Dominant Sow

[Clare King]

Hello there, I’m just wondering if anyone had any advice for us regarding our very dominant sow. Mini is a 2yr old sow (very mixed breeding poss aby x sheltie) she definitely has the Aby personality though and is very opinionated but communicative and funny too. Her long term partner passed away in October, Mini adored Jimmy but even so could be a madam to him. She chatters at the slightest thing (like if Jimmy wouldn’t move for her) but he just used to ignore her. She even bit him on the nose once, but again, such was the love that Jimmy let it pass.
She’s been very sad since Jimmy died so we tried to introduce her to our other two groups but that was an instant no, the hackles went up and she was on full chatter and nipping mode. We went down to Nevilles Nest rescue last week and Mini met a young boar and it appeared like it was love at first sight. Purring and following each other round the pen. We brought him home and as he’s not yet safe (post neuter) divided the cage up and they’ve lived next to each other for the last week. Lots of purring from Oscar and Mini seemed to have been interested in him through the bars. However, we’ve been letting them have closely supervised time together in a pen and Mini has been getting stroppier and stroppier with him, lots of chattering teeth, bum swaying and nipping at him so Oscar was staying a good 8 inches away from her. Last night it went a stage further and after 5 mins of chattering / nipping from Mini then Oscar leapt at her (presumably to bite her ). We stopped this immediately and separated them. This morning (behind bars) then they’re right next to each again and there’s lots of purring from Oscar and whining and pecking at the bars from Mini.
I’m now feeling that I may have to return Oscar as he’s the most beautiful boar and deserves a happy life with a sow that adores him. Does anyone think it’s worth persevering or have they demonstrated that they’re just not going to work together. I’m not sure what to do with Mini if this doesn’t work, could she be one of those sows that just prefers life on her own? She lives in the lounge with us so has lots of interaction and sees our other 6 pigs regularly. Thank you for any thoughts / advice.
NB - Mini has been checked by a vet and is all ok. I’ve also had a good read of all the dominance / bonding guides on here too.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Without doing a proper bonding it would be difficult to say whether things would settle between them. If there has been some lunging, then it may not work out.
Character compatibility is the key to a successful relationship so even if she doesn’t like Oscar, there may well be a man out there that she does like! I wouldn’t say she is destined to be single at this point.
Please don’t put them together though, not even supervised, until you decide to do a proper introduction (piggies don’t do these kind of introductions and separations - it is stressful for them) and the boar is six weeks post op. It takes seconds for a mating to happen.

 

[Clare King]

Thank you, we’ll stop the introductions for now. I’ll wait until he’s cleared the full six weeks and then try them properly. He’s very purry at her through the cage divider so he thinks she’s great. My husband doesn’t think it’ll work out but I’m not wanting to give up just yet so we’ll keep them separate for the next month and then let them meet each other fully. If that doesn’t work out then we’ll sadly have to return Oscar. Fingers crossed Mini will mellow to her gorgeous cage mate.

 

[Clare King]

Thank you, we’ll stop the introductions for now. I’ll wait until he’s cleared the full six weeks and then try them properly. He’s very purry at her through the cage divider so he thinks she’s great. My husband doesn’t think it’ll work out but I’m not wanting to give up just yet so we’ll keep them separate for the next month and then let them meet each other properly. If that doesn’t work out then we’ll sadly have to return Oscar. Fingers crossed Mini will mellow to her gorgeous cage mate.

 

[Wiebke]

Hello there, I’m just wondering if anyone had any advice for us regarding our very dominant sow. Mini is a 2yr old sow (very mixed breeding poss aby x sheltie) she definitely has the Aby personality though and is very opinionated but communicative and funny too. Her long term partner passed away in October, Mini adored Jimmy but even so could be a madam to him. She chatters at the slightest thing (like if Jimmy wouldn’t move for her) but he just used to ignore her. She even bit him on the nose once, but again, such was the love that Jimmy let it pass.
She’s been very sad since Jimmy died so we tried to introduce her to our other two groups but that was an instant no, the hackles went up and she was on full chatter and nipping mode. We went down to Nevilles Nest rescue last week and Mini met a young boar and it appeared like it was love at first sight. Purring and following each other round the pen. We brought him home and as he’s not yet safe (post neuter) divided the cage up and they’ve lived next to each other for the last week. Lots of purring from Oscar and Mini seemed to have been interested in him through the bars. However, we’ve been letting them have closely supervised time together in a pen and Mini has been getting stroppier and stroppier with him, lots of chattering teeth, bum swaying and nipping at him so Oscar was staying a good 8 inches away from her. Last night it went a stage further and after 5 mins of chattering / nipping from Mini then Oscar leapt at her (presumably to bite her ☹). We stopped this immediately and separated them. This morning (behind bars) then they’re right next to each again and there’s lots of purring from Oscar and whining and pecking at the bars from Mini.
I’m now feeling that I may have to return Oscar as he’s the most beautiful boar and deserves a happy life with a sow that adores him. Does anyone think it’s worth persevering or have they demonstrated that they’re just not going to work together. I’m not sure what to do with Mini if this doesn’t work, could she be one of those sows that just prefers life on her own? She lives in the lounge with us so has lots of interaction and sees our other 6 pigs regularly. Thank you for any thoughts / advice.
NB - Mini has been checked by a vet and is all ok. I’ve also had a good read of all the dominance / bonding guides on here too.

It sounds to me like they are potentially still on track. Please keep in mind that lunging is NOT aggression; it is only a strongly worded 'stay away from me'. You have to do any bonding in slow stages and separate as soon as Mini is pushing it too much and he is not yet too fed up with it.

If it is any consolation to you, I am currently in the same boat between my fear-aggressive 'project' girl Brathlys from Gertie's GPR in Newcastle and Alan from Neville's Nest who is coming to the end of his post-op wait, so we have little face to face meetings on my lap or a chair while they have been living with a with a divider. They are rather evenly matched in dominance although Alan is likely to come out on top eventually - if Brathlys can be persuaded to. I have to separate as soon as it is getting confrontational.

 

[Clare King]

Thanks Wiebke, it sounds like you’re in a very similar situation then. We shall do small lap visits then but otherwise not do anything more until the post neuter date. Mini absolutely loved Oscar (was Phillip) when she met him last week so I’m hoping that with time and patience then it could develop. Thanks again for your advice and shared experience

 

[Clare King]

Just spoken to Julia at Nevilles, think we’re going to take Mini and Oscar down there in January and Julia will try bonding them as it’s a new environment and Mini behaved perfectly when we went last weekend. If it doesn’t work out then there will hopefully be others that she can date. Many thanks for your advice and once again, yay for rescues being so helpful and supportive in making sure that every pig has the best chance of a friend.