Watch Adorable Moment Dog Chooses Himself a Guinea Pig at Pet Store

A dog's intentions toward a guinea pig it spotted in a pet shop has divided users on TikTok.

In the video, posted to @finnsmomjuliet, a black, white and tan dog can be seen staring intently at a ginger and white guinea pig in a pet store, while the guinea pig looks the other way. The video has been viewed over one million times and the caption reads, "To Finns disappointment, he only got a bag of tennis balls that day."

Small dogs such as terriers and dachshunds were originally bred to catch small rodents and mammals, and the instinct to do so can still be strong. Despite these instincts, dogs can live in harmony with guinea pigs with the correct training and a gentle introduction.

Pet advice website WagWalking.com says that despite these instincts, "many dogs are perfectly suited to living in peace with guinea pigs...You will just want to be sure that you are careful and you teach your dog to interact with the guinea pig the way you want them to. This will require a little training, but most owners have no problems."

The introduction is one of the most important elements of integrating these two species and it's important to remember that the guinea pig will most likely be scared. Owners are advised to hold their guinea pig out of reach of their dog so they can get used to the smell and realize that this is a friend, not a snack.

WagWalking also says that "if your dog starts to get aggressive or too excited, you should take a step away from the guinea pig. If your dog can't stay calm in close quarters to the guinea pig you should stop the introduction and try again later. If this is the case, keep the two animals away from each other."

Users on TikTok differed in their experiences of dogs and guinea pigs. User Cas said that "my dog and guinea pig are best friends," while Liza Kate agreed: "Oh my god I have two Guinea pigs and my dogs are OBSESSED and my pigs love the dogs to!!".

However, another user said: "I got a guinea pig when I was like 5 and it walked off my trampoline and my dog ran over and killed it before I could pick it up." Another said: "Y'all that's a hunting dog breed, he wants to eat it."

Newsweek has reached out to @finnsmomjuliet for comment.

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