The Story of Pig

We live in the middle of nowhere.  Out here when somebody says they have a pig, it is understood that the pig is most likely going to be dinner one day.  They are usually lumbering giants weighing upwards of 1500 pounds.  They are more meat hog than pig.  They are not nice.  They will bite, and they move much faster than anybody thinks they would.

I have a house pig.  When I say this people look at me sideways.  No doubt they’re questioning my sanity.  It’s a good conversation starter sometimes, but usually people around here end up walking away dumbfounded that I’m not eventually planning to eat the pig.  Farm/ranch life at it’s best.

I wanted a house pig for 10+ years.  Our first fall out here I took the boys to the county fair alone.  There was an amazing couple there doing the petting zoo.  They allowed us to hold the baby pigs, while the piggy mom and dad milled around the area.  Judging by mom and dad they were personable, gentle, well trained, and not huge.

I was falling in love with one of the piglets.  He was an all black piggy and had a smile on his face in my arms.  I decided to do the adult thing and hand him back at the end of the evening.  The woman was telling me they’d be there all weekend and if I wanted to purchase one I could always come back.  I thanked her, left without a piglet, and had no intention of actually buying one.

The next morning I woke up thinking about that sweet little boy.  My boys were telling me to not be silly, go buy him; he belonged with us.  Still fighting the urge, I kept telling them it wasn’t the right time.

While running errands mid day I ran into the man from the petting zoo.  We began chatting.  He was telling me that the piglets would go to auction at the end of the season.  While I grew up in ranch territory, and I understand it well, I just couldn’t bear to have my little piglet go to auction.  Who knew what his fate would be.  So I told him I was going to come by that afternoon for the pig.  He seemed excited, and told me he would say his goodbyes.  You see, I was buying his favorite little guy.  He, apparently, carried him around like a football everywhere he went.  He wanted him to go to a good home.  I promised to spoil him rotten.

I took out cash, and returned to the fairgrounds to pick up my pig.  Despite all my research on having a house pig, I had no actual conception of what I was in for.

As it turns out pigs are very clean, highly personable, and very vocal.  I had no idea about the screaming!  Holy hell that pig can split eardrums.  If they don’t like what you’re trying to get them to do they scream.  If they don’t want to do something they scream.  If they want your food and you don’t share… that’s right… they scream.  Now, eventually with enough training and patience they can be taught to limit the screaming.  However, even when that is achieved, they have a very high pitched squeal they do when they throw fits.  The scream I could do without, the squeal is mildly annoying, but the grunting and huffing of everyday language are adorable!

Pig has now been with our family for 14  months.  He has fully immersed to be part of the family.  He has all the personality in the world.  He likes his morning and evening cuddle time.  He loves his kitty massages.  He finds all kinds of things to get into, loving backpacks and purses the most.  He has realized there is usually gum in those.  He loves peppermint anything, although he’s on a strict diet and only gets it by accident.  He has an identity crisis…. he believes he is a dog.  He greets cars as part of the pack when visitors come.  He loves walking to the lake, rolling in the mud, and running through the field to tell us all about his adventures.  I can feed him the smallest pieces of food by hand.  He’s been taught to be gentle.  I can retrieve things he shouldn’t have out of his mouth.  He doesn’t bite.  I can ask him to back up, or sit down, and as long as he isn’t having a tantrum he will likely do either one.  I can talk to him like a normal kid, and like a normal kid, he will usually respond.  Unless he feels like having a tantrum.  He’s a good pig.

Having a pig really is like having a tantrum loving toddler.  It isn’t for the faint of heart.  They get into everything they shouldn’t.  You have massive messes to clean up.  They can get on your last nerve at the drop of a hat.  They are so beyond smart that they know exactly what they are doing.  At the end of they day, they are sweet and you just can’t help loving them.

In the last 6 months Pig and his pack of other animals have helped the kids and I more than they’ll ever understand.  They’ve made us laugh when we’ve had every reason to cry.  They’ve kept our feet warm on colder nights.  They’ve nudged us for attention when it seemed like we were down; needing a friend.  They’ve comforted us when we were scared or sick.  They’ve entertained us when we couldn’t afford to go out.

The animals have been amazing support for us, and given our family a way to become even closer.  We all have a deep seeded love of animals here.  Animals really do have healing powers to share with us.  We just need to recognize them.

Now, the Mouser is desperate for attention.  So I need to go…. Before she eats my screen.  Go make your day amazing!