container.
- If you used milk in the pockets, use the pills by the expiration date on the carton.
- If you used coconut oil, the pill pockets will last about 3 months.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Making Chicken-Flavored Pill Pockets

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1
Place 2 tablespoons (15 grams) of chicken powder into a small bowl. Chicken powder is simply powdered chicken bouillon. If you can't find any, you can crush up low-sodium chicken bouillon and use that instead.
- If your dog doesn't like chicken, try another flavor, such as beef or pork.
Any flavor will do: beef, chicken, pork, etc. Choose one that your dog likes best.
You can also use burger grease instead. If you are using peanut butter, make sure that it is unsalted and does not contain xylitol. Xylitol is a substitute sweetener found in some sugar-free products and can be deadly to dogs.
Stir them together with a spoon first. Once everything comes together, start kneading them by hand until they form a dough.
They need to be big enough to fit your dog's pills. How many balls you end up making depends on how big the pills are. The smaller the pill, the more balls you'll be able to make.
The hole needs to go only ½ to ¾ of the way through each ball. You can use just about anything to make them, such as chopsticks, pencil erasers, thermometers, or even the end of a small, wooden spoon.
They will last about 1 week. If you won't use all of them in that time, you will need to freeze the rest. Begin by lining the pill pockets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or wax paper, then freeze them for 1 hour. After that, you can transfer them to a freezer-safe container.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making Healthy Pill Pockets

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This will be your base. If you can't find any oat or oatmeal flour, you can make your own by grinding up oatmeal to a fine powder in a blender or food processor. You can also try using another type of flour instead.
Try to get beef gelatin powder, if you can. It is beneficial to a dog's joints.
What dog doesn't like peanut butter? Just make sure that you get the smooth, unsalted kind. More importantly, make sure that it doesn't contain xylitol. Xylitol is a substitute sweetener commonly added to sugar-free products. It can be deadly to dogs.
Coconut oil is great not just for you, but for your dog as well. It can help make your dog's coat glossy and smooth.
You can use the store-bought kind, but make sure that it is low-sodium. If you have extra time, however, you could make your own at home. This way, you can ensure that it is as low in sodium as possible.
Once the dry ingredients soak up all of the wet ones, switch to kneading the dough with your hands. Be careful not to over-work it, however, or the coconut oil will turn too soft.
7
Shape the dough into small balls. The balls need to be big enough to completely cover your dogs pills. How many you end up making depends on the size of the pills. The smaller the pills are, the more pill pockets you'll be able to make.
- Wet your hands first. This will make the dough easier to work with.
You can make these holes using just about anything, from a chopstick to a pencil eraser. The holes need to be wide enough to fit the pill. Also, make sure that they only go ½ to ¾ of the way through each pill pocket.
They will last about 1 week. If you won't use all of the pill pockets during that time, you will need to freeze them. Line them up on a baking sheet lined with wax paper or parchment paper. Freeze them for 1 hour, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container. They will last about 3 months in the freezer.

Community Q&A

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Question

I don't have peanut butter without salt. Why can't I use regular?

Community Answer

Too much salt is bad for dogs. It isn't a big deal to use salted peanut butter, but the healthiest choice is to use unsalted. Just make sure to check the label of it to make sure there is no xylitol in it, as that can be deadly to dogs.

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Tips

You can make your own pill pockets using 2 parts something dry, 1 part something wet, and 1 part something oily. ^{[3]
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You can store extra pill pockets in the freezer. Let them thaw first before giving them to your dog.

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If the dough becomes too sticky, lightly dust it with flour.

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Warnings

Do not use peanut butter containing xylitol. Xylitol is a substitute sweetener often added to sugar-free products, and it can be fatal to dogs. ^{[4]
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If you accidentally gave your dog peanut butter containing xylitol, contact your vet immediately.

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Things You'll Need

Mixing bowl
Spoon
Plastic container or zippered baggie
Chopstick, wooden spoon, pencil eraser, etc.

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How to Make Homemade Pill Pockets for Your Dog

Ingredients

Basic Pill Pockets ^{[1]
X
Research source}