Greenies Pill Pockets

Aussies are feeding their dogs more than two kilograms of cheese and three kilograms of peanut butter every year, solely to administer pill medication. Over the course of an average dog's lifetime, that adds up to more than 24 kilograms of cheese and nearly 79 tubs of peanut butter, that's a lot of cheese!

Yet for many pet parents, even these go-to tricks aren't enough, with 1 in 5 skipping or delaying medication altogether because administering it is simply too difficult (21%). The research commissioned by GREENIES(™), part of the Mars family of brands, reveals the lengths Aussies go to just to administer medication to their dogs, a task that 1 in 5 dog owners do daily.

But it isn't just food being consumed, it's time, too.

The average Australian dog owner spends three minutes administering medication per dose, with more than nine in ten (92%) spending up to six minutes each week on the task. Among dog owners who spend five or more minutes administering each dose, this adds up to nearly 75 hours spent purely on pet medication over a dog's lifetime. And for those administering medication daily, that's nearly 206 hours over a dog's lifetime - more than a full week!

With only one in ten dog owners (12%) admitting their dog willingly takes medication as-is, 88% resort to creative tactics to disguise medication, from hiding in cheese (18%), peanut butter (18%), dog treats (32%), and gourmet meals (7%), to tickling their dog's throat to get the medication down (9%).

However, despite owners' best efforts, there's paws for concern as dogs are still finding ways to avoid taking their meds. Common tactics include:
● Sniffing out and rejecting the medication (23%)
● Pretending to take it before dropping it later (18%)
● Clamping their mouth shut (18%)

The process is also challenging for owners, with 38% of Aussie dog owners admitting administering medication is their least favourite part of the day. Given this, it's not surprising that more than half (54%) of Aussie dog owners who administer pet medication wish there was an easier way to administer it.

No More 'Ruff' Medicine Moments for Aussie Dogs
In response to these challenges, the GREENIES(™) brand has created GREENIES Pill Pockets(™), designed to make administering medication simple, effective, and stress-free, for both dogs and their owners.

The new product comes in two dog-approved flavours; Peanut Butter, and Smokey Ham, and has been designed to turn pill time into treat time.  Disguising the taste of tablets, the flavour-packed treats are malleable, letting owners simply pop in the pill, pinch it closed, and give it to their dog as a tasty treat in seconds.

Nicola Paroissien, Portfolio Director Care and Treats at the GREENIES(™) brand, said the Pill Pockets(™) are designed to solve the hassle of administering medication to dogs - in a fun, simple and stress-free way.

"Giving medication to your dog can often feel stressful for both pets and their owners, with many pet-parents avoiding pill time altogether. We created Pill Pockets to help take this struggle away, turning a sometimes twice daily challenge into a simpler, more positive experience that dogs actually enjoy.

"By helping Turn Pill Time into Treat Time(™) we hope owners can spend less time worrying about medication and more time enjoying the happy, tail-wagging moments with their dogs they love," Paroissien said.

It's a common frustration, especially in a nation where dogs are treated as part of the family. Almost all Aussie dog owners (91%) consider their dog an important member of the family, with more than half (52%) of owners admitting they love their dog more than some family members.

Yet despite that bond, close to 1 in 5 (16%) Australian dog owners would rather do their least favourite household chore than give their dog medication.

GREENIES(™) Pill Pockets(™) are available now at Petstock and Petcircle for $30.00 RRP.
For more information, please go to https://www.greenies.com.au/pill-pockets