If you have a pet or you want to get a pet, be sure to check out the City of Temple’s new guidelines for pet owners in the city limits that went into effect July 18th. There is a lot of good information and I am happy to see some of the new restrictions now in place. With temperatures near or at 100 degrees this week, the new requirement prohibiting pets from being leashed outside during extreme weather conditions may save some pet’s lives.

My major pet peeve (no pun intended) is seeing loose dogs riding in the back of pickup trucks and even worse…loose dogs riding on flatbeds. It makes me ill. One sudden stop and the dog could end up dead. The practice is no longer allowed in Temple and I am thrilled.

I’m also thrilled to know that you can now have a miniature/potbellied pig! They are AWESOME pets! I had my Weezer for 13 years and he was an amazing boy. Pigs are extremely intelligent and contrary to popular belief, they are not dirty animals. Outdoor pigs will go to a water source (with mud) if it is hot because they do not have sweat glands. Pigs who reside indoors have no need to do so.

Weezer Pig. Photo by Tasha Stevens
Weezer Pig. Photo by Tasha Stevens
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Weezer could turn in a circle and sit on command. He walked on a leash and would oink to go outside and then oink again to come back in the house. I would definitely recommend a pig as a pet but be advised: Training a pig is totally different than training a dog. You cannot make a pig do anything. They must do what you want “on their own” ... be rewarded for it…and then make the connection between the treat and the “act” (sitting, turning, etc.)

My rescue pittie Mr. Peabody Brown and Weezer Pig. Photo by Tasha Stevens
My rescue pittie Mr. Peabody Brown and Weezer Pig. Photo by Tasha Stevens
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Weezer’s vet in Baton Rouge was a teacher at the LSU Vet School. She told me she would never have a pig as a pet because she didn’t want a pet that was smarter than she was. Lol, She said pigs are manipulative. Once you give in and give them what they want, they will repeat the act time and again.

Weezer Pig and Dodi. Photo by Tasha Stevens
Weezer Pig and Dodi. Photo by Tasha Stevens
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The Temple Pet Ordinance says the pet pigs must be under 150 pounds and I agree. Overfeeding a pig is animal abuse. Weezer weighed 85 to 90 pounds full grown and I thought that was too heavy. I fed him rabbit food with grapes thrown in here and there for treats. I got really quick picking up the dog food bowl before he made his way to it. Pigs will eat as long as there is food in front of them, so you have to watch them. And don’t think allowing them to chill under that Oaktree is ok. Acorns are full of fat and pigs love them. But not as much as I love pigs.:)

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