Just as many of us dislike visiting the doctor, our pets often feel the same way about the vet.
That’s why veterinarians and pet caregivers constantly look for ways to make these visits less stressful for our furry friends.
The vets at California-based Alicia Pet Care Center (APCC) have mastered the art of easing pets’ anxiety. For years, they’ve refined their approach, using treats and gentle care to make visits as stress-free as possible.
But this time, they faced a challenge—one determined canine patient saw through their tricks, resisting every attempt to win him over.
He Outsmarted Them Every Time
Source: ALICIA PET CARE CENTER via The Dodo
When Bandit arrived at Alicia Pet Care Center in Mission Viejo, California, he needed to stay for several days to receive his medications. However, like many dogs, he wasn’t thrilled about the idea.
“He was very honest in his feedback about his disgust for medicine,” said Diana Gorin, APCC’s social media marketing specialist, in an interview with The Dodo. “He simply would not take any.”
After consulting with his owner, Eric, the staff turned to a tried-and-true strategy: using Bandit’s favorite food as a decoy. A turkey sandwich seemed like the perfect solution.
“We specifically made a trip to Target to get him the necessary ingredients for an excellent turkey sandwich,” Gorin said.
Source: ALICIA PET CARE CENTER via The Dodo
After making the special trip to buy the ingredients, the staff was confident they had cracked the code. All they had to do was present Bandit with the turkey sandwich, and their problem would be solved.
But Bandit had other plans. When they handed him the sandwich, he gently took it, placed it in his bed, and rested his head on it—treating it like a soft pillow rather than a meal.
Source: ALICIA PET CARE CENTER via The Dodo
The situation was both hilarious and unexpected. While the staff was amused, they still believed that with a few more tries, their plan would eventually work.
However, Bandit proved to be more stubborn than they had anticipated—outsmarting every attempt to sneak in his medicine.
“We tried plain turkey sandwiches, peanut butter turkey sandwiches, peanut butter only,” Gorin said. “Unfortunately, none of those were to his satisfaction.”
Before long, Bandit had built up a stack of sandwiches on his bed, using them as a makeshift pillow rather than a meal.
Though the clinic staff felt a mix of resignation and frustration, they couldn’t help but find the situation amusing. Unable to resist, they recorded the entire ordeal and shared the video with their followers on TikTok.
It goes without saying that people’s reactions were overwhelmingly positive.
They Finally “Came To An Agreement”
Source: ALICIA PET CARE CENTER via The Dodo
Although Gorin and the marketing team did a great job sharing Bandit’s story, the real challenge remained—getting him to take his medicine.
Determined to outsmart their clever patient, the vets brainstormed a new plan. After much discussion and trial and error, they finally found a solution that worked.
“Two of our doctors wrapped a pill inside a delicious meatball without him seeing,” Gorin said. “They presented it to him, and he ate it!”
To their relief, Bandit remained blissfully unaware of their trick and continued taking his medicine disguised in meatballs for the rest of his stay.
After a week at the clinic, Bandit was finally ready to go home. The staff was confident he was doing much better.
“I believe Bandit is doing much better at home,” Gorin said. “Perhaps he’s opening up a deli called Bandit’s Turkey Sandwiches.”
Honestly, if a pet food company doesn’t create a dog-friendly sandwich in Bandit’s honor after seeing this video, we don’t know what will inspire them.