Pig outsmarted!

According to our pig, Harley, she will not be defeated!  When she has made up her mind about something she will continue to do it, will not have anyone change her mind.  maybe this is why they say pigs are smart.  Relentless is my choice. Annoying would be another word.

We have owned Harley since May of 2007.  This was my daughter Madison's idea, a pig would be really cool and something everyone should have living on a farm.  So she saved her pennies and we looked for a Vietnamese pot-bellied pig in which to join our clan.  Well, low and behold we found one for sale in the back of a local horse magazine.  This breeder was a 2 hour drive, way north of the Twin Cities, but I am guilty, I didn't mind because I think a child should have as many pets as they are willing to take care of. Myself included.  So we drove the long haul up to the town of Isanti to the Rainbow's End Ranch to look at baby pot-bellied pigs. We found Harley.  She was the cutest of the new batch but definitely not been held enough, for the entire ride home she squealed.  And if you are not familiar with pigs, their squeals are as loud as a jet airplane - 125 decibels.  She was cute, though. That's all she had going for her at this point. And all she ever really had although Madison says "She is cute!  She looks like a large piece of bacon!"

So its years later now (i will share more stories of Harley as they are quite abundant!) but back to the 'Outsmarted Pig.'
Harley has decided lately that the dog waterer that she also drinks from should not be upright or the 5 gallon container should not sit within the bowl.  So she will walk over to get a drink and immediately bump it with her incredibly powerful snout, knocking the 5 gallon container, and subsequently the 5 gallons of water contained within it, on the floor.  This continued for approximately one week.  And knowing her relentless nature we knew this would continue indefinitely, there is no stopping a determined pig. So Bob is standing there quietly, looking down at the spilled container, contemplating. When he speaks up, interrupts me at my work and tells me to come and look at this.  As I walk over and inspect the latest spill, he says, "I have an idea in which to stop her from knocking this over again.  I will build an encasement for the bottle in which she would have no ability to do so."  I said sure, as my immediate thought was, 'wow, another contraption.'

So this is what it looks like.  And if you have been to my house you have seen many of these 'contraptions.' I do really enjoy the natural look of plywood. So far it has worked, three days after the defeat of Harley's indescretion.  And Bob had to annouce his victory!

Pig Outsmarted!

But ya gotta admit - she is kinda cute.