Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs, a miniature breed of pig, have made popular pets in

the United States, beginning in the latter half of the 20th century.

In many respects, pot-bellied pigs are desirable and entertaining pets. They are
considered intelligent, gregarious, and trainable. They lack the genetic hereditary
weaknesses which commonly afflict certain pedigree cat and dog breeds, are
generally quite sturdy, and have a reasonably affordable diet despite requiring
large quantities of food. However, they can be strong-willed, defiant, and
independent pets which will sometimes defy training. They require access to an
outdoor space at all times, and depending on the individual pig, may become
housebroken easily or never settle indoors. While hardy, an injured or sick pig
will require costly surgery or larger than average quantities of medicine than most
pets.[93]

Pigs are highly intelligent, social creatures. They are considered hypoallergenic,
and are known to do quite well with people who have the usual animal allergies.
Since these animals are known to have a life expectancy of 15 to 20 years, they
require a long-term commitment.

Given pigs are bred primarily as livestock and have not been bred as companion
animals for very long, selective breeding for a placid or biddable temperament is
not well established. Pigs have radically different psychology to dogs and exhibit
fight-or-flight instincts, independent nature, and natural assertiveness which can
manifest as aggression towards children and a tendency to panic and lash out with
little warning. Cats generally are safe around pigs as neither species has an
incentive to express aggression or fear towards the other, although dogs will view
pigs as prey animals and in turn, pigs will challenge dogs for food, leading to
very violent fights.[94]