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• Part 1 of 2: Teaching your guinea pig basic commands
• Part 2 of 2: Teaching your guinea pig advanced commands

Guinea pigs are very intelligent and can be trained to follow simple commands and do tricks. In order to ensure that training runs smoothly and correctly, you must make sure that you take good care of your guinea pig and meet all of its daily needs. Keep in mind that every guinea pig is unique and it can take time for her to learn your commands during training sessions. Be patient and use positive reinforcement with your guinea pig; over time, she should be able to follow basic and advanced commands.

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Part 1 of 2: Teaching your guinea pig basic commands

1. Train her to come when called. Like most animals, with a little practice and motivation in the form of a treat, guinea pigs can learn to come to you when called. Make sure you use your guinea pig's name often and that you address her by name when you feed her and give her treats.
   • You can also practice letting her come to you when called by taking her out of her cage and moving her away from you. Call her by name and hold up one of her favorite treats.
   • Your guinea pig should now be motivated enough to run to you. When she does, give her a treat as a reward. Practice this at least once a day, and over time she should come to you inside and outside her cage when you call her name.
2. Practice the command to stand up. This is also a simple command that you can teach your guinea pig with a treat.
   • Hold a treat over your guinea pig's head so that she has to stand on her hind legs to get it. Say the command “stand” and have her take the candy once she is on her hind legs.
   • Repeat this command once a day on a regular basis. Over time, your guinea pig will be on its feet when you give the command, even when you are not holding a treat.
3. Learn the command to rotate a circle. You can practice this command with your guinea pig while she is in her hutch or outside her hutch.
   • Hold a treat in your hand and let your guinea pig approach you. When she is in front of you, move your hand to make a circle and say the command “Circle”.
   • Your guinea pig should follow the movement of your hand with the treat, making a circle. Once she makes a circle, you can give her the treat. Repeat this once a day until she can make a circle without the candy on command.

Part 2 of 2: Teaching your guinea pig advanced commands

1. Train your guinea pig to push a ball. Use a ball that is neither too heavy nor too large, such as a tennis ball, so that your guinea pig can get it moving easily. You will also need a treat that is long and flat, such as a carrot.
   • Place the carrot on the ground and then place the tennis ball on top of the carrot.
   • Encourage your guinea pig to push the ball off the treat so she can reach the treat and say "push the ball."
   • Repeat these steps and over time you should be able to remove the treat so that she learns to push the ball herself, without the treat.
2. Teach her to jump through a hoop. You will need a hoop that is about 6 - 10 inches in diameter, or you can use pipe cleaners to form a hoop that is that size. The lid of an ice bucket, or a tennis racket without the strings can also work. Make sure that whatever you're using as a hoop, it doesn't have sharp edges or anything else your guinea pig could catch on as she learns to jump.
   • Start by holding the hoop so that it touches the ground, or the bottom of the cage. Hold a candy on the other side of the hoop, or have someone help you by holding the candy while you hold the hoop.
   • Call out your guinea pig's name and make sure she can see the treat on the other side of the hoop. Say the command "Through the hoop". You may need to give your guinea pig a nudge or a gentle push to convince her to jump through the hoop. In time, she will be motivated enough by the treat to jump through the hoop and make it.
   • Praise her and give her the treat when she jumps through the hoop. Repeat these steps until your guinea pig starts jumping through the hoop on its own, without the motivation of the treat.
3. Practice toilet training. Many guinea pig owners teach their pets to relieve themselves in a toilet. However, this takes a lot of patience and practice. When you first start training your guinea pig on the toilet bowl, prepare for accidents and do not yell or punish your guinea pig if this happens. Your guinea pig will respond better to positive reinforcement and recognition.
   • To train your guinea pig to use the toilet, place a toilet bowl in the area in her cage where she often goes to the bathroom. Put a handful of hay in the tray and a few droppings.
   • When you notice that your guinea pig is using the bowl, give her a treat as a reward. In time, she will understand that using the tray is a good thing that leads to sweets, and will start using it on a regular basis.