INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Long-haired guinea pigs require daily brushing to prevent their fur from getting tangled and developing knots. If you do come across any knots, a comb may be handy to remove them. For short-haired guinea pigs, you only need to brush and comb their hair once a month. You can buy guinea pig specific brushes and combs at most pet stores. If you do not brush your guinea pig regularly, its hair may become so knotted that your only solution is to cut it off. A long-haired guinea pig's hair grows about an inch a month and will require regular cutting. Once its hair begins to touch the ground, trim the hair so that it does not drag. You may also want to cut your long-haired guinea pig's hair to a comfortable length in the summer. This will keep it from overheating. Keeping your guinea pig's hair off of the ground will prevent it from becoming wet with urine and feces that may be on the ground in its cage. Regular trimming can prevent health issues, such as urinary tract infections, associated with bacteria. When giving your guinea pig a trim, consider using round-tipped scissors with guide combs to avoid cutting its hair too short. If you and your guinea pig live somewhere that is not climate controlled in the summer, you will want to keep your pet comfortable by cutting its hair. Long-haired guinea pigs are susceptible to overheating. Some long-haired guinea pigs are prone to urinary tract infections because the hair on their backside collects bacteria. This can be the result of it coming into contact with the ground and being soiled with urine and feces. Because of this, you mustn't neglect to trim your animal's backside. Guinea pigs rarely need baths. Some never need to be washed. However, your guinea pig may become stinky and need a bath. Place your guinea pig in a small bowl of warm water and gently scrub them with a shampoo for small animals. Be sure to quickly dry the animal with a towel to avoid it getting too cold and becoming sick. If you want to kill two birds with one stone, try cutting your guinea pig's hair while it's still wet from the bath. Wet hair is easier to cut than dry hair. If your guinea pig has dandruff is itchy or sheds more than normal, it may have a parasite or fungal infection on its skin. Take your animal to the veterinarian and do not shampoo it unless the vet gives you a medicated shampoo. Washing it may dry out its skin more and make the condition worse.

SUMMARY: Brush its hair regularly. Cut your guinea pig's hair. Trim your guinea pig's backside. Bathe it.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Good dog owners put in the time and effort that is needed to train their dog basic commands. An obedience course can help you teach your dog some basic obedience skills such as sit, stay, and lay down. Going through an obedience course with your dog can also help you to build a better bond with your dog, which will benefit both of you. You may also consider working one-on-one with a certified professional dog trainer. This is a good option if your dog is not a big fan of other dogs and people, or if you just want more attention and help from the trainer. For the best results, train your dog in short sessions and repeat the sessions regularly. One way that you can train is by doing 5-15 repetitions of a behavior, such as teaching your dog to sit. Then, switch to a different behavior, and then another. Do these repetitions during one 15 minute session every day. Keeping training sessions short will help your dog pay attention. The frequency of your training sessions will help reinforce what you want your dog to learn. To teach your dog to do what you want him/her to do, it is important to reward his/her good behavior as soon as he does it. For example, if you ask you dog to sit and he/she does, praise and pet him/her right away so that your dog knows that he/she did something good. Try to reward your dog whenever he/she does good things so that he/she knows that these are the behaviors you like. Teach your dog to stop doing bad behaviors by ignoring him/her when he/she is naughty. For example, if your dog wants to go for a walk and he/she is jumping on you to let you know, ignore him/her and wait until he/she stops jumping. When he/she stops and stands still, put on his/her leash and take him/her for a walk. Repeat this process every time you walk your dog to help him/her understand that you do not want him/her to jump. He/she will learn that jumping up and down does not lead to a walk, but standing still does. Never hit or scream at your dog if he/she does something bad. Punishing your dog in this way does not solve the problem and it may even make the problem worse. Consult an animal behaviorist or certified professional dog trainer if you are having problems with training your dog.

SUMMARY:
Consider enrolling your dog in an obedience course. Keep training sessions short and regular. Use positive reinforcement. Ignore bad behavior.