Guinea pigs and rats are the best small animals I have had experience with. Hamsters/mice/anything extremely small tend not to bond with humans, and you basically just watch them...and they eventually become boring and just a lot of work.

Guinea pigs and rats both require a good bit of room and exercise, but you are repaid with sweet pets that love you! I personally have ratties, and they are wonderful little animals when they are tamed. Another bonus, they are pretty inexpensive. The main cost is the cage, and I recommend you go ahead and invest in a good one.

Rats cost $6-8 at a store such as petsmart, but you can probably find a healthier and better socialized rattie if you look for a local breeder, and I think these cost around $30. Expect to spend at least $100 on a cage, and it needs to have several square feet of floor room. I bought one with multiple levels, but this proved too much trouble to clean (and they decided it was their pooping area), so I took it out, and now I get discount fabric for $1/yard and hang disposable hammocks, and they love this. I recommend Mazuri rat food--$6 per bag at petsmart, and a bag lasts my 3 ratties three weeks.

Rats are extremely social, so you'll probably want to get more than one. The easiest thing to do is to buy 2 that are already somewhat bonded. You'll have to handle them a lot the first couple of months to tame them, but after that you can cut back and the two ratties will keep each other company. They'll love you to death once they bond with you. You can take them out daily, and hold them or let them ride on your shoulder. It also helped my bond with my new ratties that I would give them little treats through their cage bars. When I first got my ratties (they were full grown, I got them from a friend who had to get rid of them), they bonded with me in a week. I woke up one morning without realizing a rattie had escaped (they had a whole table top to run around on at night until they figured out how to climb down), and as I was looking at the window, I felt something on my foot. When I looked down, the little escaped rattie had joined me and was looking out the window with me. It was so cute. Just a note, make sure they bond with you--it's very easy, but if you don't they can be a bit aggressive if they feel threatened.

Rats are very smart as well, and I think they are pretty easy to care for. For a while, I used Yesterday's News litter, and I only had to change the cage every two weeks or so. Now I'm on a budget and they are on cardboard and newspaper, and I change them about once per week. I think that rats get used to where they potty, because I have never had one poop on me or on the floor when they are out. Males will spot a little, so you'll want to watch that, but it is so little, I rarely notice. Rats will learn their names pretty quickly, and I've heard that they can learn tricks and things, but I've never tried. Mine just ride on my shoulder, and one gives kisses.

The only downside to rats is their short lifespan. They only live two years or so. Mine are two years old, but they seem to be going strong. Guinea pigs live 6-7 years I think. I have never had them, but my friends keep them in their apartment, and they are very sweet. Anyway, I hope that helped!

Good luck and much love!

~TD

The first thing that I would do is take them to the vet and explain their behavior problems, especially the biting. There may be a health issue that you are unaware of, causing your dog pain. Dogs are considered senior beginning around 6 or 7 years old, so yours have been seniors for a while. Make sure that they are going to the vet regularly! The vet, who knows the dogs and knows you, will probably have better suggestions targeted specifically to your dogs' personalities.

As far as the behavior issues, you can talk to a trainer, like the ones at petsmart; they have suggestions for just about any situation, and all the ones I've met have been really nice and understanding. I would make sure to give them equal attention, but go out of your way to discourage bad behavior. Dogs do get very jealous, and sometimes it can lead to their attacking each other. If it comes to this, I would suggest professional help. There are many good trainers that will come to your house and train your dogs, as well as show you how.

Good luck and much love!

~TD

Hey, I've been there. We got our Golden when I was 2, so we literally grew up together, and she died when I was 15. I helped bury her, and I was depressed for a few months. What you really need to focus on right now is the wonderful times you two had together, but give yourself time to grieve--it's natural. I believe that animals have souls and that God has a place for our trusted friends, companions, and protectors.

I do have some suggestions that may help get you through such a rough time. Make some kind of memorial to Hershey. If you buried him, put a stone with a painting or engraving or something there. If you had him cremated, put some pictures and some of his favorite toys around it. It may also help you to tell others about him. The website http://www.chancesspot.org/ is specifically for the loss of a pet, and has many other good resources, but you could also make a profile page at dogster.com, and other people can look at it to see how much you loved--and still love him. If you find you really can't get out of your grief phase at all, contact a support group; you can look on the internet, or go to your veterinarian. Don't worry that your vet will think that it's silly or anything--vets are vets because they love animals, and they work with sick pets all of the time, so they understand loss. The vets I used to work for carried pamphlets on grieving for lost pets and contact numbers for support groups.

More than anything, remember how much Hershey adored you--and cheered you up when you were sad. If he didn't like it when you were upset when he was alive, he won't want you to be unhappy now.

Good luck and much love.

~TD

Keep in mind that expensive dogs are generally expensive because they are well bred, and I do not recommend getting one that is not because doing so is only encouraging people to breed less than ideal dogs, which puts dogs into shelters where they are euthanized. Be careful though, Yorkies are popular dogs, so some breeders think that they can charge a lot, even if the dogs aren't very good.

Try looking through a rescue--I think everyone should have a rescued dog or two... they are fantastic!

You might also try contacting a breeder to see if they have any adults for sale. The adults are generally cheaper, and you already know how big they are! My roommate has a 5 lb yorkie that she got for free. She couldn't be shown because she had an underbite and she never grew out of her puppy colors.

One last idea--contact the veterinarians in the area and let them know that you are in the market for a Yorkie. Vets are often the first to know when a family decides to give up a dog, but generally don't have the resources to find the dog a home. You might find that perfect little Yorkie this way and prevent a sweet little dog from going to the shelter at the same time!

Honestly, your lifestyle does not seem dog-friendly. Before you get a dog, see if you could get someone to dog-sit during the day, or at least drop by and walk it. If you insist on getting a dog, get an adult--house breaking will be a nightmare with you gone for nine hours a day. Visit with a rescue that fosters. My area has a rescue specifically for small dogs. Since fosters live in homes, the foster parents can recommend a dog that will be a good fit. Many foster parents become very attached to their charges, so you will probably have to show that you are willing to work to keep the dog happy. I would not look for a specific breed. All of the other breeds mentioned have associated health concerns, and not every dog of the same breed is the same. Instead, look for someone fostering a dog that feels confident the dog will be successful in your home. Good luck!

I think that Pit Bulls are incredible dogs, and can be wonderful pets. However, I don't believe that they are dogs for first-time or inexperienced dog owners either. Pit bulls, and most dogs in the "bully breeds" category require a lot of intense work. Certainly research the breed outside of this site. Some people will tell you that they are perfect dogs, while others will tell you that they are baby killers. The truth is they can be either; it depends on their breeding and the owner. The dogs are extremely powerful, and for this reason alone I don't believe that they are suitable around small children. They can easily run over and hurt kids, never knowing that they did. They need lots of exercise, lots of training, and lots of socialization--let me say that again--LOTS OF SOCIALIZATION! Unsocialized dogs tend to be dog aggressive and possibly people aggressive, and Pit Bulls are not safe when unsocialized. Also, make sure Pit Bull ownership is legal in your area, and if you rent an apartment or house, be sure that aggressive breeds are allowed.

If you decide that a Pit Bull will fit into your life, either rescue a Pit Bull that has been temperament tested or buy from a trustworthy breeder.

If you decide to rescue, you will probably have to find a breed-specific rescue, as most shelters won't adopt out Pit Bulls, automatically euthanizing any that come in. Evaluate the rescue and make sure that it is reputable. Once you find a dog that you like, ask them to demonstrate that the dog is not food, pet, or people aggressive, and view where the dog is currently being kept. If they are reluctant to do so, politely decline the dog. You do not need to make Pit Bull ownership more difficult than it already is, and keep in mind that once you have a dog, you are responsible for it's actions--including if it harms a neighbor's pet or child.

If you decide to buy, do NOT buy a dog because it is cheap!! Cheap dogs are often cheaply bred, and Pit Bulls with a bad temperament are bad news. Ideally, the breeder should be showing and registering dogs, but keep in mind that Pit Bulls are not an AKC breed (but Staffordshire Terriers are). www.pitbullregistry.com/ is a site full of information and links to registered breeders that you might want to check out. Once you find a breeder, ask to see the facilities, all of the puppies, the dam, and the sire if on site. Insist on seeing these, but respect any precautions the breeder chooses to take, such as washing hands or not handling the puppies. Ask for recommendations from others the breeder has sold to, and if possible, meet some adult dogs that come from the breeder.

Once you find that perfect pup for you, enroll in puppy classes (or adult obedience classes if you rescue or buy an adult), even if you think you can train the dog yourself. Group classes are invaluable for socializing the dog to other dogs and people. Expose the pup to as many things and experiences possible, but avoid adult dogs--especially unvaccinated ones--until your dog has completed its vaccination schedule.

These are tips for any dog owner, but it is especially important for a large, potentially dangerous dogs. I love Pit Bulls, but they have earned their bad rap. It is up to Pit Bull owners to ensure that they have happy, healthy, well-adjusted Pits to change the breed's reputation!

I'm back after a hiatus! I have graduated college (yay!) and am working with Thoroughbred racehorses in Kentucky.

I enjoy giving advice to teens because now that I am older, I have a proper perspective of high school, but I am close enough in age that I don't think I'll come off as some idiot with adult problems that has no idea how teenage life works. Generally I answer love life questions, since that is where many self-image problems surface-not to mention it's highly confusing! If you are wondering about my own love life... well, I have been with my current boyfriend for 5 years. We are getting married once he finishes law school, and yes! We are high school sweethearts!

I also love giving advice to dog owners. I have grown up with dogs and currently have two mutt-butts of my own :) I have worked for several different veterinary clinics, including a vet school, I have taken tons of classes, as well as doing personal research.

I try to be understanding of everyone's problems...I also try to see things from the asker's point of view, but often I do not have enough information so I do the best I can!

BTW if you want to ask me a question, please keep in mind: I LIKE--decent spelling and grammer, proper punctuation, and real words; I HATE--using "like" improperly, lack of punctuation, and gross misspellings. I am happy to read and answer any question, but these are just polite things to do for any columnist!

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