Agression in Potbelly Pigs

Question
I have a 17 month old female PBP and have had her since she was 5 weeks old, we had her fixed in May a little later i know but was told it would be good for her to be fixed as she used to wander around oinking for 3 days every month. my question is just lately she has bitten my husband as well as today chased him around the house to try and bite him when we got back from doing groceries,she actually looked like she was going to charge me.This kind of Behavious in Pricilla seemed to have started since she was fixed.I know they wanna be top pig  but today was the worst i had seen her she actually got out of her bed in the living room to come and bite my husband, im a little scared now as we have been talking about getting rid of her or even putting her down we are scared to have people over also as she might charge them.Any advice i would most welcome as she is adorable and we both love her very much  but we cant have her biting everyone, she actually did break the skin on my husbands ankle  and this is an issue we cant ignore anymore, thank you

Answer
Aggression is not an unusual problem when a pig is weaned away from Mom younger than 8 weeks, and raised indoors, the only pig in the house. The problem usually starts when the pig is 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 years old, this is the age when a pig becomes an adult.

But, since this seemed to start with her "fixing", I can't rule out the possibility that it may have something to do with her aggression. So, along with behavior modification, I'd suggest a return trip to the vet to make sure everything is ok, and that her aggression is not caused by pain.

It will take some time to retrain her, and everyone in the house must participate. Consistency is critical - if she "gets away" with being aggressive just once, it's back to Square One all over again. Moving her bed to a place where she can be alone and away from everyone else might also help.

No more treats for Priscilla, unless she "earns" them by doing tricks. It's meals only. Trick training sometimes seems silly to people, they see no reason to teach a pig to spin or wave on command. But, it's really more than just spinning or waving - it teaches the pig to listen to and obey the humans. And both pig and people learn to communicate with each other.

Next, aggression of any sort can not be tolerated. When she charges, push back on her shoulders, or even "flick" her on her snout. This may make her even angrier! She's used to having her own way through aggression, when she does not get her own way she might try through the only way she knows - more aggression. That means it's time for a time out. Either outside in a fenced enclosure or to her bed, in a room away from everyone. She may also "act out" her aggression by destroying toys or her bedding.

Start her on harness training. Put her on a harness and leash when introducing her to guests. NO TREATS from the guests, unless she "earns" them by doing tricks.

Finally, I highly recommend Priscilla Valentines book Pot-bellied Pig Behavior and Training. Aggression is not uncommon in pet pigs and she does a great job of explaining why it happens, how to retrain an aggressive pig, and what to watch out for. It's available from Amazon or from her website www.valentinesperformingpigs.com