How To Train A Guinea Pig To Follow You?

How To Train A Guinea Pig To Follow You

Guinea pigs are intelligent little creatures that can be trained to understand some basic commands and carry out some basic actions. Although they’re not very flexible, and won’t be able to do complex tricks like cats and dogs, they can be trained to use a litter box and come when called.

How To Train A Guinea Pig To Follow You

If you have a guinea pig and you want to learn how to train a guinea pig to follow you, we’ve got you covered in today’s article.

Let’s get started immediately!

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How To Train A Guinea Pig To Follow You

Training Your Guinea Pig To Follow You

For This, You Will Need:

  • Your guinea pig (of course)
  • Your piggy’s favorite veggie treats
  • A safe enclosed space

Step 1

You need to start with spending some time trying to bond and build up the trust your guinea pig has for you. This will make the training process easier.

You need to ensure that your guinea pig is fairly tame and comfortable around you before trying to teach them any tricks.

Step 2

The next thing to do is to teach your guinea pig to feel more comfortable around your feet. A way to do this is by placing pieces of food on the floor near your feet while you’re sitting on a chair or bed.

Also, try to offer them food from your hand whenever they approach you. Try to practice luring the guinea pig back and forth in front, and around your feet with pieces of food.

Let the food pieces serve as a reward for them following the food lure in your hand even they only took one or two steps.

Step 3

Once your guinea pig starts to feel more comfortable around your feet, take a step away backward and place more pieces of food on the floor beside your feet.

If can’t find the food on the floor, you use some food in your hand to lure them to you instead.

If they hesitate when coming to you, you can try taking a smaller step instead, and use your hand to draw their attention to the location of the treat.

Continue Repeating this step until your guinea pig readily comes up to you as soon as you the food on the floor.

Step 4

Next, take a step backward and wait to see if your guinea pig comes to you. If they do, reward them with a treat. Then take another step, and also reward them when they come to you again.

Continue repeating this step until your guinea pig consistently follows you when you take a step. If the guinea pig doesn’t come to you when you take a step backward, you will need to go back and repeat the previous steps.

Continue to repeat the process of taking one step and placing pieces of food near your feet until your guinea pig willingly comes up to you on their own, without too much prompting.

Next, take a step backward and wait to see if your guinea pig comes to you. If they do, reward them with a treat. Then take another step, and also reward them when they come to you again.

Continue repeating this step until your guinea pig consistently follows you when you take a step.

If the guinea pig doesn’t come to you when you take a step backward, you will need to go back and repeat the previous steps.

Keep repeating the process of taking one step and placing pieces of food near your feet until your guinea pig willingly comes up to you on their own, without too much prompting.

Step 5

Once the guinea pig confidently follows you one step at a time, you can increase the steps to two small steps, and continue rewarding them when they come up beside you.

Like the previous steps, drop the food beside you or use your hand to encourage your guinea pig if they get distracted or need help.

Step 6

Try to move in different directions and continue rewarding your guinea pig when they follow your steps.

Step 7

Once your guinea pig seems to be getting used to the trick, you can start to gradually increase the number of steps you take before offering them a reward.

If your guinea pig happens to get distracted or stops following you, try lowering your criteria and reduce the number of steps you take before rewarding them.

Step 8

You should Also practice stopping as well as a change of direction, then reward your guinea pig for staying with you.

Continue practicing this trick, adding more turns and steps gradually. Remember to keep Rewarding your guinea pig periodically for staying with you.

Watch this video: How To Train A Guinea Pig To Follow You?

Teaching Your Guinea Pig To Follow You

Teaching Your Guinea Pig To Follow You

Ensure that you have fully bonded properly with your guinea pig and also built up enough trust before trying to teach it any tricks, especially this one that involves them following you.

If your guinea pig happens to get distracted or stops following you at any point, you need to repeat a previously successful step before trying the next step again.

You can also try to reward them more frequently or reduce the number of steps you take to keep their attention and reduce the chances of them getting distracted.

If you find your guinea pig hesitant to walk around much at all, you can try leaving them out in a safe playpen for at least an hour every day, you should also place pieces of their favorite veggies spread out all over the floor.

This will encourage them to move and explore their environment more. Once you can get them to move about more during floor time, you can resume the training process.

Should I reward my Guinea Pig for its efforts?

Ensure to reward their every effort no matter how small, even if it’s just following a food lure in your hand even following you just a step or two.

Read Also: How Often Do Guinea Pigs Sleep?

Conclusion

Learning how to train a guinea pig to follow you requires a lot of patience, but it is also a lot of fun! You can use some of your guinea pigs’ favorite treats as a strong incentive for them to learn, and keep repeating the training process for a couple of weeks so that your pet has plenty of time to practice.

Photo of author

Frank Kane

Ever since I was a child, I’ve been head-over-paws for all creatures, great and small. I’m on a mission to help other pet lovers better understand, care for, and enjoy life with their furry, scaly, or feathery friends.

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