🐷 Do pigs belong in the house?

The fun thing about life is you never know where it’s going to take you.

But as a pet parent, there’s one thing you know for sure: There will always be an animal by your side, no matter what.

Whether it’s a dog, cat, or pig, life would be incomplete without them in it.

Wait. Pig?

Well, that’s certainly the case for Carol Melvin, passionate pet parent and owner of Pee Wee Fields.

Her journey into pig-parenthood was unexpected… But now, she wouldn’t have it any other way.

A love for animals runs in the family

“I’ve always really loved animals. They were definitely part of the family–actually, the most important part of the family to me.”

Growing up, Carol’s family always had pets but they were the more traditional dogs and cats. And until adulthood, that was her only experience with animals at home.

Then, becoming a parent herself, it seemed she passed on this love of animals to her children.

Her son, Trey, had been asking for a pet pig since he was just a small child. And when he was in middle school, his dream finally came true.

“We had bought a small farm–the same farm I still live on–and he was like, ‘Well, we have the farm… We can get my pig now, right?’ And I thought, sure! It seemed like a great idea.”

But this “great idea” was a little different in Trey’s mind, unbeknown to his mother.

A few months after getting the sweetest little male pig, he approached Carol with a proposal: Get a female pig, breed them, and use the extra money to support his future golf career.

Since they had the property and pigs lived outside, she didn’t see any reason to be concerned.

While the breeding was completely new territory for them, her son took the lead and together, they learned how to properly care for their pigs (affectionately known as Putt Putt Pigs).

Little did she know, she’d eventually fall in love with them too.

The unexpected bond that led to pig-parenthood

“There’s just this incredible bond that you can build with a pig and it’s something people don’t really know about. But I felt it, and eventually, I wanted to have one inside the house with me.”

Over the years, a pig would occasionally find their way into the house.

If one was sick or needed a little extra attention, Carol would separate them from the rest to give them extra love and care until they were better.

It was during these moments that she realized the pigs might not just be cute little farm animals–but friendly, social creatures that really liked being around humans.

And that’s exactly why, after all her kids grew up and left the home, she decided it was time to get a pet pig for herself.

Instead of choosing one from her own litter, she found the perfect little girl and took an hours-long trip to meet her.

It was love at first sight, and soon, Caddy found herself at home.

Initially, Carol felt a bit of that entrepreneurial spirit her son encouraged many years earlier–thinking she might breed her too.

But turns out, Carol really just wanted Caddy to be a pet… A spoiled pet who gets to live her lazy days eating lots of food, living alongside the dog, and sometimes, giving her mom a run for her money.

Pigs really aren’t like dogs

While some things, like house training and playtime with the family pup, came easy, others presented a learning curve Carol wasn’t expecting.

She knew pigs are food motivated, but being inside the house, that posed a new challenge.

“The first thing I noticed is that they will eat anything they can find. And since they’re very smart, that’s a deadly combination. I had to put locks on the cabinets so she couldn’t get into my food, or things that could hurt her. They really earn their reputation!”

While roaming the house searching for even the tiniest morsel of food, Caddy is also quite vocal.

As long as she’s awake, she’s making some kind of snorty noise.

Like other animals, pigs have noises (around 30 known variations!) to communicate different things. And while Carol can’t identify all of them, she knows the one she hears 90% of the time: the “looking for something to eat” noise.

The other 10% of the time, she’ll hear various squeals and screeches that communicate she’s happy, scared, or displeased, to name a few.

And those might be heard when someone she doesn’t care for tries to pet her.

“They’re definitely one-person animals. She likes me, but she only tolerates my kids. If they come up and try to pet her, she looks at them like, ‘You can be in my house, but don’t touch me.’ It’s kind of funny!”

But besides the food drive, vocalizations, and people preferences, one thing really surprised Carol: their intelligence level.

Here’s the perfect example. Carol’s daughter also has a pig. While house training, her daughter would give a treat to her pig (Penelope) when she used the bathroom outside. Eventually, Penelope started squatting… But nothing was happening. She was just doing the movement to get the treat!

“It’s crazy… Sometimes, people can’t imagine how smart they are, but they really are. It’s said they have the intelligence of a 3-year-old. They’re pretty smart–and they can be very manipulative.”

The bond you have to earn… and maintain

“You really have to earn the trust and love of a pig, which makes it a little bit more fulfilling. You have to work at it. It's not going to come naturally to them. But once you get it, it's just incredible.”

Since pigs are prey animals, they’re instinctually more skittish and scared.

According to Carol, they hate to be picked up but love to be held. Once they realize they’re safe and secure in your arms (or on your lap), they settle in and cuddle right back.

And even though they love food, it definitely takes more than just using food to earn their trust.

Over time, through intentional interaction, like brushing, gentle pets, and training, Caddy learned her mom was a safe person.

Carol also took steps to build their bond, providing places to play outside and extra enrichment when inside.

“She'll talk to the other pigs through the fence and they'll talk to each other, and then she’ll go back to looking for food. When she's in the house, I’ll hide things for her to find.”

Now, she’ll follow Carol around the house. The moment Carol sits on the couch, Caddy will jump right up and into her lap.

But unlike other animals, Carol jokes that a pig’s love is definitely conditional.

“They’ll give you love, but it’s conditional love. You have to continue to work at it. They can get mad at you and you’ll know it. They throw a fit!”

One time, Carol had a housekeeper come and clean while she was at work. When she returned, Caddy was not happy.

How did Carol know? She was furiously grabbing cushions and pillows off the couch, throwing them across the room. She even pulled Carol’s blanket off the bed.

The next time the housekeeper came, she brought an apple for Caddy. That was the last of the tantrums!

The pet that gives purpose to life

“I love educating people about pigs. I teach 8th grade and the kids are always asking about my pigs. They’re shocked when I tell them they’re actually very plain animals. They’re not messy or dirty. They’re very clean. You should see Caddy when it rains. She hates to go out, and I swear she tiptoes in the yard so she doesn't get muddy. I think pigs are just misunderstood.”

Besides the constant opportunity for educating young minds, Caddy and the other pigs give Carol a lot of purpose.

Being around these animals (both the pigs and the more recent addition–mini highland cows!) has allowed her to foster more empathy and understanding for others in her life.

Each animal is different and requires care and attention. If something is wrong, Carol has to figure out what. And that directly translates into real life situations as well.

But as she interacts with them, they also fill her day to day life with joy and laughter. Their personalities and banter provide entertainment throughout the day.

“I just love her so much and I think she loves me, but because I have to continue to work for her affection, it makes the process more engaging and fulfilling. There’s some kind of satisfaction when I can appeal to her.”

Because Carol’s blessed with a large property and farm, she can help spread that joy to others as well.

By holding events for the community, people can come spend time in nature and interact with the animals–a much-needed break from the busyness of life.

And to think, it all started with a young boy’s dream to have a pet pig.

A plan in place no matter the pet

Whether you’ve got a more traditional pet like a dog or cat, or you’ve branched out into something more unique, your pet is used to the love and safety you provide for them.

They have a routine, and a special bond with you, that helps them live each day to the fullest!

But if you had to step away for a couple days, who would care for them in the same way you do?

If something happened and you couldn’t care for them for an extended period of time, would someone know exactly what to do?

Putting a Cotl plan in place ensures your pet is taken care of, just the way they’re used to, no matter what.

Discover how the process works or book a call directly with Sean, our founder and CEO, to see what a plan could look like for you.

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