Mini Pig Training
Tips For Successful Training
Choose a tasty, but small treat for reward.
Mix rewards so your pig doesn’t always get the same treat.
Use a happy, cheerleader voice to praise.
10-15 minute training sessions.
If your pig isn’t focused or enjoying this time, then stop. Try again another day.
Train before bedtime for better sleep.
Train after meals or naps.
Only repeat the same trick 3 times in a row.
End training on a successful trick. Something your pig does well.
Don’t reward every success with food. Cheers of joy are just as rewarding to your pig.
Have fun!!
Be sure to get your kids to participate with training and practicing tricks. They will enjoy it more than you know. It’s a lifetime skill for their future pets.
Nothing will create a better bond than training with your mini pig. It really is the best thing you can do. It will make your relationship stronger, and your pig will be happier and a more manageable pet long term. I start trick training and basic skills with all the piglets when they are very young. They will remember these tricks and skills when they leave here. This will be a great way to instantly connect with your new piglet. It’s a common language that they learn from me and will understand with you. It builds confidence and a high level of comfort for your pig.
The AMPA Mini Pig Training Handbook covers important skills, and fun tricks. You can find your copy here. Training really sets your pig up for success at life. It firmly establishes you as their leader which is key for a happy pig family.
Pigs are highly motivated by food. Teaching tricks and skills can be simple with a small, easy to handle and quick to eat reward such as air-popped non-salted, non-buttered popcorn, cheerios, shredded wheat, small bite of apple, quartered or halved grape. If your pig is not focusing, you may need to try another type of treat for the reward. If your pig is too focused on the reward and not on what it takes to earn it, then choose a reward that is less tasty. You can find a great treat pouch for training sessions as well as other helpful tools here.
Pigs thrive on routine. Training time should be a specific time every day when your pig seems most focused. Not before meal time or when your pig is hungry. Training sessions before bedtime give your pig a great physical and mental workout for a restful night of sleep. Set a timer for 10-15 minutes. That’s all the time you need! End on a positive or successful attempt at any new tricks you are practicing. Don’t overdo the training. You should both have fun training. If it’s frustrating for either you or the pig, then you should stop.
TRAINING IS THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR MINI PIG
Harness & Leash Training
Harness and leash training is one of, if not the most important skill to teach. I highly recommend getting a harness specifically designed for a pig’s body before you start this training. Pig Gear and Pigglz are our favorite harness makers. Get a rooting rug with some Sharp’s Pig & Pet food and get started. Take it slow with harness introduction. You want this to be something your pig learns to love so you can easily put on a harness and attach a leash for walks around the neighborhood, trips to your kid’s sporting events, visits around your town and those very important trips to the veterinary office. You can find steps to teach the harness and leash in our Potty Training article.
One of the most important of the basic skills is to teach your mini pig to come. This training starts as easily as speaking the word “Come” every time you offer your pig their meals. Start this day one with your pig and repeat any time a treat is offered or food is given for a couple of days. Start calling for your pig to come from farther and farther distances while rewarding with praise or a healthy treat each time the pig obeys. Fewer and fewer treats and more praise as the days follow and your pig should have this mastered in no time. This command mastered will make harness and leash training much faster and less stressful. The American Mini Pig Association has a great article on recall training you can find here.
Come or Recall
Teaching Sit
Teaching your pig to sit may be slightly more challenging, but can also be taught quickly. It’s a good skill to build on in future training. You may eventually want your pig to sit quietly to wait for his meals. To teach sit make sure your pig is on carpet or an area rug so that his feet won’t slip out from under him.
Get you pig familiar with the treats/reward. Show the pig your reward and lift it in front of their snout and slowly up and over the head. Your pig should raise its snout following the treat. Watch the pigs snout, say “sit” and slowly continue to raise it until the pigs bottom hits the floor. Timing is critical so be sure you reward as soon as that butt hits the floor. Some find it is easier to accomplish a full sit by having their pig close to a wall or in the corner. Some pigs may not respond well if they feel cornered or trapped against a wall. Once the pig’s bottom hits the floor say “sit” and praise, praise, praise and reward with the treat.
Training a Mini Pig to Sit
Teaching No
Obviously, the command NO is going to be used often. Pigs learn these short commands easily and fast, so only use NO when it’s really needed. Positive reinforcement “good pig” and praise for good behavior can go far in training your pig. You can use other methods of showing your pig incorrect behavior in a number of ways. A loud, firm NO with a stop sign hand or finger pointing will show your pig that you are not pleased with its behavior. Eventually, just raising that stop sign hand or finger may be all you need to get your pigs attention.
Back, Out, or Leave It
This one takes some practice, but I believe I use this skill the most.
Back, Out, or Leave it can be extremely helpful. If your mini pig is in an area/room that he or she shouldn’t be in or if they are interested in something that they shouldn’t be, then Back, Out, or Leave it command should cause your pig to do just that, back away or leave it. Teaching this will require a good reading of your pig’s body language. When your pig steps into an area, such as the kitchen which may be off limits, you need to say the command and use your body moving toward the pig to make the pig step back. Say “back, back” or “out” with every step and then praise. Start with a couple of steps back from your pig and gradual increase to a few, praising as you go. Soon, just saying the word back should cause steps back from your pig, however you may have to reinforce the training by moving forward a step or two every once in a while.
Teaching Wait or Stay
Wait or stay can be a little more challenging to teach because the pig is going to want to scamper to the treat so keep the reward hidden. Have your pig sit and then repeat “stay” with a hand gesture or finger point, which ever hand signal you are not using for “No”. After the pig has sat still for a moment or two, praise and reward. Each time waiting longer and longer before rewarding. Gradually, start taking steps back with a reminder of “stay”, then return to your pig with praise and reward. Stay can be a little easier to maintain if the pig knows you come to them for reward as opposed to them running to you. This one will take some time, patience and extra practice. Wait or stay is an excellent skill to practice at mealtime.
Spin, Dance, Left/Right
This trick can be called a few names. It is basically your pig turning in circles for the reward going to the left or right. This is a trick that I usually don’t teach because it is more challenging to teach with multiple pigs.
You can teach this one easily by using your visible reward overhead moving in a large circle guiding your pig to use his feet to turn. Some say “spin” and some use “left”, “right” as they guide the pig to turn both ways. Very easy trick to teach and the pigs seem to enjoy the little dance.
Command Words
Word repetition and consistency will teach your pigs many useful skills. Using “bed” or “kennel” every time your pig is put into his or her area repetitively will result in a pig that puts itself to bed at night when told.
The word “potty” can become a command with the use of the word consistently when your pig goes potty.
The word “harness” repeated every time you put the harness on and off can let your pig know that it’s time to stand still to get the harness on or off.
You can also recognize your pig for any behavior you see that you would like repeated. If your pig is sitting naturally, say “Sit, Good Sit” Your pig will learn just by hearing you speak the word and praise. Reward any behavior you would like to see repeated!
Teaching your mini pig to ring a bell or push talking buttons can be quick and easy.
Call attention to the bell or button with your finger, a target stick, or a tiny dab of peanut butter. Choose your command word, “Bell”, “Ring, or Push”. As soon as your pig bumps the bell or button with sound or not, praise, and reward. Repeat multiple times until your pig has proven to be successful. Now you will want to make sure your pig actually rings the bell every time you reward. Mini pigs are so smart they could be ringing that bell all day for treats so only reward with food sparing once your pig has mastered the skill.
Teaching your mini pig to ring a bell will be a trick you will be glad you taught. You can find more tips on training and award programs for your mini pig on the Mini Pig Training Academy,
Ringing the Bell or Pushing Conversation Buttons
Teaching Quiet
Mini pigs can get loud. They have over 20 different vocalizations, so they make lots of noises. When pigs get comfortable in their new homes, they can begin to get demanding which goes above and beyond their natural grunts, snorts, and squeaks. Teaching quiet may become necessary. It’s very important that you never feed a loud pig. You can ask for and praise their quiet milliseconds which can build into seconds and eventually minutes of quiet time. Quickly acknowledge, praise and reward those gaps without screams. Timing will be everything.
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