Pigs get along well with children who are taught to respect animals. They do not respond well to children who abuse them. I don’t blame them. If you want to get a pet pig for your child you should keep a few things in mind.

First, use some common sense and determine if your child old enough to appreciate a pet.  All too frequently I get a call from someone wanting to buy a pig for their two year old. I don’t think you should buy any pet for a two-year-old. They aren’t responsible, they quickly loose interest, and they don’t know enough to respect the pet as a living being. If you want a pig and want to let it have time to interact with your child, fine. But it isn’t a puppy and pigs are not going to continue to come back to a human who makes them uncomfortable. Pigs are not needy about affection like most dogs and they will simply avoid humans that don’t interact well with them. They are self sufficient animals by nature and will do perfectly well on their own.

Pigs can learn tricks, they come to their people and they like to cuddle and be scratched. They learn their name and will follow you around. They love to snuggle and watch TV but they don’t like to be smacked, forced, mauled or laid on. In general, they want to interact, but more as an equal than as a rag doll.

Mini pigs are not picked up by their mothers, so being picked up is something they need to get used to. Some learn to love being carried around, while others are never really comfortable in your arms. If you or your child want to carry them around be sure you have a firm grip and start early to get them used to the experience. Don’t ever drop them, they have long memories.

One good thing is that they don’t get aggressive. While a dog may eventually snap at a child who is annoying, and a cat may scratch, the pig will walk or even run away. And it may take a while for them to want to return, even with treats. The best bet is to talk to your child about respect for the pig before you buy it.

Another important thing is to decide who is responsible for the pig before it arrives. This is part of preparing for the pig before you bring it home. Pigs need to be fed twice a day and need to have their food intake supervised. Lots of treats of cookies, cake and other fattening foods can quickly lead to obesity. When you read the article on obesity I’ll talk about Bessie, a GROSSELY overweight pig whose mother and father were both 40 lbs well into middle age, she has a full sister who is 30 lbs and full grown. Bessie lived in the mudroom, got very little exercise and the grandchildren came over every day and fed her BAGS of cookies!!!  She and the grandchildren loved each other. Bessie would look forward to their arrival and made grunted when she heard them arrive. But eventually she became so over weight she couldn’t move and was very uncomfortable.