aggression

Question
I have had my pig since he was one week old. He is now three and a half. When he was about a year and a half old, he started showing signs of aggression. His aggression started after he was attacked by a couple dogs while he and I were on vacation. I am not sure if the aggression is a result of that, the stress of the vacation, or if none of the incidents are related. Ever since then he cannot be around anybody but me. He is a perfect angel with me, but he will nip at others if they come around. He has never actually bitten anybody because I am extremely careful, but the second somebody is around he becomes angry, tenses up, chomps his teeth, and his hair sticks up. How do I deal with his aggression so that I can have company over again without having to keep him in my room?

Thank you for your help!!

Answer
I suspect the aggression starting while you were gone was due to a combination of factors. The primary factor is that he was reaching adulthood.

Pigs see the world as a ladder, with every person, pet, and pig having his or her own rung. When pigs are babies, they know they are small and weak and vulnerable, so they'er happy on lower rungs. As they mature emotionally, they want to move up that social ladder, and be dominant over other people and pets.

That desire to move up the ladder is displayed in behavior that people call "aggression". When pigs are raised with other pigs, they automatically seem to know that people are people and they are pigs. Pigs raised entirely around people are often confused and think that they are people, too.

Your pig has established the ladder with you on the top rung and himself on the second rung. Every new person is a threat to his position. But, that's the way it has to be, people must be in charge, no the pig.

Pigs can learn good manners with a little bit of work. But, I do have to say that I have seen a very, very few aggressive pigs who are never safe to be with strangers. But, even these pigs are eventually Ok with people they get to know, and can behave when they are outside their territory, which is their home and yard.

My suggestion is to start by putting piggy on a harness and lead, and introducing him to the new person in a somewhat neutral place. For example, if your pig seldom goes into the garage, hold the initial introductions there. Have the new person talk to piggy, make piggy do a few tricks for treats. Then everybody goes inside the house. Piggy can stay with you for a few more minutes on the lead, or go directly into his room for a few minutes. Then bring him out again, and repeat this.

Finally, when the visitor is there, give the visitor a laundry basket, garbage can lid, or something similar to use as a shield. Then let piggy out, no leash or lead. If piggy attacks, the visitor must use the shield to keep piggy from attacking. Then, make piggy back up a few steps. If piggy attacks again, piggy must back up. Worst case scenario - the visitor backs piggy all the way into piggy's room, and piggy stays there for a minute or two while the visitor catches their breath and gathers up energy for a repeat.

It may take quite a few episodes like this, and quite a bit of time, but eventually piggy will learn that the visitor must be respected.

The idea behind this is called "MTP" or Move the Pig. It's how pigs interact with each other. The dominant pig will make the lower status pigs get up and move, sometimes just because they can. So once your visitor and piggy have reached a truce, your visitor should make piggy get up and move at random times.

This whole affair may upset piggy to the point where he lashes out against you. He may feel the need to put himself in charge, because you are not keeping strangers out! So, be ready just in case he decides to be a bit aggressive with you.

I highly recommend the book Pot-Bellied Pig Behavior and Training by Priscilla Valentine. Pris really understood how pigs think and why they do the things they do. Currently her book is in between printings, but you might find a used copy or borrow one through your local library.

Tophogs.com has two excellent dvds, "A Pig in the House" and "Amazing Pig Tricks"

The Yahoo group PigInfoAndChat has lots of pig owners on it, and many of them have experienced the same kind of aggressive behavior you are dealing with now, and may have some additional suggestions for you.