Not only are they terribly cute but Guinea Pigs are usually very sociable creatures who enjoy being around people, and yes, in many cases they can be trained not only to use a litter box like a cat or rabbit but to follow a few basic commands as well.

Litter training a Guinea Pig is not as easy as litter training a cat (let’s face it, there is not much to that) but they can be housebroken.

Most people begin to litter train a guinea pig simply by allowing them to roam a small area with a hay filled litter box close by. They then add a few of the animals' own droppings from his cage to encourage him to use the box as a bathroom. Many people recommend shielding the litter box with a chair or an end table as most Guinea Pigs are rather private and demure little creatures who will prefer to “do their business” in private.

Some Guinea Pigs get the hang of the litter box right away, while others need a little guidance, being put into the box and praised excessively when they “do the right thing”. On the other hand there are those Guinea Pigs that never do quite get it right, but they will still appreciate the “floor time”; you will just have to limit it to an area covered with newspaper to avoid too much mess.

Many Guinea Pigs learn their names, and can be taught to do simple tricks like beg for food. While this may be fun for you to watch, do not push the issue if your furry friend does not seem too interested in learning.

When we as humans are suffering from aches and pains (or the occasional hangover) many of us tend to reach for that trusty bottle of aspirin. If it seems like a dog is in pain it can be tempting to offer them the same remedy, but is aspirin harmful or helpful to dogs?

According to vets, animals should not be given any medication without consulting with a member of their profession first. Dogs do feel pain and some dogs who suffer from arthritis seem to benefit from a dose of aspirin but only in very small dose supervised by a veterinarian.

Aspirin belongs to the NSAIDS (Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) family and can cause gastrointestinal problems in humans, and these difficulties can be magnified in canine stomachs, sometimes with fatal consequences.  Many professionals in animal medicine prefer to use a supplement like Glucosamine to help ease an arthritic doggy’s joint pain. In fact, the substance together with Chondroitin Sulfate is essential for keeping canine joints healthy and flexible. There are a number of specialist dog foods that are fortified with the substances and you can also buy supplement tablets and liquids as well.

The pets that certainly should never be given aspirin are your cats. Cats simply do not have the capability to produce enough liver enzymes to break the aspiring down and even the smallest of doses can make them very ill and even prove fatal. Some people say that for cats who appear to be in a lot of pain ¼ of a baby aspirin a day is OK but the majority of vets advise that the risk not be taken, especially since any pain relief Fluffy might get from such a treatment would be minimal at best.

There are an ever growing number of different rabbit species and therefore how long your pet rabbit might live depends a great deal upon what breed she is. Smaller breeds tend to live longer than their larger cousins, but some smaller breeds, because they have been ‘genetically engineered', can have their own set of unique health challenges that may shorten their lifespan. However on average, a pet rabbit will live 7-10 years if well cared for, and rabbits kept indoors tend to have a little more longevity than those housed outside.

One special point worth noting that if an unspayed female rabbit does not breed she will be particularly susceptible to uterine cancer. Uterine cancer is a problem for rabbits but the risk is lessened if an animal is spayed if she is not to be used for breeding purposes. The ideal time to spay a female rabbit is four to six months of age, but your vet can advise you what is best for your bunny.

Ensuring that a pet rabbit has a good diet is another huge factor in how long they might live. Rabbits have rather sensitive stomachs and certain foods can prove harmful if not downright fatal. Starch and fats are not at all rabbit friendly and although most of them really like it fruit should be fed as occasional treat only. The mainstay of any rabbit’s diet should be grass hay, with timothy, meadow hay and oat or barley hay being ideal.

Housebreaking a new puppy can be one of the most frustrating things that dog owners ever have to get through. You cannot really get angry when Fido Jr has an accident indoors because he simply does not know any better, but it can still be very hard to deal with.

Some dogs get the hang of the whole “potty training’ thing far more quickly than others, but the key to housebreaking any puppy is consistence and patience. There are several different ways to potty train your puppy and it seems no one method is the “best”. Simply, some puppies respond better to certain methods than others.

Potty training puppies has to begin inside. You can lay “wee wee “ pads on the floor and encourage the puppy to do his business there. These pads, readily available at pet supply stores – are pretreated with a chemical that gives of a scent designed to draw your pup to them. As the puppy learns, the papers are moved closer and closer to the door, until he gets the message and begins to understand that his bathroom is outside, not inside.

The problem with paper training is that it allows a puppy to go to the bathroom in the house at all, a habit that it may be hard to break. Some people find that crate training is far more effective.

Puppy is placed in a crate that is just large enough to be his bed. Dogs are loathe to soil their own beds because even a puppy realizes that he will have to lie in that mess afterwards. Proponents of crate training say that this teaches puppies to regulate their bowels and bladder more quickly, to learn that they can “hold it” if they want to. To be most effective the puppy has to be taken out of his crate at regular times for walks, and gradually be allowed to move around the rest of the house.

Some people use neither of these methods and opt for simple vigilance. Puppies have a “pre potty” pattern that is fairly easy to recognize and if you have the time to watch puppy all day, he can simply be hustled straight out of the back door whenever he goes into his routine.