That doesn’t mean you can’t get a piggy of your own, of course, but there are a few things to consider before you decide to commit:

1. What do you want a pig for? If you just think it’s a little bit of a novelty and that you will eventually get bored of it, just don’t do it. Like any other pet, they need love, care and attention and it isn’t fair on the animal if you’re not willing to provide it with everything it needs for the rest of its life. On the other hand, you might want to eventually eat Little Piggy, which is entirely up to you, just don’t tell the children about it.

2. Do you have the space for a pig? They can grow to quite substantial sizes and much like large dogs, they need a lot of space to move around. Ideally, they will need a pen to keep them safe. They like to cause a bit of havoc digging things up, so don’t expect your trimmed garden to stay neat and tidy for very long!

3. Where are you getting your pig from? Always use a trusted breeder because that way you can guarantee the health and quality of the animal. If you plan on breeding them yourself, ensure you see proof of pedigree documents before making any purchases.

4. Can you afford it? Not only will you have to buy the pig first, but then you have to consider the fencing you need to put up, the food it needs, the shelter and any vets bills you might incur. Just like dogs and cat, pigs can suffer from any manner of illnesses, and you need to be prepared for unexpected costs.

The recession hasn’t helped matters, and a staggering number of pet owners can no longer cope with the cost of keeping an animal. Thankfully, not all of these individuals will leave their poor pooch or cute kitten on the side of the road and they will do the right thing and take them to the RSPCA, but there is still the problem of finding them new homes.

The common misconception is that animals that have been left with the RSPCA have behavioural problems that make them aggressive and unpredictable, but this is not true. Many larger pets like cats and dogs find themselves in the hands of the RSPCA simply because their owner couldn’t afford to keep them any longer, or worse, because they have been mistreated and abused. It’s not just cats and dogs that find themselves in need of new homes, though. Various pet shops around the country provide a specific area that is exclusively for pets that have had previous owners and are in dire need of a new one. Rats, rabbits, hamsters and other small animals are often overlooked because they’ve grown up and no longer have the more appealing appearance of a baby. These animals are the ones that need a home more than any of the others. A life spent in a small cage in a pet shop without anyone to give them the attention they deserve is no life at all, so think twice before you decide to buy a baby. The chances are, a puppy, a kitten or any other young animal is destined to find a home very easily, but an older animal needs one more. Have a heart. They can’t take care of themselves…

The most obvious way to alleviate some of the aggression is to have your rabbit spayed or neutered. Doing this may solve the problem of an angry rabbit straight away, though sometimes, it doesn’t happen quite that easily. It might not just be hormones causing erratic behaviour and even if hormones are the primary reason, there is no guarantee that your rabbit will suddenly want to be stroked and held. Gaining the trust of your rabbit will still require a little more effort on your part.

When you pin down precisely what action triggers aggressive behaviour in your rabbit, you can successfully attempt to deal with it. There is a good possibility that, when your rabbit bites you when you move to stroke her, or when she lunges at you every time you walk into the room, she is simply exhibiting fear or annoyance. This is something that can take time to overcome, but the important thing to note is that it can be. Many experts suggest you simply ignore the aggressive behaviour and treat your rabbit like the best thing in the world. Always use a confident, excited tone and – wearing a glove that amply protects your fleshy fingers – continue to pat her head, even if she tries to bite you. If you do this every day, your rabbit will eventually realise you have no intention of hurting her and you can move on to gently and carefully stroking her head instead. When bun-buns is used to this, stroke her ears too, and on and on until she’s happy with the attention and even craves it.

Believe it or not, there is a big difference between a rabbit that bites and a rabbit that nips. Most often, the former is a show of aggression, whereas the latter may simply be a way of communicating something to you. Some rabbits will nip when they want attention, and some will nip when they want you to put them down. It isn’t necessarily an act of aggression. It’s likely that, when your rabbit bites you, she’s merely being defensive, maybe over food or over territory. Remember to always move slowly and cautiously. Fast, jerky movements may be a sign of aggression towards bun-buns and she may mistake your actions as threatening. Whenever you have to clean out the cage, give bun-buns the opportunity to leave before you drag her out. When you have to feed her, distract her by gently petting her while placing the food bowl in the cage.

Your rabbit may never end up the cuddle-monster you so desperately want her to be, but you can definitely take steps to encourage her to be loving and affection. Though it’s rare, unfortunately some rabbits never manage to overcome incredibly aggressive behaviour and though it may seem cruel, the best thing to do is to have your rabbit put to sleep. Rabbits have the ability to cause some very serious injuries and if she is so stressed and unhappy in her environment that she resorts to viciously biting and scratching , it is sometimes for the best.

Sonic the Hedgehog

Believe it or not, the waiting list for one of these cuties can be up to a year! On the plus side, they are 100% domesticated and completely free from diseases, tics and fleas. Much like their rodent friends the rats, pygmy hedgehogs love to be handled and providing they are given enough care, love and attention from a young age, will grow up to be very cuddly, affectionate little prickle-puffs. They are also relatively easy pets to keep. They need a decent sized enclosure to run around in (something around the size of a rabbit hutch) as these spiky little critters are fond of exercise. You also need to provide them with plenty of toys and ensure you give them a wheel to run in – they can run up to 8 miles in a single night! Maybe they’re speedier than we first thought…

Their diet is simple and easy, too. They are carnivorous creatures and so need to be fed a delicious variety of meat; cat food, chicken, turkey and mince. Beware, though! Hedgehogs are lactose intolerant, so never give them fatty cows milk. Pygmy hedgehogs also need to be kept in a warm environment, otherwise they are likely to start hibernating!

Unfortunately, the African pygmy hedgehog is likely to set you back anywhere between £100 to £200 pounds, but as far as we’re concerned, they’re worth every penny.

• You probably weren’t aware you can get prozac for your pooch to help perk them up if they spend a long time alone while owners are out or at work. The drug, called Reconcile, apparently works the same way as the human version, increasing the level or serotonin produced in the brain to improve mood. If you ask us, this is taking things a little too far. If your dog is suffering from some kind of mental disorder caused by separation from their beloved owner, you have to wonder if they should have gotten a dog in the first place. Not everything should be solved with pills, least of all where animals are concerned.

• This next product is actually a pretty nifty little gadget. The Litter Robot is for those people who squirm at the thought of cleaning up after their moggy. This handy, spacecraft-esq machine does the job for you. Not only does it quickly hide away the cat’s undesirables, it also prevents odours. The inventors also claim it will save you 50% of the cost of buying litter and the only other thing you need is a regular old binbag to line the tray. You will, however, have to get off your lazy backside to empty that.

• So, this isn’t exactly a product for your pet. This is, in fact, a product made out of your pet – no animal cruelty here, of course. Or at least, we hope not. The Fur-Ever Keepsake can be anything from a glove to a coat made entirely out of – you guessed it – the fur of your pet. So if being apart from your darling little chihuahua Tootsie is just too much for you to handle, have a pair of gloves knitted from her fur and take her with you everywhere you go. You can even get that fresh, wet dog smell when you get caught in the rain.

• One of the most pointless inventions out of all of these products is probably the Goldfish Walker. Basically a fish tank on wheels that allows you to show your marine critters the sights. Like we said, pointless.

• Now, despite being yet another utterly useless item, if you’re a big beer drinker it is actually kind of quaint. Beer….for your dog. Happy Tail Ale, it’s called. Luckily it contains no alcohol, is non-carbonated and, unlike beer for human consumption, is actually pretty healthy. It’s also flavoured with drippings to make it taste like a dog’s favourite food, given the choice. Beef. Mmm…yum…

• So, we’ve saved the best for last. This is also the most risque of our featured products and it goes by the name of the Hotdoll, a doggy shaped doll that keeps your rather affectionate dog away from your leg. We’re sure you have vivid imaginations. You can work out the rest for yourselves.

There isn’t much we can say to make you feel better about the loss of a beloved pet, but know that you’re not the only person to ever experience this. Everyone – with a heart – understands how painful it is. It’s only human to mourn, whether it’s for a day, or for weeks or maybe even months. Anyone would be distraught when something important is snatched out of their lives by old age or illness so don’t feel bad about it. The most important thing to do is to keep yourself busy; work, family, friends, errands, trips out, maybe even a holiday. Try not to think too much about it, as impossible as it sounds. The longer you do this, the less apparent your grief will seem and sooner or later you won’t feel quite so terrible. That’s not to say you won’t still desperately miss your pet, but eventually you will be able to deal with it a whole lot easier. Try to always think of the fondest memories. Put a photo up. Regal your friends with stories of their antics and, most importantly, remember that they aren’t suffering anymore.

Over the new few weeks, we want to clear up some mysteries and help you to understand your pets needs and emotions a little bit better with a breakdown of some common and uncommon bits of behaviour from a few of our furry friends.

This week is the turn of man’s best friend, the canis (or simply ‘dog’ to you and I).

Dogs

1. Tail between its legs – everyone should know this one, but just in case you don’t, a dog holding its tail between its legs is usually frightened or nervous. It may also arch its back, bend its legs and its ears will likely lie flatter. A dog that shows these signs is likely to snap at someone or something it’s are afraid of. Its pupils also tend to dilate.

2. Wagging tail, panting, erect ears – these indicate the dog is a very happy, relaxed and confident pooch that is probably having fun.

3. Lifted paw and flattened ears – this often suggests fear and submission.

4. Twitching or pricked ears, tail low – the dog is likely to be listening for something so is attentive, but not necessarily frightened. Dogs tend to be curious about every little sound they hear, especially if it’s new to them.

5. Tail erect or curled – this is a sign the dog is confident, happy and relaxed. Its ears will probably also be erect or pricked, though it is difficult to tell with some dogs.

6. Rear end in the air, upper body to the floor – this is called ‘baying’ and dogs normally exhibit this behaviour when feeling playful and happy.

7. Rolling over - a dog that exposes its belly is often being submissive to either another dog, or to you. It doesn’t  want to show any aggression.

8. Maintains eye contact, ruffles fur, stands tall, growls – this behaviour suggests a show of dominance either directed towards another dog, or to a person. It can be dangerous for both if not handled with care. Any dog exhibiting this behaviour towards a person should be dealt with cautiously. The dog may also start to bear its teeth and lunge. Experts suggest you maintain eye contact and calmly back away.

Stay tuned for next time when we’ll tell you all about cat communication!

According to research carried about out by Nicholas Christenfeld and Michael Roy from the University of California, dogs and their owners often have a tendency to look alike (minus the furry muzzle and walking on all fours – as far as we know, at least. There are always exceptions).The full study appears in ‘Do Dogs Resemble Their Owners’ in the journal Psychological Science. The catch here is that it is only purebred dogs that seem to resemble their owners.

Now, after a quick whip around the adflyer office for desired breed of dog to own, we’ve heard ‘husky‘, ‘belgian shepherd‘ and ‘daschund‘. Does that give you a decent picture of the type of people we have working here? Do you think any of us would share the looks and personality of each of those dogs? Does ‘husky’ bring to mind a silver haired individual with bright blue eyes and an excitable personality? Does ‘Belgian shepherd’ make you think about striking locks and a loyal, calm temperament? Does ‘daschund’ conjure the image of a short, stout person with black hair and chocolate brown eyes, always walking quickly?

Christenfeld and Roy’s study involved a number of volunteers being shown a selection of photographs; half of dogs, the other half of their owners. There was a mixture of purebred pedigrees and cross breeds amongst the dog photographs. 16 of the 25 purebred photos were correctly matched purely based on physical resemblance. This was theorised to be due to the owner subconsciously choosing a puppy that closely resembles themselves, rather than the dog eventually growing to look similar to their owner. The look of a pedigree puppy is much easier to determine than that of a cross-bred dog, eliminating the possibility of cross breeds resembling their owners and explaining why they don’t share this unusual symmetry.

Safe to say, the study didn’t go into great levels of details and no conclusion was reached about whether people naturally prefer a dog that shares their personality traits or looks. Either way, from now on we’re probably going to be closely observing owners and pets from now on just to determine how true the study results are.

Is it only dogs that resemble their owners though? Maybe you have a pet cat, pet rabbit or pet rat-like friend or relative… We wouldn’t mind seeing pictures!

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.

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.