Should I Get a Pet Pig?

Many people would never consider owning a pig but a lot of people own them as pets. They are charming pets who do make good pets and are not the dirty animals people think they are. Pigs may take a lot of work to care for but pigs are a lot of fund to care for. Though they take a lot of work, you will find a pet pig a warm addition to your home.

Raising any pet has a positive as well as a negative aspect to it. Owning a pig is no different. Pigs have many good qualities. They are affectionate, curious, playful, and can be easily trained. Pig owners consider pigs an integral part of the family and involve them in all their activities just like a dog or a cat. However, there are some negative sides that people should know before they buy a pig.

Pigs are very intelligent animals and are trained just like a dog without too much trouble. However, their intelligence can make them a bit of a handful to care for. They are playful and curious but also headstrong and sensitive. Without sufficient stimulation, they will get easily bored, lethargic and very often destructive as well.

Pigs are very insistent and pushy when it comes to eating. Pigs are smart enough to open the fridge doors and cupboards if they smell food. They have an uncanny knack to beg for food, most of the times demanding more and may even get aggressive with kids having food. They also tend to dig and root for food with their snouts and in the process may overturn items in the house including the trash can and can disrupt the landscaping as well. Rooting comes on instinctively and to keep the pigs from messing the house and landscape, an area of soft dirt should be provided in the yard so that pigs can satiate their rooting needs.

Moreover, unless made quite clear that the humans in the house are in power, pigs can exhibit a form of dominance aggression. Pigs need to be taught respect for their owners by setting certain rules and boundaries in a gentle but firm manner. Pigs, like children, respond well to positive reinforcement like a treat or praise. Setting consistent rules and regulations, praising obedient behavior, and guiding them with a lot of patience and integrity will produce a well behaved pig that will eventually bond with its family.

Be sure to give your pig regular access to the outdoors and provide them with a lot of things to do as they are very social animals. For potential owners with appropriate expectations, a pig will make for a rewarding, entertaining and a much loved pet. Pigs are best for people who have a lot of outdoor space for pigs to roam around in. They don't make good city pets. However, if you get a pig, you'll find they are a lot of fun to own.