This little piggy goes for walkies around Walmer

A MAN taking his dog for a walk is not a strange sight in Walmer.

But it is surprising when you see a man with a fat black animal on the other end of a leash with its nose to the ground.

That is Jayden Kock, 25, walking his miniature pot-bellied pig.

And the burly seven-month- old pig, which already weighs 26kg, can become quite a handful.

"She goes on heat twice a month and then she is even more temperamental," Kock said as he carried the writhing, squealing Molly from the street into his garden in Fourth Avenue, Walmer.

Kock and his girlfriend Chelsea Schimper, 22, acquired the pig while living in a garden cottage in Walmer.

Unfortunately their landlord was allergic to dogs, so they started looking for alternatives.

"Chelsea suggested we get a pig and as we read up about it, we became more and more sold on the idea'" Koch said.

"We looked up a miniature pot-bellied pig breeder in Bloemfontein, and that is where we found Molly."

Now the weighty sow forgets she no longer fits on their laps.

"Chelsea and I spend most nights huddled together on the very edge of our bed because the greedy little piggy believes we are intruding on her mattress."

And her owners dare not sleep in over weekends or feed her any later than usual because Molly has found the perfect way to get their attention.

"At about 5.30am every day, Molly starts getting restless. She sleeps inside and starts moving the lounge furniture around.

"She has figured out how to throw one particular little table around, making such a racket that we have to get up," Kock said, breaking a banana into chunks and feeding Molly.

One advantage of owning a miniature pot-bellied pig is that they do not shed as much hair as dogs do.

This makes them a better option for people with allergies.

They are also affectionate and protective, and can become aggressive when loved ones are threatened.

On the other hand, they are messy.

The nearest pig specialist is in Humansdorp, and they will eat non-stop if you do not watch their diet.

"I would advise people to reconsider getting a pig as they need a lot of attention.

"But I would not trade this piggy for anything in the world," Kock said. - Riaan Marais