dogs and guinea pigs

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gauldrypiggie

gauldrypiggie

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Hi,
I am looking for opinions on whether guinea pigs can accept a dog in their home. We have 4 beautiful piggies who live indoors and are free to walk about the house when we are in. We would also like to rehome a dog sometime, but worry that this would upset the piggies and put them off leaving their cage.
Any thoughts or experiences would be appreciated.
Thank you!
 
I have 2 dogs and 7 guinea pigs. Personally I would never trust any dog to be roaming about when my piggies are out though - not even my own dogs. Maybe I'm over protective and my dogs seem friendly enough and I have known them all their lives but it would only take a split second for instinct to kick in and for a disaster to happen.

The piggies do get out upstairs where the dogs cant get to though (stair gate),

x
 
I think there are two big important factors to introducing natural hunters to prey animals, and for them to get along in a household. Get the prey animals (guinea pigs in this instance) first, settle them and allow them to gain trust/confidence, and only then, get a kitten/puppy (they must not be an adult, unless they've already been around small animals and been socialised with them). Hunting animals when young are entirely dependant upon their mother/owner, and are very malleable. I've got a kitten (7 months old), and have had him since he was the same size as the guinea pigs! He's been socialised with them, and disciplined when he started to get cheeky with them a couple of times (he poked them through the bars of the cage rolleyes). All three are now the best of friends, and will cuddle in the cage together! (I leave the cage open when I am home, and Oliver now visits them as he pleases). It would be very hard, if not impossible, to train an adult cat/dog to accept guinea pigs, and not view them as prey...
 
we have a dog also, she is interested in our five, but i would never let her in the room when they are on the floor, she is ok when we have them on our laps, but sudden movements would i am sure make her run at them, and try to pick them up.
 
I have 2 guinea pigs and 2 dogs one is a new puppy and they all get along fine. The dogs can get a bit silly sometimes but overall they are all fine together.
 
Also, thought I should add, if you do go ahead and get a dog, be aware of the different breeds and their different behaviour traits. Don't pick an excitable/yappy dog (there is only so much that an upbringing can affect an animal's behaviour) or one that is known for hunting...
 
2280CLAIRE said:
Also, thought I should add, if you do go ahead and get a dog, be aware of the different breeds and their different behaviour traits. Don't pick an excitable/yappy dog (there is only so much that an upbringing can affect an animal's behaviour) or one that is known for hunting...
Click to expand...

.... terriers are known ratters, another breed to avoid!
 
liquorice allsorts said:
.... terriers are known ratters, another breed to avoid!
Click to expand...

I wanted to mention them, but felt like I'd offend. I just don't like them at all :red...I know some people have terriers here and they're very loved pets, but I've always had bad experiences with them...from being covered in scratches from their teeth when they jump up and start yapping at you, to one digging under the fence and attacking one of my parent's cats...I can't stand yappy dogs...:)>>>
 
hope i have nt offended anybody! its just to be careful with them around small furries, but of course there is the exception in every breed.
 
I have 2 guinea pigs and three (rescue) dogs.

Whilst some dogs may be trusted under supervision, I wouldn't trust my three at all. They are rescues, one we reckon was hunted before (lurcher) and another we know has killed livestock before with previous owners.

The guinea pigs are kept in a room that the dogs don't have access to. The door is kept closed and there is a safety gate up as well.

Dogs can be trained and socialised to be safe around small furries, but always supervise. Choose your type of dog carefully, knowing their traits and what they were originally bred to do. And consider limiting your pigs and/or dogs to certain rooms. You also need to consider what might happen if the dog suddenly decided that guinea pigs are fun squeaky toys to play with or worse.... what would the housing arrangements be then? A dog is roughly a 15year commitment, almost as long as raising a child!
 
Agree with the others.
A member on here lost her piggy in a split second to her dog and I know someone else it happened to. My friend at work is off to the US next year and has begged me to care for her indoor rescue cat (won't trust anybody else with him) but my piggies live in open pens so as much as I'd love to have him here, wouldn't risk a thing.
My dad's Jack Russell killed my rabbit years ago, all happened so quickly :0
I would not take a chance but that is not having a go at people who do have piggies and dogs. I work full time and just wouldn't do it.
 
It isn't the pigs you'd need to worry about, it's the dog.

I trained our old dog to behave around my pigs which only took about a week or so. It went from him lunging at them, to me being able to put him in the run with them.

If your pigs are used to your home, confident with being out and about doing their own thing, they should be fine with a dog, as long as it's well trained so no bouncy youngsters, maybe a dog that's already lived in a home with small animals, then you'll know you don't have to worry too much?

I'd never have left my dog alone with my animals if they were out, but in their runs I would do because he wouldn't have been able to jump over the side, but my rabbit would beat my dog up lmao, so shows how much of a coward Fred ended up as :)) poor sod!

I wouldn't worry about it as long as you know how to train a dog like that :)
 
2280CLAIRE said:
I wanted to mention them, but felt like I'd offend. I just don't like them at all :red...I know some people have terriers here and they're very loved pets, but I've always had bad experiences with them...from being covered in scratches from their teeth when they jump up and start yapping at you, to one digging under the fence and attacking one of my parent's cats...I can't stand yappy dogs...:)>>>
Click to expand...


I have a terrier. My family didnt choose her, we inherited her, but in hind sight i would definalty get another one. She was with my granny from a puppy, has NEVER EVER bitten or scratched anyone. I think this "terriers are evil" mainly stems from peoples lack of understanding of their behaviour. I have 2 piggies, and my dog has actually SAVED them on many occasions. (she has however also caught and killed a wild rabbit, so its not a lack of instincts.) She has been carefully taught that the piggies are part of the family and she must protect them as well as us. On of my piggies tried to make a bid for freedom on the way to the run (she caught him by gently sliding her paws either side of him, resting her chin on his back, and licking him till he was sodden, like she would a puppy) she was very friendly. She has also chased cats and magpies away from the run, and barks when one of them seems poorly. She loves them as much as we do. She is never left alone with them unsupervised and i would never recomend this to be on the safe side, i just want to show that just because her breed is known for ratting, doesnt mean shes born evil. Every dog has a natural hunting instinct, you cant avoid that, you just have to train them and research the best ways to handle the breed you choose (however i have known a friends labrador to eat their piggies, INFRONT OF THE CHILDREN! and theyre supposed to be a docile breed.)
 
2280CLAIRE said:
It would be very hard, if not impossible, to train an adult cat/dog to accept guinea pigs, and not view them as prey...
Click to expand...

Maybe it's just me but I did it with my old dog and it isn't hard in the slightest. When he was a year old, he was found as a stray, he was taken in by the family who found him and unfortunately for the chickens down the road... would escape his garden and bring one home every now and then for dinner. That and anything else he could find, I'm sure.

He was 6 when we got him and knew of his Houdini antics, and I had 3 pigs at the time and was worried he'd go for one of them, being a terrier mix. Of course he did, on my lap, at their hutches, at the run, but when I got a bit older and wouldn't take an nonsense from him, I soon got that habit out of him within a week or so of teaching him simple command of 'away', by saying the word, giving him a hand signal as well as clicking my fingers. He'd push his luck, like a lot of dogs would, but that command stuck with him for 7 years and if for instance he was on the settee and I came in with a pig, put them on my lap, he'd look over, look away and jump off. He'd turn his face and walk away without me even saying anything to him.

Also, my girlfriend's old Staffy, Jade, (who was already about 5 when they got her as rescue) she was so tolerant of the animals, she'd ignore them and leave them alone too because she was trained not to go for them.
 
Connie said:
I have a terrier. My family didnt choose her, we inherited her, but in hind sight i would definalty get another one. She was with my granny from a puppy, has NEVER EVER bitten or scratched anyone. I think this "terriers are evil" mainly stems from peoples lack of understanding of their behaviour. I have 2 piggies, and my dog has actually SAVED them on many occasions. (she has however also caught and killed a wild rabbit, so its not a lack of instincts.) She has been carefully taught that the piggies are part of the family and she must protect them as well as us. On of my piggies tried to make a bid for freedom on the way to the run (she caught him by gently sliding her paws either side of him, resting her chin on his back, and licking him till he was sodden, like she would a puppy) she was very friendly. She has also chased cats and magpies away from the run, and barks when one of them seems poorly. She loves them as much as we do. She is never left alone with them unsupervised and i would never recomend this to be on the safe side, i just want to show that just because her breed is known for ratting, doesnt mean shes born evil. Every dog has a natural hunting instinct, you cant avoid that, you just have to train them and research the best ways to handle the breed you choose (however i have known a friends labrador to eat their piggies, INFRONT OF THE CHILDREN! and theyre supposed to be a docile breed.)
Click to expand...

As previously said, there are always exceptions, and I definitely don't think "terriers are evil". After all, who would keep them as pets if they were so bad? I've also heard about labradors lashing out. However, I have never had good experiences with them-perhaps that is through the owners lack of discipline/poor control over them. Anyway, I personally would not go all out to pick a terrier if I was looking to bring a dog into a household with guinea pigs, or any other small furry...
 
lilmisscavy said:
Maybe it's just me but I did it with my old dog and it isn't hard in the slightest. When he was a year old, he was found as a stray, he was taken in by the family who found him and unfortunately for the chickens down the road... would escape his garden and bring one home every now and then for dinner. That and anything else he could find, I'm sure.

He was 6 when we got him and knew of his Houdini antics, and I had 3 pigs at the time and was worried he'd go for one of them, being a terrier mix. Of course he did, on my lap, at their hutches, at the run, but when I got a bit older and wouldn't take an nonsense from him, I soon got that habit out of him within a week or so of teaching him simple command of 'away', by saying the word, giving him a hand signal as well as clicking my fingers. He'd push his luck, like a lot of dogs would, but that command stuck with him for 7 years and if for instance he was on the settee and I came in with a pig, put them on my lap, he'd look over, look away and jump off. He'd turn his face and walk away without me even saying anything to him.

Also, my girlfriend's old Staffy, Jade, (who was already about 5 when they got her as rescue) she was so tolerant of the animals, she'd ignore them and leave them alone too because she was trained not to go for them.
Click to expand...

There are always exceptions, and a dog that's quite old is likely to be less active/less interested in the guinea pigs, anyway. Still, I'd feel safer getting a puppy and gradually introducing them, and training them from scratch.
 
What i will say, is that atleast its easy to keep a small dog like a terrier away from their cage, as opposed to something much bigger and stronger (raising it one metre off the ground would be easily sufficent.) (they are not particularly profound at jumping like spaniels)

I also think it is impossible to judge a dogs temprement on its VERY general description of terrier, There are 15 differnt types of terrier, not including cross breeds. That includes westies, which are known for being loving, and pitbulls, which are a banned breed in the UK. While some breeds are more disposed to being more active, its hardly fair to condem every terrier you ever meet because of a few people who havnt trained them propperly. A large out of control dog can be far more dangerous than something small like a terrier.

Everyone is intitle to their opinion, and choosing never to own one yourself is fine, for example i probably wouldnt want an alsation, however I would advise the OP that the best thing to do, is go round the rescues, and meet lots of dogs, find one with the correct temprament (easily maliable, loving, but well trained and calm i would suggest) Whatever its breed. Even if its an alsation! hehe.
 
We used to have a border collie, who was brilliant with the piggies (herded them and let them snuggle with her) but she was older and never left unsupervised with them.

We recently got a flat-coated retriever puppy (a gun dog) and I wouldn't trust him with the pigs! He likes to investigate with his mouth, and whilst he can be very gentle, it wouldn't be fair to him or them to take the risk. They live in separate rooms, and the pigs are on a raised surface.

We've had to compromise in the garden - they now have a large run so they're safe. Gus thinks they look like awesome playmates, though:

3379ddc4.jpg
 
Hello, I have a Golden Retriever and 2 piggies- Mick is so great with them, even if he is a breed of dog which retrieves small animals!
Generally avoid terriers, but apart from that its the personality. I never let my piggies free roam in the same room as my dog, as this could awaken predatory instinct (if he sees them scurry)

But, I hold them all the time and sit down in a chair, so he can come up and gently sniff them. He watches them in their elevated cage, too, and they don't really mind.

Here are some tips:

-The 'free run' room should be Guinea pig only so your dog does not want to constantly go in there.

-Keep the cage elevated if you are going to let your dog sniff them through the cage bars

-If you are adopting a dog, test them by bringing them into the room with pigs in their cage. See how the dog reacts.

-Never panic when your dog and pigs are in the same room, always keep it calm and positive.


Hope this helps! x>>
 
Thank you to everyone for your thoughts. Would love to give a dog a home. Our (homemade) cage sits on the floor with a swing door which we pin open so they can come and go as they please and wouldn't really want to put them into a cage off the floor since they are used to this (Little Hero is too tiny to jump in and out a proper cage, bless her).
If we could find a lovely laid back dog, we would consider it. We will have to be patient since our piggies come first.
Thanks again.
 
i have very clear opinions on this....and sorry if I offend any dog owners on here.......I would never trust ANY dog with piggies.

I'm not anti dog...I love them they are fantastic animals, but they are natural hunters and meat eaters and no matter how good natured a dog is, their natural instinct is to hunt and eat....simple as.

Its dogs....or...piggies...never together..not in my house anyway.
 
2280CLAIRE said:
It would be very hard, if not impossible, to train an adult cat/dog to accept guinea pigs, and not view them as prey...
Click to expand...

I don't believe that for a second, in fact, I believe adult dogs are the best to get when you have small animals as you can specifically look for an dog which you know the temprament of, rather than getting a puppy you don't know how it will turn out as an adult.

I have 2 greyhounds, I can have both guinea pigs and rabbits on the sofa with them and not worry.
 
Here goes the breed specific opinions again. I cant wait to get a dog, and I would love a rottweiler. Even tho i know people will probably avoid me in the street. I'm not worried about having a rotti with piggies because if brought up right i would trust my dog. Terriers and sight hounds are bred for small furry predation but this doesnt mean you cannot trust them. Depends on the personality of the dog and how well trained they are.

My pigs live in an open C&C in the living room and I trust my cat with them in the house all day while I'm at work. He knows not to ever go in their run and hes really well behaved with them.

A well trained dog can happily live with piggies regardless of breed.

x.
 
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