Part of taking care of pigs would be looking after its emotional well-being and finding out whether they also have feelings.
Pigs are said to be highly intelligent, social and emotional animals. They also feel emotions like stress and happiness. It is even presumed that they have the ability to empathize with other pigs around them as well.
Observing your pig’s behavior should actually be enough to tell you when they’re happy, and when they’re feeling a bit down in the dumps.
Happy pigs usually have their ears pricked in attention when you come around, and they are more energetic. Their cute little tails could also wag the same way a dog would wag theirs.
Sad pigs, on the other hand, would often have a sullen demeanor. You’ll find that they’re lazier, too.
Some pig owners also say that they can feel their pets emotionally manipulating them sometimes. Think of it as a pig’s version of “puppy dog eyes”. This means that they are sensitive enough to know how to control the emotions of those around them.
Proof that Pigs Have Emotions
A number of studies have been made over the years, proving that pigs are in fact highly intelligent and emotional creatures.
One such study was conducted by Dr. Catherine Douglas.
Dr. Catherine Douglas led a team of researchers from Newcastle University’s School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development and found that pigs have an emotional response to their living conditions.
In fact, the study claims that pigs have the ability to feel either optimistic or pessimistic the same way humans can!
So how did they do it?
Since pigs are highly intelligent, pigs can be trained to associate certain triggers to things. They associated a specific note played on a glockenspiel with an apple — a food reward. Then, they associated a training clicker with a rustling plastic bag, something that proved to be unpleasant to the pigs.
Now that the association has been made, they split the pigs into two groups. Half of the pigs were placed in a room where they had so much space to roam around. They also had an abundance of toys and straw.
As for the other half, they were placed in a smaller area where there was no straw and only a single toy.
Once the pigs were accustomed to their surroundings, the researchers made an unfamiliar squeaking sound.
The effect on the two groups were astounding.
The pigs that were placed in the comfortable environment appeared excited and ran straight to the source of the sound, seemingly expecting a treat. As for the pigs placed in the less than satisfactory environment, they were afraid to approach the sound.
Because of these reactions, Dr. Douglas’s team concluded that the pigs’ environment affected their ability to be optimistic or pessimistic.
It’s the same reaction we see when an optimistic human expects good news to be delivered when they receive a call from a family member they haven’t heard from in a while, while a pessimistic person would wonder who had died.
Other studies also show that pigs also secrete the hormone oxytocin when they are shown affection. Oxytocin is known as the “love hormone” in humans, and gives us that good feeling when hugging, kissing, or having sex.
How to Ensure Your Pig’s Emotional Wellness
Now that we know how emotional pigs are, it’s easy to assume that looking after their health would also mean making sure they are emotionally well.
Here are some ways you can ensure that your pig is not only healthy
physically, but emotionally as well:
- Provide mental stimulation.
Pigs are highly intelligent creatures, and thrive in situations where they are given mental stimulation. This is why pigs that are usually left to do whatever they want to do without guidance seem to be either rowdy or sluggish in behavior compared to the good-natured demeanor evident in trained pigs.
The training process doesn’t even have to be elaborate. You can start with simple tricks like teaching the pig how to recognize its own name, or training it to lift a hoof to shake hands.
Don’t think that this is silly. Dogs are taught so many tricks in its lifetime, but a pig ranks higher than a dog on the intelligence scale. So what makes you think it won’t do better than a dog being trained?
Leave a few toys around so that your pig can entertain itself when you’re not around. Just make sure that the toy you give them wouldn’t fit into their mouth. Otherwise, you might be looking at a potential hazard.
- Stick to a routine.
Pigs just love having a regular routine they can follow. This gives them something to look forward to each day.
Any physical exercises, for example, should ideally done before bedtime, and not directly before or after meals. Doing it before meals means the pig is already hungry, so the pig might feel stressed and unhappy. Doing it before bedtime ensures that they can get a good night’s sleep, prepping them for a great day the next day.
Of course, this would also depend on how your pig reacts to your schedule. You can also try some training in the morning when they’re fresh and fully-recharged.
- Create a comfortable environment.
Looking at the results of the experiment Dr. Douglas conducted, it is evident that the pig’s environment has a huge impact on the way it behaves. It’s not about treating the pig like a baby. It’s about being a decent pet owner who knows that their pets will only thrive if given the right kind of environment.
Provide the right kind of shelter. If you choose to make an outdoor shelter for your pig, make sure the bedding you use does not irritate their skin or cause any allergic reaction. There are different kinds of straw you can use for this, like barley straw, wheat straw, oat straw, and more.
Maintain the right kind of temperature as well. Although the bedding provides insulation, check if they would need extra heating when the colder seasons come in.
If you want to keep your pet pig indoors, you can use blankets and pillows.
Make sure that you clean up their area regularly as well. Contrary to popular belief, pigs are not filthy animals. They are actually cleaner than a lot of other animals.
When you leave them in a dirty environment, you do not just open up the risk of their behavior becoming less satisfactory, you also risk the possibility of sickness.
- Give treats.
Treats are usually given as a reward for good behavior. This is a great way to reinforce what you’ve been teaching your pet pig during training time.
But why do treats work?
Well, because these treats make a pig feel good!
It’s the same effect that a bar of chocolate or a slice of cake gives you when you reward yourself for a job well done. After all, why would they keep doing the things that get them rewarded if it doesn’t give them that sense of fulfillment?
- Show affection.
Yes, pigs also yearn for their owner’s affection. In fact, affection is also one way to reward your pigs for a job well done. Think of it as a non-food version of a treat.
If you’ve welcomed your pig into your home and treat it as one of your kids, then you can go ahead and hug it all you want.
For those who just aren’t that comfortable in doing that just yet, don’t worry, you don’t have to leap to that part just yet.
A simple pat on the head can already be considered as a sign of affection. Maybe a stroke on the head to the neck, too. This works as a great replacement for food treats once your pig has perfected a trick or skill and only requires some reassurance from thereon.
You can also try finding areas where your pig likes being scratched. This is usually anywhere around the ear area, but you can explore and find out if your pet has any other tickle spots as well.
Related Questions
Are pigs smarter than dogs?
Studies show that pigs are much smarter than dogs, and are quite similar to chimpanzees in terms of problem solving. Findings of neuroscientist Lori Marino of Emory University show that pigs are great at going through mazes and have amazing long-term memories. They can even understand symbols and can learn complex patterns.
Do pigs cry?
Pigs have the ability to cry real pig tears. They also have tear ducts. They can be observed “crying” and showing an emotional response when distressed, like when they’re passed from home to home, for example.
Do pigs like to cuddle?
Although pigs generally do not like being picked up, they do enjoy cuddling and sitting on someone’s lap. In fact, affection is often used as a non-food form of treat for pigs who are being house-trained by their owners.
