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If your dog won’t take their pills without a fuss, our list of the best pill pockets for Shelties will save you both a heap of trouble. After all, Shelties are far more apt to eat a yummy snack than a pill, so a tasty pill pocket or paste can be just the trick you need to get your dog dosed!

Pill pockets are soft and flexible with a hollow center, so you won’t have to get crafty with smeary peanut butter, crumbly cheese, or even mushy bread. Just stick it in the pocket, pinch, and feed it to your dog. And if you opt for pill paste, simply wad some around the pill and toss it to your waiting pup.

Whether your pet has a taste for peanut butter, prefers crunchy treats, or has a top-notch nose that picks up even the slightest pill smell, we’ve found a pill pouch to suit your needs. But before we get into reviews of the best pill pockets, let’s answer your pill pocket questions and talk about what factors should be considered before you choose an option.

Buying Guides: What To Look For In The Best Pill Pockets for Shelties

Most dogs hate taking pills, even those that aren’t usually fussy. That’s why pill pockets for Shelties are a lifesaver when administering your pooch’s medication at home. However, while most tend to do the job well, there are a few factors to consider before randomly purchasing a bag.

Pill Pocket or Pill Paste

First, you’ll need to decide whether you’d like to use a pocket or paste for disguising medicines. With either option being a winner for masking medicines, if your Sheltie uses powdered or liquid medicine, you may want to consider pastes for easier hiding. But pockets mean less handling for you. So if you’re looking for less of a mess, maybe go with a pocket.

Pill Pocket Size

Consider the size of your Sheltie and the size of the pill you are trying to hide—a small pill pocket will not completely hide a large pill, and if you have a picky dog, he’ll notice the meds. If you have a large dog or are hiding a bigger pill, consider using two pill pockets pressed together or opt for a paste.

Pill Pocket Flavor 

Want to make sure your pet swallows the pill? Choose a flavor they will like to increase your chances of success. Whether it’s cheese, smoky bacon, classic chicken, or creamy peanut butter, you’ll have no trouble finding something to suit your pup’s palate.

Pill Pocket Calorie Content 

Pill pockets should be relatively low in calories. This is important for Shelties who take pills daily, especially older dogs who may need to watch their weight and calorie intake. And you’ll notice we’ve included calorie content in our reviews of the best pill pockets for Shelties. You’ll see pockets listed with kcal or calories per pocket, but the terms are interchangeable, and both mean the same thing. Kcals are just another way makers list calorie content.

Trusted Pill Pocket Brands

Only buy pill pockets and treats from trusted brands and companies. This guarantees quality materials and safe production. Many leading dog food makers also sell pill pockets for Shelties, allowing you to stay brand consistent.

Now, let’s review the best pill pockets for Shelties!

The Best Pill Pockets for Shelties

#1 Best Low-Calorie Pill Pockets – VETRISCIENCE Laboratories Pinchers Pill Hiding Pocket Treats

Medication can be hard on tummies, so like our previous listing, VETRISCIENCE Pinchers Pill Hiding Pocket Treats also include probiotics to counter sensitive stomach issues. Hollow in the middle, these Sheltie pill pockets can hold tablets, pills, or capsules of almost any size. And the choice of flavors, Chicken Liver or Organic Peanut Butter, will appeal to the most discerning Shelties. Plus, the chicken liver flavor’s strong aroma and taste work well to hide the smell and taste of the medicine inside.

Key Features:

Made with probiotics to support your Sheltie’s digestive and immune health
Fit most pills, tablets, and capsules
Two flavors: Organic Peanut Butter and Chicken Liver
Won’t leave your fingers greasy and sticky
Calorie content: 10 calories per pocket

Pros

Immune and digestive health
Just ten calories per treat
Chicken liver flavor disguises meds well
Less greasy than most

Cons

Might need to use two for bigger pills

#2 Best-Known Brand Pill Pockets – GREENIES Pill Pockets

This choice of best pill pockets for Shelties is perfect for dogs who need to take the medication in a larger pocket, as they’re slightly larger than other pill-hiders. Greenies Pill Pockets are also great because they mask the smell of medication, so even the most observant pup won’t know there’s a pill in their yummy treat! And available in four flavors, you’ll find an option that appeases even the pickiest pups.

Key Features:

#1 ingredient is real chicken
Pill pockets that turn pill time into treat time
Just fill, pinch, and give
Four flavors: Chicken, Hickory Smoke, Peanut Butter, Cheese
Made with natural ingredients plus trace nutrients
Proudly crafted in US facilities with quality ingredients from around the world
Calorie content: 10 kcals per treat 

Pros

Popular and trusted brand
Made with all-natural ingredients
Available in 4 flavors for all tastes
Made in the USA
Veterinarian recommended
Easy to use

Cons

Slightly more expensive than other brands.

#3 Best Easy-to-Disguise Pill Pocket – Milk-Bone Pill Pouches

A name you know that’s been crafting Sheltie treats for decades, Milkbone brings you an easy solution to medicine administration with their Pill Pouches. They’re soft, delicious, and taste like a regular treat. And you’ll find chicken is always the first ingredient, while recipes never contain by-products, meals, or artificial flavors. Choose from Chicken or Hickory Smoked Bacon flavors. Shaped like a cube, just stuff the pill in the hole in the center and give it a squish! That easily, your dog will wolf down their medicine inside one of these best pill pockets for Shelties.

Key Features:

Milkbone is a brand you know and trust
Helps conceal the taste and smell of medication inside
Fits most capsules and tablets
Great-tasting and mess-free
No by-products, meals, or artificial flavors
Lower-calorie alternative to cheese and peanut butter
Calorie content: 19 calories per pocket 

Pros

Savory, rich flavor most dogs enjoy
Easy to disguise thanks to the larger size
Real meat is the first ingredient
125 treats included per bag; perfect for multi-pet households

Cons

Some reviewers complain of dryness that causes the cube to lose shape
Not the lowest calorie content

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#4 Best All-Natural Pill Pocket – Zoë Pill Pops

Can your Sheltie sniff out a pill no matter how hard you try to hide it? Try these fragrant and flavorful pill pockets for Shelties with unique recipes designed to mask the smell and taste of medicine. Choose from Roasted Chicken with Rosemary, Grilled Beef with Ginger, or Peanut Butter with Honey, and any of these choices will make your dog’s mouth water. Zoë Pill Pops are individually wrapped to preserve freshness.

Key Features:

Individually wrapped in double packaging to maintain their moist, soft texture
Savory fragrances & flavors hide the smell of meds brilliantly
No corn, no wheat, no soy, no artificial flavors or preservatives
Made in Canada using ingredients sourced from North America
Ideal for all life stages, from puppy to senior
Calorie content: 14 calories per pill pouch 

Pros

Individually wrapped to preserve freshness
Rich, unique flavors disguise the smell of meds
All natural ingredients
No corn, wheat, soy, no artificial flavors, or preservatives

Cons

It can be a little dry

#5 Best Value Pill Pockets – Wag Pill Pouches 

Amazon brand Wag Pill Pouches make it easy to give your Sheltie their medicines for an affordable price. Made with a tube-shaped center, these best pill pockets for Shelties are great for tablets or capsules. The delicious chicken flavor will have your pup chomping down their meds before they realize it’s in their mouth! And a new and improved formula keeps pill pouches soft without clumping. Because dogs mistake them for regular treats, they also double as a reward for good behavior, an incentive during training, or a snack between meals.

Key Features:

Includes one resealable bag of 30 pill pouches
For use with tablets or capsules
No added wheat or artificial flavors
Made in the USA with the finest ingredients from around the world
Vet-recommended formula
Calorie content: 15.7 kcal per pill pouch 

Pros

Easy to digest
Rich chicken liver flavor
Soft and malleable – texture similar to cookie dough
Perfect for elderly dogs or Shelties with dental issues
Money back guarantee good up to a year from the purchase date

Cons

Tend to dry out quickly

#6 Best Pill Pockets for Picky Eaters – Pill Buddy Naturals

Who doesn’t love a sweet treat now and again? Your pup sure does, and that you can slip them their pills while giving the taste of something good makes Pill Buddy Naturals an easy choice as one of the best pill pockets for Shelties. Although available in various flavors, there are two choices for PB fanatics: the Peanut Butter and Honey Recipe or the Peanut Butter and Apple Recipe. Whichever you choose, you can rest assured these Sheltie pill pockets are delicious, soft, and made with all-natural ingredients, but no corn, wheat, soy, or anything artificial.

Key Features:

Wrapped in pairs to preserve freshness
Great for Shelties who dig peanut butter
Six flavor choices
Accommodates almost any size pill or capsule intended for Shelties
Makes your dog’s medicine irresistible
Veterinarian-formulated recipes
Calorie Content: 14kcal per pocket

Pros

Fits virtually any tablet, capsule, or pill
Six flavors to entice even the fussiest pups
Wrapped in sealed pouches for freshness

Cons

Sweet flavor may not be a hit for all Shelties

#7 Pill Pocket with the Best Customer Reviews – Pet MD Wrap-A-Pill Paste 

 

Pet MD Wrap-A-Pill takes the stress out of pill time because Shelties think this tasty paste tastes like a treat! This yummy flavored pill paste is ideal when you have extra-large pills or capsules to hide because you can easily mold it around whatever you’re working with. Pinch off as much or as little as you need! It also makes a great way to serve liquid or powder meds, too. Pill pastes can be an excellent option for Shelties with dental problems as they’re soft and not sticky. In other words, perfect for older Shelties!

Key Features:

Adapts to any size pill, tablet, or capsule
Soft and malleable – texture similar to cookie dough
Perfect for elderly Shelties or dogs with teeth issues
Three flavor choices: Bacon, Peanut Butter, and Cheese & Bacon
One container contains 59 servings
Calorie content: 9 calories per serving amount 

Pros

Easy to use
Great taste in either bacon or peanut butter
A small amount goes a long way
Covers meds of any make and size

Cons

Can be sticky

#8 Best Pill Pockets for Shelties of All Sizes – TOMLYN Pill-Masker

 

As a brand and product recommended by Cat Daddy Jackson Galaxy, you can trust Tomlyn Pill-Masker to get the job done! This putty pill paste is moist, flavorful, and easily malleable to cover any pill shape or size. Plus, the delicious bacon flavor will draw in your Sheltie for dosing. For pups that aren’t too picky, a thin layer is usually enough for masking. More finicky Shelties may need a thicker layer to mask the taste and smell of medication. It can also be used as a reward when training dogs.

Key Features:

Fits all pill shapes and sizes, powders, and liquids
Highly palatable bacon flavor
Easy to administer
Contains 50 servings in one container
Can be used with dogs and cats
Backed by Jackson Galaxy, a trusted animal-behavior expert
Calorie content: 6.2 kcal per pinch

Pros

Enticing bacon flavor
Made with natural ingredients
Low price for high quantity
Suitable for small Shelties
Works for any size pill or other medicine forms
Can be used as treats

Cons

Only comes in one flavor
High in fat

#9 Easiest to Shape Pill Pockets –Vetoquinol Pill Wrap

 

 Vetoquinol Pill Wrap is a moist, juicy, delicious, and malleable paste that makes giving your Sheltie medicine a breeze. They’re full of flavor and can be molded to fit any medication, whether tablet, capsule, powder, or liquid. And Vetoquinol USA is a proud member of the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC), so you can trust that they formulate their pastes with only food-grade ingredients. Available in a 4-ounce container that provides about fifty-six servings.

Key Features:

A versatile wrap that fits over any shape, type, or size of medicine
Made of food-grade ingredients
One four-ounce container can cover approximately 56 pills
Used by veterinarians and behaviorists
A great option that works for both dogs and cats
Even picky eaters love the highly palatable taste
Calorie content: unlisted 

Pros

Can fit pills of any size
Natural and healthy ingredients
Mess-free and tasty wraps
Around 56 pockets per container

Cons

High price tag
Unspecified flavor

Not all pill pockets for Shelties are created equal, so be sure to choose options that are low-calorie, low-fat, and offer other nutritional values, like probiotics or vitamins. Any of the options on our list of the best pill pockets for Shelties provides an excellent choice to help you give your pup their important medications.

Frequently Asked Questions about Best Pill Pockets for Sheltie

1. What are pill pockets for Shelties?

Pill pockets are soft, edible treats designed to hide medicine or supplements, making it easier to give pills to Shelties without stress or resistance.

2. Why should I use pill pockets for my Sheltie?

Using pill pockets turns medication time into treat time. It helps avoid the struggle of forcing pills into your dog’s mouth, ensuring they get their medicine willingly.

3. Are pill pockets safe for Shelties?

Yes, most pill pockets are made from dog-safe ingredients. Always check for artificial preservatives, added sugar, or allergens that may not suit your Sheltie.

4. What are the best ingredients to look for in Sheltie pill pockets?

Choose pill pockets with natural ingredients like chicken, peanut butter, or duck. Avoid those with corn, soy, or artificial colors, which may irritate sensitive Sheltie stomachs.

5. How do I choose the right size of pill pocket for my Sheltie?

Small pill pockets are suitable for small pills or toy-sized Shelties, while medium or large pockets fit bigger pills. Check the packaging for the recommended pill size.

6. Can I make homemade pill pockets for my Sheltie?

Yes! Mix peanut butter, oats, and coconut flour into small dough balls. They’re natural, cost-effective, and perfect for picky eaters.

7. How many pill pockets can I give my Sheltie per day?

Only use as many as needed to hide medication. Pill pockets are treats, so limit extras to avoid unwanted calories or weight gain.

8. Are there grain-free pill pockets for Shelties with allergies?

Absolutely. Brands like Greenies Pill Pockets (Grain-Free) or VetriScience Pinchers offer grain-free options ideal for dogs with sensitivities.

9. What flavor do most Shelties prefer in pill pockets?

Chicken, peanut butter, and hickory smoke are among the most popular flavors. However, each dog has its own preference — try a few to see what your Sheltie loves most.

10. Can I use cheese instead of a pill pocket?

Yes, but cheese can be high in fat and lactose. Pill pockets are a healthier, specially formulated alternative that also masks odors better.

11. Do pill pockets help with liquid medication?

Some can hold liquid medicine, but they work best for solid pills or capsules. For liquid meds, consider pill wraps or soft treats that can absorb liquid safely.

12. How do I get my Sheltie to take pills if they spit out pill pockets?

Try breaking the pill pocket into smaller pieces or offering a “dummy” treat first. Then, sneak the medicated treat in as the next bite.

13. Are Greenies Pill Pockets good for Shelties?

Yes. Greenies Pill Pockets are a top-rated option — easy to mold, tasty, and available in grain-free versions that suit Shelties with sensitive digestion.

14. Can senior Shelties use pill pockets easily?

Yes. Their soft texture makes them ideal for senior dogs who may have dental issues or a reduced appetite.

15. Where can I buy the best pill pockets for Shelties?

You can find high-quality pill pockets on Amazon, Chewy, or local pet stores. Look for reputable brands like Greenies, VetriScience, and Milk-Bone Pill Pouches.

iHeartDogs is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you.