Pet Pigs

[Jeff G]

Yesterday I was over at a friends house and his neighbor was out walking a pig on a leash. It made me laugh and led to a lengthy discussion.

First off, this was the first time I've ever saw a pig being walked on a leash. When the walk was finished the pig and the human went into the house just like one would with a dog. My friend told me the owner treats the pig just like a dog with free rein of the house.

Does anyone here own a pig as a pet? Are they good pets? From all the pigs I've seen at farms they are not soft or petable like a dog. Do they cuddle up on your lap when you are watching TV? This just seems like such an odd pet.

[d_m_n_n]

DS8's class is a 2nd/3rd grade combo. Every other year when they read "Charlotte's Web" the teacher gets a runt from a local hog farmer for the class to raise. They usually keep the little guy for 2-3 months...then it goes to a family to be "fattened out." ;)

It actually is pretty interesting. The pig gets house trained just like a dog. A group of kids will take it outside to do it's "business" and then it will come trotting back into the school. Amazingly, the little guys do have a personality. When DS12 was in the same class, their pig had a very sweet personality. They won't have another pig until next spring. I can't wait to see it (but no...I would never want one as my own!!!).

[Disney4us2]

No pigs here.:pig: Unless you count the way my dog pigs out with her food :dog:

[Advnt05]

I've always been curious about this myself since they are pretty cute when they are small. It's my understanding that they don't stay small for long and do get to be a decent size. I'm not sure if they get more aggressive and hornery when they they get bigger but maybe someone else knows.
If I had one, I'd put pants on him and make him some suspendors. I'd also call him "Hamlet".

[Princess'Mom]

I've always been curious about this myself since they are pretty cute when they are small. It's my understanding that they don't stay small for long and do get to be a decent size. I'm not sure if they get more aggressive and hornery when they they get bigger but maybe someone else knows.
If I had one, I'd put pants on him and make him some suspendors. I'd also call him "Hamlet".

Or if it was a girl - you could call her Patty! There used to be a pig at a nearby farm that lived outside. When I'd drive past the fence, I'd roll down the window and talk to the pig. He was quite smart and would grunt a "hello" back. One day I asked him if his name was Hamlet - no lie - he started squealing like I told him he was going to be Easter dinner! Pigs are very intelligent!

[MegaDisney]

Pigs are very intelligent!

Arguably as intelligent and trainable as a Dog.

[pink]

I have heard about people having mini-pigs as pets (many celebrities) and they look pretty cute honestly. I don't think we will be getting one, we have a pug right now and they're pretty close. :mickey:

[QTPie68]

This thread reminds me of Designing Women - - one of the characters (Suzanne) had a pet pig...she would dress her up and make the male co-worker walk it.

[kakn7294]

I don't have one but potbelly pigs are very intelligent and loyal. A local woman had her life saved by her pet pig a good number of years ago. The woman was having a heart attack and the pig managed to squeeze herself out of the doggie door - she was a full sized pig and the door was intended for a small dog - and hassled people on the street until someone responded to her cries for help. They found the woman unconscious on the floor and called for medical assistance. If the pig hadn't been so persistent in getting help, the woman would have died.