[Mrs Snoodles]

I've always kept fattening pigs in the past so made a point of not getting overly friendly with them. Now I  have my breeding pigs it's another story and I am just enjoying them so much.

I can't get over how different each pig is.  We have a super sweet Mrs Pink Nose a Hampshire who justs wants to talk and talk and talk. Not necessarily cuddle, just chat.  Mrs Black Nose Hampshire is so pushy, she mounts a tin barrier every feed time, to shove her nose in the bucket.  She couldn't give a hoot about anything else but food.

Today I got to properly meet Mrs Large Black Bess 1 who is basically a Labrador disguised as a pig.  I say, 'I got to meet' because when they were in the herd and I was near them, I was always super aware of getting sandwiched when I scratched them. Now Mrs LBB1 is on her own, in the farrowing quarters, I'm getting to know her better ......and.... what she likes!         I gave her a good scratch on the head this afternoon and within a nano second, she was flat out, belly up snorting her little head off    I massaged it really gently
 and she was grunting away. It was lovely, really really lovely.  I just can't wait to see her again tomorrow morning. Treats galore 

[Eve]

Oooooooow, bless!!! 

[ppd]

Mrs Snoodles, it's great isn't it? I now have 2 keeping pigs and it is good to know that you can allow yourself to properly get to know them and not have to eat them in a few months
Matilda my tammy is such a softie, but I was informed by her previous owner that she never lay down for tummy tickles, but she would sit instead. Well the other day I proved him wrong. She collapsed in a heap at my feet and even once I had stopped she lay there for ages. My OH thought that she had had a heart attack and was about to die
I spent a self indulgent hour with my pigs today, talking to them, scratching and stroking them and boy did it make ME feel good  mind you I did all that with the last two who went for meat, but I don't think I am the type who will ever be emotionally detatched from any animal I keep
Pauline

[HappyHippy]

If I'm having a bad day (and there seem to be a lot of them lately  ) I get ordered to go and sit with the pigs - you're right Pauline, it does help the person as much as the pig 

Yes, it's maybe easier emotionally for us not to get attached - but the pigs enjoy it and the point of raising your own is to know the animals have had a good life, what better life is there than one that includes regular belly rubs 

[Fowgill Farm]

I hold my hands up too, mine all get lots of mammy love time, it was  down this morning and i was sat in the doorway of the fatteners ark as took them breakfast in bed coz it was horrid outside and big belly came and flung himself down next to me for a head scratch which then turned in to a 3 pig heap around me as they all wanted the same mammy attention. It really makes pig keeping worthwhile moments like that even in the horridest weather and makes you remember why you do it. 
Mandy

[Mrs Snoodles]

..... glad I am not the only softie then       
It is the gilts and sows pre farrowing that really seem to have pulled at my heart strings.  I just remember so clearly all that uncomfortableness and feeling all out of sorts.   In an ideal world I 'd like to give them a nice cuppa and pop the telly on.   I tried to give Mrs LBB1 some squashes today but she just wasn't interested, poor love. 

[Jcrang]

Pigs are fantastic! I have two KK's, Rosie and Poppy from the Quantock herd ( my wedding present as i married a farmer) and I LOVE them to bits! They have just come in from their swamp of a paddock into a large straw filled barn and are so happy and content. They have a horse ball which they adore and a cosy straw bale house to snuggle in. I have 'quality pig time' which involves them both rolling over for tummy rubs and Rosie will sit down for a cuddle when told to sit!  I have to remind myself that they are pigs not dogs! They are very much pets but they still know that they are pigs!
 My plan was to learn with the KK's and then move onto OSB's or Berkshires. Which breed do people prefer?? I have Ryelands and Mules as well and even though  the Ryelands are very tame and love a scratch for me the pigs win every time!!

[HappyHippy]

The bigger pigs are great too, but none quite as friendly as the KK (only in my humble opinion mind you  )
My OSB's are very vocal and love a scratch, the Berkshires we had were much more skittish and not so keen on human contact (but, that's not to say they're all like that  ) The big pigs we have are always happy to see you, but as soon as they realise you don't have food they're off, whereas the KK will hang around for ages just for belly rubs 

[Eastling]

Totally agree can't beat a good belly rubbing session! they certainly are great time wasters in the best possible way

[Mammyshaz]

With all this tummy tickle and emotion involved with pig keeping, once I find somewhere to live that enables pig keeping for meat I'm relying on you guys to point me where to purchase the most unruly, pain- in -a...$ boars you have so I WILL go through with the final journey. 
Until then please keep me updated with your human to piggy relations    I love hearing it.

[Mrs Snoodles]

I can't imagine life without them now tbh.....   Just the same with our dogs and chickens.  They are part of the ever extending family.  We are only meant to keep them for 4 years then replace, to keep keep litter sizes up etc etc ..... I'm already wavering 

[ppd]

Mrs Snoodles
Matilda is 6 and she may never give me a litter ( I got her free and took her as a favour for someone) but she will be with me as long as she is fit and healthy and happy. And, yes, I know that financially that doesn't make sense, but hey ho that's just me
Now the meat weaners will be going in the freezer, and I will probably cry (again!), but in the meantime they get as much attention  as Matilda
Pauline

[ppd]

Mammyshaz
Hope you do find somewhere with ground and get to keep some pigs. And you won't want grumpy boars , you'll want to be a tummy tickler, like the rest of us
But to be honest if I could see 'it' through then so can you (I am such a wimp when it comes to animals) and after doing the deed I just wanted to get more. As Karen said the aim is to give them a good life and when I eat my pork I am just so proud that I did that
Oh and if I had a pound for every blinkin person who said to me 'Oh, she won't be able to do it and she won't kill the poor piggies' I could have got the next batch free
Pauline
 

[Mammyshaz]

Oh and if I had a pound for every blinkin person who said to me 'Oh, she won't be able to do it and she won't kill the poor piggies' I could have got the next batch free
Pauline
 

that's sort of the outlook people are giving me too.
  I should find somewhere to keep a few, by the time I do the deed I'll have made enough to buy a smallholding. 

[ppd]

Mammyshaz, be bold and just ask for the pound
Hopefully have attatched photo which says it all really - pigs get tummy tickles and little girl (like her mummy) gets a big smile on her face