Can pet rats be trained?

You might not be aware of this, but many of our fluffy rodent friends can actually be trained to do a lot of tricks. A lot of them are highly intelligent and not only that, but they deeply enjoy learning to do new and exciting things. Pet rats are especially good at learning tricks and depending on each individual rat, can be very fast learners that can accomplish very complicated tricks astonishingly quickly. You can train them to know their name, to put a ball through a hoop, to fetch, to dance. Pretty much anything you might teach a dog!

When should I start training my pet rat?

The age at which you should start training them can vary. Some younger rats tend to be quite wilful and far too interested in their environment to pay any attention to you or the treats you’ve got stashed in your pocket, though this isn’t always the case! The basic idea is to start simple, be patient, be consistent and don’t train any rats for longer than 10 minutes each day. They get just as frustrated as you do when they don’t quite master something and if they start to get stressed then they’re not going to learn a thing! They will also get bored, so it’s best to keep training sessions short and sweet.

What should I teach my pet rat first?

Most rat trainers will tell you that the first thing to do when starting to train your rat is to teach them to associate a noise (either a click or a whistle or anything else you can think of so long as you choose only one noise) with something positive – like giving treats, a fuss or a cuddle. Most domestic rats love affection and attention. The best reward at the beginning is a treat, so every time they do something good, click and reward with a treat! This will help them to associate a specific action with a reward. It may take a few sessions for them to grasp the idea, but don’t worry, they will get it. Once they have this basic idea under their belts, anything else you teach them will become exceptionally less difficult!

One of the easiest things to teach your rats is to come to the door of the cage. Rats are naturally curious creatures and most of them do this whenever someone comes in the room anyway, so every time they jump up to the door of their own accord click (or make whichever noise you prefer) and reward with a treat. Once they have associated the open doorway with something good, they will be even more eager to come and say hello to you. If they are particularly nervous rats, this will help them to overcome that. Over a few sessions, you can gradually coax your rat further and further out of the cage by clicking and rewarding every time they venture a little further than before.

What else can pet rats learn to do?

Rats are very clever and can learn a massive range of different things. Another simple trick for them to learn is to stand on command. The first thing to do is have a treat ready your rat enjoys. When your rat moves to investigate the item, move it slightly higher whilst saying in a cheerful voice, ’stand!’ When your rat reaches for it, let him/her have it. Move a greater distance each time, ensure you say ’stand’ and eventually your rat will be standing on its back legs stretching to get to the treat! Your rat should learn to stand when you ask it too. Remember to be persistent, though. Some rats will take longer than others to grasp something.

After they learn to stand, you can then try teaching them to walk. This time, while your rat is standing you move the treat forwards and say ‘walk!’ Even if your rat takes the tiniest step, make sure you click and reward them! If you keep doing this, your rat will learn to take one step, then two, then three and maybe even more than that until they’re walking around on two legs like pros!

What else should I know?

Bear in mind that some rat varieties will enjoy doing some things more than others. You should never under any circumstances reward any behaviour you consider ‘bad’, simply ignore it and continue to reward any time your rat does something you want it to do. Always take the training one step at a time. If you miss anything important or if you don’t give your rat enough chance to learn something, they may get confused and lose interest altogether.

Both you and your pup have a lot to learn when it comes to good training. It’s best to get started the moment your puppy’s little paws touch the carpet otherwise it may end up picking up some very bad habits and breaking every rule in the book. Disciplining a puppy isn’t going to do it any harm. In fact it’s much likelier to be a happier dog in the long run if it learns what good behaviour is and what bad behaviour is at an early age. It’s very tempting to give in to that sweet, wrinkly face filled with such love and adoration that it seems cruel to deny it the chance to sleep on your lap, or that tid bit from the dinner table. The trouble is, dogs are far too clever for their own good and once you start, they’re going to learn to expect it in the future.

One of the most important things to do is ensure that anything you don’t want to be chewed to teeny tiny pieces is well out of harm’s way. Dogs, young or old, love to tear things apart no matter how many hundreds of pounds it cost you. Puppies have no concept of value. You have to establish the boundaries and most importantly you have to stick to them, otherwise the poor thing is going to get confused and you’re going to get angry when he or she doesn’t understand what they’re doing wrong.

Give your puppy plenty of toys to chew, a warm bed and of course, food and water. It’s also a good idea to place newspaper or any old paper on the floor until the puppy is well potty trained. Make it feel safe and secure. For the first few nights it’s probably going to whine and cry, but it will get used to the idea of being alone and learn that this is not something to be frightened about.

Patience and understanding are the most important things. Your pup might not get things straight away, but remember to keep trying. It will get it eventually!

There are also plenty of puppy books and accessories to make puppy training just a little bit easier.

You might have just welcomed a puppy or dog into your home for Christmas, or you may have a dog that’s been a part of the family for some time, but either way you will know how important it is that your best and favourite fluffy friend has got plenty of toys to keep them stimulated and occupied. Whether it’s something to chew to pieces, something to keep their teeth healthy or whether it’s something that provides plenty of exercise, any dog will be thrilled with their brand new toy because it’s from you and little Patch or Peach or Princess lubs you! Here are a few top dog toys hot off the press for 2010 so get your paws on them while you can!

Something that makes a popular toy is the tumblin’ treat ball which drops tasty tid-bits as your dog frantically rolls it around. It may make a bit of a mess of your carpet, but it will keep him or her happy and fed for quite a while, not to mention giving your dog plenty of exercise while batting the thing from one side of the room to the other.

It’s not just people that have to worry about the health of their teeth, either. Doggy gnashers need to be well taken care of too, which is why the Dog Dental Toy Bone for puppies makes an excellent accessory, helping to stop the build up of tartar and plaque and prevent and sooth the soreness of new, needle sharp puppy teeth. Nothing like the healthy gleam of pristine white fangs sinking into your toes.

Then of course, there is the doggy’s favourite; the chew toy. Even though the Cudleez Dishy Hot Dog has somewhat cannibalistic undertones, there is no doubting it will go down better than a cheese shop in mouse town.