How to Get a Dog to Like a Guinea Pig

Putting your guinea pig in the same room as your dog and waiting for them to become best friends is wishful thinking. Your dog might perceive the new family addition as prey and might attack it. Also, the scary sight of the unfamiliar, large predator can startle your guinea pig and trigger cardiac arrest. To develop a friendship between your pets, avoid rushing things.

  1. Boundaries

    • The transition to a new home can take some adjusting, and before introducing your new guinea pig to your dog, make sure he's comfortable. Provide him with a cage, food and water, and confine him to a room separated from your dog. Cover the cage for two days with a light blanket so he can explore with no distractions. Then confine your dog and allow your guinea pig to explore the area beyond the room. This allows both animals to familiarize themselves with each other's scent.

    Gradual Exposure

    • Just because guinea pigs are social animals and your dog is as friendly as can be doesn't mean you should rush the introduction. The next step is to give both parties a visual of each other. Keep your guinea pig in his cage, but this time open the door to the room and barricade it with a baby gate. Allow your dog to walk by the room to investigate from a safe distance so both animals can get used to the new sight and sounds. Once this goes well, graduate to the next step.

    Meeting Close-Up

    • For the first several, five-minute, nose-to-nose meetings, keep your guinea pig in his cage for extra comfort, and leash your dog so you can control him. If your dog acts up near the cage, quickly tug the leash or temporarily remove him from the room. When he's calm around the new housemate, lavish him with praise and treats so he'll want to repeat the behavior. Over time, take your guinea pig out of his cage, but leash your dog and muzzle him for extra safety. Once this goes as planned, gradually get rid of the leash and muzzle.

    Considerations

    • Harshly punishing your dog for acting up when he sees the guinea pig isn't going to help the situation and might increase future aggression. You want your dog to associate the new family addition with positive consequences; not with punishment. Also, practicing obedience training can make it easier to control your dog when he's meeting your guinea pig. No matter how good the two animals seem to get along, never leave them alone, because your dog might unintentionally hurt your guinea pig.