Living With a Pig

By Brendalyn Leen, Graphic Designer

The love of my life is a pink, forty-pound mini pig named Beulah, who demands most of my love and attention.

As a designer, I am always been expected to be “creative and think outside the box.” Unintentionally, this has carried with me in my decision to choose a pet.

I would never have dreamed that one day I’d have a miniature potbellied pig as a pet and, especially, to be on my second one. It is no mystery as to why I chose a pig for my pet: There is just nothing like them.

Raising a miniature potbellied pig is not always quiet and relaxing like you’d imagine. Much like a dog, they require a lot of care and food. They will gladly make it known when they are hungry, need affection or are tired.

I can say with confidence that every pig’s pastime is eating. It is easy for pigs to become overweight, so as their master it is crucial to limit their food because they will eat anything and everything that is placed in front of their snouts.

When Beulah is not eating, you can usually find her on the couch under a blanket. A couple of things people may not know about pigs is how intelligent and territorial they are. As a “mother,” I let Beulah sleep in my bed. The only downside of that is she has an internal alarm clock that wakes her up at the same time every morning because she knows it is breakfast.

Beulah also knows that food is kept in the kitchen because every time I enter it, no matter where she is in the house, she’ll run to my feet in hope that a crumb will fall to the ground.

She is extremely protective of me. If at anytime a person who Beulah does not know comes around, she will acknowledge that she does not enjoy their company by oinking uncontrollably. 

If you are in store for a pet, I recommend looking into getting a miniature potbellied pig. There really isn’t any other pet like them.