DO NOT SNEAK the pill in anywhere. This is the biggest mistake people make in pilling dogs. If you try to hide the pill, the dog is going to sense something is amiss, because you are feeling anxious/sneaky, and be reluctant to eat it. By all means, put the pill in something to make it easy to take, but do not "hide" it from the dog.
If the smell of the pill is off-putting to the dog, you may want to try an empty gel capsule such as what various supplements come in. You can empty one out (make sure it had something safe for a dog in it, of course) or buy them plain, never used, at a health food store or online. Put the pieces in the capsule, put the capsule in something nice, and give that way. A fifty pound dog can easily down a couple of large gel caps in a bite of food.
Another point about pilling dogs that is often missed is that you can prevent spitting/sorting of pills out of what you give them in with a very simple move. Just be sure you've still got some of the good stuff on your hand, or another bit in the other hand, and as soon as the dog takes the first bite with the pill, offer the hand to lick or a second bite with the other. Dogs, being pigs (just like humans!) will go for that ssecond bite, gulping down the first and never stopping to consider spitting out the pill.
I find that canned cat food is like crack to dogs, and it's easy to get and cheap. A small can will last for a few days of pills if that's all you're using it for. Friskies "Mixed Grill" is a perennial favorite.
Check if any of the pills tends to cause stomach upset. If that's the case, that may be part of the problem and there will quickly become a negative association with any approach to pilling. Seeking an alternative form of the medication (such as the transdermal gel) would probably be a good idea if it is possible, in that case.
