It’s National Pig Day. Have you ever had the opportunity to know a pig personally? They are an intelligent, caring, trainable creature. My daughter has one named Niko, who is one of the family, just like her dog, Sasha.
Sasha is a Boston Terrier and Niko is a pot belly pig. They play together like two dogs, love to have their bellies rubbed and compete for the best spot on the couch. The only real drawback is when Niko jumps on your lap, his hooves leave bruises. Oh, and he doesn’t lick your face, but will steal your snacks if left unattended. Yes, he is litter trained. He doesn’t like strangers and hates to be picked up, sort of like my cat. His “fur” is wiry and his nose feels like wet plastic. He’s a messy eater, but cleans up every last bit he drops in the process. We love to hear him snuffle in his sleep.
I always make time to pet the pig when I visit my daughter’s house. I don’t know how he does it, but I will be petting his back and talking to him, then he drops to his side to have his belly rubbed. He doesn’t move like a dog or cat in order to lie down, he just drops, suddenly, onto his side. It is the funniest thing, then he looks at me as if to ask what I’m waiting for. When I rub his belly, he closes his eyes and takes it all in. I’m sure he is purring on the inside.
National pig day was created to acknowledge all the attributes of swine. Whether you have one as a family member, eat one, or read about one, pigs are wonderful creatures. One note of caution, a mama pig with piglets can be very dangerous to an intruding human they don’t know.
Sue Spitulnik 