Guinea pigs can learn tricks! But how exactly do you teach them to do these cool tricks? In this article, I will tell you how.
Here are the 12 tricks we will learn about:
- Soccer
- Shake
- Get on the stage
- Come
- Circle around an object
- Jump through a hoop
- Spin in a circle
- Beg
- High-five
- Run up the stairs
- Go into the cage
- Paws-up
Clicker Training and Cue Words
For these tricks, you will need to use a clicker (a clicky pen makes a great clicker) or a verbal marker (a sound or a 1-syllable word) followed by a treat to reward them. Make sure to only use the clicker or verbal marker for training.
To clicker train your guinea pig, randomly click the clicker and then give it a treat; once the piggy knows that it will get a treat when the clicker is clicked, it is clicker trained.
Also, once the guinea pig does the whole trick, add a cue word (1 to 2 syllables) then reward them. Say the cue word to tell them when to do the trick.
Training Methods
There are four main ways to teach guinea pigs tricks, Luring, Targeting, Shaping and Capturing. Let’s talk a little more about them. For more information about training methods, click here.
Luring
Luring is getting your guinea pig to do something by luring them into position with a treat.
Of course, you don’t want your guinea pig to totally rely on the lure when you are showing off the trick, so once your guinea pig knows the trick well enough, you should slowly fade the lure.
To do this, start by moving the lure faster so the guinea pig isn’t fully relying on it anymore. Next, stop using the lure unless your pet gets stuck (in this case, the lure can be used).
Targeting
Targeting, similar to luring, is when you lure a guinea pig but with a target such as a stick instead of a treat. Unlike a lure, however, a target doesn’t have to be faded.
To teach tricks with targeting, first put the target near the guinea pig. If it touches it with it’s nose (or paw if you choose) click (or say the marker) then reward it with a treat he (or she) likes.
After a while, move the target a little further away. Once your guinea pig follows the target around anywhere, then well, they’re ready for tricks which involve targeting.
Shaping
Shaping is teaching your guinea pig a trick step by step. There are two ways to shape: Free shaping or shaping with luring.
Shaping with luring is luring your guinea pig into each step then giving them a little bit of the lure to eat.
Example: Teaching a guinea pig to turn in a circle by luring it about a quarter of the way around the circle then giving it a bite of the lure, then repeat this until it goes all the way around.
Free shaping is waiting for the guinea pig to do each step without help then reward it after each step.
Example: Teaching a guinea pig to turn in a circle by waiting for it to turn its head to the right (or left), then click and treat (or say the marker and treat). Later, wait until it take a step in that direction, then more steps, then until it goes all the way around.
Capturing
Capturing is not actually having a trick in mind and then teaching it, but watching your guinea pig to see if it does any interesting things, then if it does, say a keyword, then click and treat.
Let’s learn about the tricks!
1. Soccer
Guinea pigs can actually learn to play soccer! Of course, guinea pig soccer is not the same as actual soccer, but it sure is adorable to watch. Guinea pig soccer is just teaching a guinea pig to push a ball around with its nose.
You will need:
- A small, lightweight ball
- Treats
- A clicker (unless you use a verbal maker for training)
Guide the guinea pig toward the ball with a treat, and once your piggy gets pretty close to it, put a few treats under the ball. Once your guinea pig pushes the ball to get the treats, reward it by clicking and giving another treat.
Repeat this a few times, using less treats under the ball each time (but keep rewarding it with a click and a treat if it pushes the ball).
Now try without any treats on the floor, but reward it if it nudges the ball. Practice! Have your piggy push the ball, then reward it; then push the ball and reward it.
Don’t reward your piggy until it pushes the ball twice.
Keep having your piggy push the ball more than once before rewarding it.
Add a cue word. Reward your guinea pig randomly as it pushes the ball, so that it doesn’t lose interest.
For more information about teaching your guinea pig to play soccer, click here.
2. Shake
Dogs are not the only pets that can learn to shake—guinea pigs can too!
You will need:
- Treats
- A clicker (unless you train without one)
Choose which hand you will use for this trick and which paw your piggy will shake with (use the same hand and paw each time).
Put your hand on the floor and lure your guinea pig so that only one paw lands on your hand. If both paws land on your hand, tilt your hand to the side so that the other paw falls off, or try again. Repeat until your piggy shows more confidence in the trick.
Teach your guinea pig to keep their paw on your hand for a while. An easy way to do this is by giving it more treats before it gets off of your hand. Make sure to have them rely less on the treats over time. Practice, practice, practice!
See if your piggy will put their paw on your hand without you luring it. Reward it as soon as its paw touches your hand.
If your guinea pig puts both paws onto your hand, try using a lure again for a little while. Practice this trick without the lure a lot.
For more info about teaching this trick, click here.
3. Get on the stage
This trick is just teaching guinea pigs to jump onto a platform when you give a cue.
You will need:
- A stage (about 4 inches (about 10 cm) high
- Treats
- A clicker (if you use one)
To teach this trick with luring just lure your guinea pig onto the platform, then say a cue such as, ‘stage’ then click and give it the treat.
Training with targeting is pretty much the same as training with luring.
For free shaping, just start by waiting until your guinea pig puts its front paws on the platform then reward him (or her), but don’t use a cue until the guinea pig goes on top of the platform.
You may also find that your guinea pig just hops onto the top of the platform without any help; if it does this reward it; say a cue, click and give it a treat.
For information about teaching this trick, click here.
4. Come
Guinea pigs can learn to come when called, too.
You will need:
- A clicker (if you use one for training)
- Treats
This trick should be taught with shaping. Simply sit on the ground very close to your guinea pig with some treats and when your guinea pig comes for food, say their name (or another cue), and then click and give it a treat.
When the guinea pig comes when its name is called, click and treat; then you can start moving farther and farther away.
If he (or she) refuses to come, lure it to you then reward it and put it back in the cage. When you try again, be closer to him then you were before. After some training, your guinea pig will come when called.
For more about this trick, click here.
5. Circle around an object
This trick can be used in obstacle courses, and is really easy to teach.
You will need:
- A plastic cup or other object to circle around
- A clicker (unless you use a verbal marker for training)
- Treats
To teach this trick with luring, just lure it around the object then reward it (with a cue word). Fade the lure after your guinea pig knows the trick well.
You can also use free shaping or shaping with luring; however, shaping with luring is much easier than free shaping. If you use shaping, teach the piggy to go halfway around the object, then all the way around.
For more about teaching this trick, click here.
6. Jump through a hoop
Guinea pigs can also learn to jump through a hoop as long as it’s not too far above the ground.
You will need:
- Treats
- A wide hoop (you can use some cardboard cut into a hoop shape)
- A clicker (unless you don’t use one for training)
To teach this trick, put the hoop—the hoop should be on the ground at first—in front of your guinea pig and hold a treat or target on the other side.
If he (or she) goes all the way through the hoop, say something like ‘hoop’ then click and give him a treat.
If he doesn’t go all the way through at first, you can go step by step, first teach them to put their neck through, then their front legs then finally their whole body.
Repeat.
Next, fade the lure (if you taught it with luring). Practice without the lure.
After that, start lifting the hoop above the ground inch by inch—three inches off the ground should be the highest since guinea pigs aren’t the best jumpers.
7. Spin in a circle
This trick is just teaching a guinea pig to spin in a ‘circle’.
You will need:
- A clicker (if you use one for training)
- Treats
Lure (or use a target) to get your guinea pig to circle around all the way, then reward by clicking and giving a treat. Repeat several times.
If your guinea pig won’t go all the way around, start by having it go halfway around before rewarding; then try all the way around after some practice.
Fade the lure by moving it faster, then over time taking it away. Now, add a cue word, such as ‘circle’, when you reward your piggy!
8. Beg
Begging is having a guinea pig stand up on their back legs; it’s a very easy trick to teach.
You will need:
- Treats
- A clicker (unless you use a verbal marker)
Hold a treat over your guinea pig’s nose and slowly move it back toward its head, but not too far back that your guinea pig will fall over trying to get it!
As soon as your piggy lifts one or both front paws off the ground, reward it by clicking and giving a treat. Repeat a few times. Now, have your guinea pig stand up a little higher each time.
Teach your piggy to stand for longer, little by little. Practice this a lot. Fade the lure and then introduce a cue word, such as ‘beg’.
Click here for more about this trick.
9. High-five
As long as your hand is still on the ground, you can train a guinea pig to high-five it!
You will need:
- Treats
- A clicker (unless you don’t use one for training)
Choose which hand and which paw you will use for the trick.
Put your hand flat on the floor. Lure your guinea pig so that one paw (the paw that you chose) lands on your hand.
Once it does, reward it by clicking and giving a treat. If the piggy puts both front paws or the wrong paw on your hand, don’t reward it, and try again. Practice often, teaching it to keep its paw on your hand for a few seconds by waiting a second or two before rewarding.
Fade the lure. Once the lure is faded, add a cue word when rewarding. Now tilt your hand at an angle when doing this trick so it looks more like a high-five!
10. Run up the stairs
Guinea pigs can actually learn to run up a flight of steps! It is cool to watch, especially if they run quickly!
You will need:
- A flight of stairs
- Treats
Wait for your piggy to put its front paws onto the first step (or lure it so that it does this) and reward it with a treat.
Now, put some treats on the next step up and wait for your guinea pig to jump up onto the next step to eat them and reward it with another treat when they do. If they don’t jump up onto the next step, gently lift their back legs so they can get up easier.
Practice this a lot. Eventually your guinea pig will go up the stairs without your help. Make sure to reward it when it does.
11. Go into the cage
‘Go into the cage’ is a pretty easy trick to teach. It makes a great beginner trick for your piggy!
You will need:
- Your guinea pig’s cage
- Treats
- A clicker (unless you use a verbal marker)
Start very close to the guinea pig’s cage. Lay a path of treats (leafy green veggies work best) from where your guinea pig is to inside the cage. Once your piggy follows the path and goes into the cage, reward it by clicking and giving another treat.
Practice this often, using less treats for the path each time and rewarding it when it gets in the cage. Once your guinea pig goes into the cage without the treat path, say a cue word before rewarding.
Now, start increasing the distance between the guinea pig and the cage. If your piggy refuses to go to the cage, put him (or her) in the cage (do not reward it) and try again later; this time closer to the cage then before.
12. Paws-up
This is more of a confidence builder than a trick, but it is good for your guinea pig to learn anyway.
You will need:
- Treats
- Several different objects
Start with a wide and short object. Lure your guinea pig so that it puts both its front paws on it. Practice several times; then try without the lure.
Once your piggy does the trick without a lure, try using taller and narrower objects for the trick. Make sure to reward them with a treat after they do ‘paws-up’.
Check this out for more info.
I hope that this has been helpful in teaching your guinea pigs tricks and that your training will be fun and enjoyable!
