“Pigs are intelligent and affectionate animals that can thrive as pets, but they require patience and time, just like an active dog,” Mackay said. “They definitely develop strong bonds, and often prefer their main caretaker to other household members or strangers. They can even be protective of their owners.”
Family pigs prefer their owner's company as dogs do, but they might not like strangers. Researchers at ELTE Department of Ethology in Budapest compared how young companion dogs and companion pigs seek human proximity in a novel environment.
Pig behaviour
Pigs love human company and enjoy attention, tummy rubs and scratching. In general, they are very friendly animals, but they can become territorial, so keep an eye on territorial behaviour and discourage this while the pigs are young. Pigs can be easily trained in much the same way as dogs.
Pigs are very social and form close bonds with people and other animals. They show affection by grooming each other, and they love getting belly rubs!
Kissing. When a pig presses its snout against you or another pig, it's a sign of endearment! Pigs give snout kisses to those they love, and you're certainly encouraged to give a kiss right back if you'd like. A kiss can also signify a desire for attention, so go ahead and give your pig some pats too if it feels right.
Pigs are affectionate animals and they do seek out human attention. However, they don't want to be held or “thumped.” They do want to snuggle up with you after a long day and take a snooze while you watch TV. They want to flop over for belly rubs and will run up to you if you've been gone for a while.
Rooting is a natural behavior for pigs where the pig uses his snout to push or nudge into something repeatedly. Pigs root in different ways for different reasons: for comfort, to communicate, to cool off, or to search for food.
A pig that whines, screeches or shrills is not happy (stress, agitation, challenging). A pig that coos or grunts rhythmically is content and relaxed surrounded by those he trusts and loves.
Studies of emotion in pigs reveal that they are sensitive and complex animals. Pigs exhibit emotional contagion, a capacity thought to be the basis for empathy, or the ability to feel the emotional state of another.
Pigs can recognise whether they are looking at the front or back of a human head using key features like our mouths and noses as cues. In visual tasks, the animals were able to pick out whether they were looking at someone's face or the back of their head with up to 80 per cent accuracy.
Pigs do not like to be grabbed at or held initially. They are prey animals and their only defense is to flee. When you grab at them their natural instinct is to run.
Human hair and teeth, on the other hand (or hoof), are not digestible to hogs and will get left behind.
Garlic and Onions
Like cayenne peppers, pigs know to steer clear. Onions and garlic cause an upset stomach, so they avoid both. You could plant these in your garden along with peppers and repel pigs while you get to enjoy your harvest.
Pigs wag their tails when they are happy and content. Pigs can bark an alarm call as a warning to others when they have been startled. Pigs are the cleanest farm animals.
Pigs show just as much affection to their owners as dogs – although pooches are more likely to show interesting things off to you, according to a study. Researchers at Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary have discovered pigs that were raised around humans lack the ability to demonstrate 'referential communication'.
Pigs Love Belly Rubs!
Bodily comfort is important to pigs, and they like touch.
And when they're not either squealing or talking, pigs will eat almost anything – including human bones. In 2012, a farmer in Oregon, America, was eaten by his pigs after having a heart attack and falling into their enclosure. By the time a concerned relative came looking for him, only his dentures were left.
Pigs are definitely smart enough to understand human hand gestures, she adds. “Pigs can be trained to follow a human hand to receive a reward,” says Horback, who has trained many adult female pigs to follow her hand in order to use a touch screen or joystick with their snout to receive food rewards.
Pigs are gentle creatures with surprising intelligence. Studies have found they're smarter than dogs and even 3-year-old children! In the wild, pigs form small groups that typically include a few sows and their piglets.
Most pigs love: cooked broccoli, pitted apricots, cucumbers, dark green lettuce, cooked potatoes, beets, grapes, pumpkins, all squashes, zucchini, snow peas, spinach, yams, kale, tomatoes, chard, carrots, pears, apples, berries, oranges, grapefruit, melons, pitted cherries, pitted peaches.
Some authors [8,9] have suggested that an increase in tail movement for pigs is related to positive emotions: both tail wagging and changes in tail posture occur more often during rewarding events than during aversive events.
Move slowly and speak calmly and gently to your pig. Remember to give treats as you do this and your piglet will eventually realize this is a pleasant experience. Move at a pace that your piglet is comfortable with. If they resist being scratched or pet, back off a bit until they are more accepting.
Reasons for a pig to show aggression may include fear, lack of trust, maternal instincts, hormonal surges, dominance or uncertainty of one's place in the herd's hierarchy, lack of structure, hunger, lack of respect, or simply bad habits that were allowed in a previous home.
A pig will usually grunt, bark, or squeal when angry. A pig has wide-angle vision that allows it to see behind itself without turning its heads.
Pigs can be very territorial. I've found that if a pig is allowed to chase even one person out of their house, or up onto a couch or counter, they are much more likely to develop a tendency to try to chase strangers or family members they don't like.