When I was growing up, everyone around me always had a favourite animal. Weather it be their pet hamster, dog, cat, turtle... Everyone seemed to have a favourite animal besides me. I think one of the reasons why I could never pick just one animal is because I've always loved all kinds of animals! I've never felt a connection with any particular one. If I had it my way, I would have a petting zoo in my backyard and love them all equally!
One thing I use a lot (like mentioned before) is www.wikipedia.com. I've been on there everyday for a few minutes just looking up random animals and finding out a bit more about their personalities and habits. Seeing if there is any one in particular that would catch my interest. Although learning about animals fascinates me, and I enjoy learning more about them... no one specific animal seemed to jump off the page to me.
That is until I came across the pig! When I started reading more about them, I found myself smiling while learning these new facts I hadn't known before! I even found myself reading some of it out loud to my friends to share the knowledge of this cute, chubby animal!! Combined with learning how smart they are, but looking at their pictures, you can't help but want to have a piglet of your own! In fact, there are potbelly pigs that can be house trained! I am seriously contemplating getting one when I move into a house of my own.
Here's some fun facts about pigs that you might not have known before!
-pigs are much smarter than dogs and hold more intense concentration than a chimp.
-there is such a thing as "seeing eye pig" for blind people
-are loyal, friendly, intelligent and affectionate
-considered smarter than a 3 year old child.
-can recognize their own names
-When in their natural surroundings; they are social, playful, protective animals who bond with each other, make beds, relax in the sun.
-they dream, recognize their names, play video games more effectively than some primates, and lead social lives of a complexity previously observed only in primates
-pigs enjoy listening to music, playing with soccer balls, and getting massages.
-pigs use clever ploys to try to outsmart each other and change their behaviors after being deceived to prevent it for the future
-they have amazing long term memory. If you put a ball, a Frisbee, and a dumbbell in front of several pigs and was able to teach them to jump over, sit next to, or fetch any of the objects when asked to and they could distinguish between the objects three years later.
-pigs have more than 20 of their oinks, grunts, and squeals have been identified for different situations or feelings
- Newborn piglets learn to run to their mothers' voices, and mother pigs sing to their young while nursing.
-Pigs are actually very clean animals. If given sufficient space, pigs will be careful not to excrete near where they sleep or eat
-pigs can't sweat! So where did the saying "sweat like a pig" come from?
I think that humans have a lot of misconceptions about pigs. We think they are stupid, dirty animals when it is quite the opposite! I'm glad I took the time to learn more about them. I think I have finally come to the final decision about my favourite animal! I will never look at them in the same light again (the misconceptions), so for that I am forever grateful.
Not only have I researched a cute and intelligent animal further... but I know the more I learn or come into contact with, the more I will grow to love these animals and wish to protect them. Which brings me to the next discussion...
Most people look at pigs as only food, when they are so much more than that. It becomes harder for a person to detach themselves from something when they grow to love and respect it. People in our culture wouldn't dream of eating their dog or cat because it is something they have grown to love. For me, this gets me a little bit closer to my goal of getting meat completely out of my diet. And again, this is a personal goal and I don't wish to push my beliefs on anyone else.
Just trying to help people see that the food we eat have a conscience too. They love, hate, play, feel, express, and bleed the same as any other living thing. I don't hate anyone who is a meat eater... I just believe that if people learn to love and respect these animals for the beautiful creatures they are, perhaps there will come a day when an animal isn't bred to die. Any living thing that is brought into this world , has the right to live their life as well.
We don't agree with women being suppressed overseas. Or you wouldn't want your 3 year old who can comprehend what is going on around them, to witness the horrors that some of these animals do. I think it's the same concept that applies... No one want to live in a cage.
To leave this blog on a positive note I'll leave you this
One thing I use a lot (like mentioned before) is www.wikipedia.com. I've been on there everyday for a few minutes just looking up random animals and finding out a bit more about their personalities and habits. Seeing if there is any one in particular that would catch my interest. Although learning about animals fascinates me, and I enjoy learning more about them... no one specific animal seemed to jump off the page to me.
That is until I came across the pig! When I started reading more about them, I found myself smiling while learning these new facts I hadn't known before! I even found myself reading some of it out loud to my friends to share the knowledge of this cute, chubby animal!! Combined with learning how smart they are, but looking at their pictures, you can't help but want to have a piglet of your own! In fact, there are potbelly pigs that can be house trained! I am seriously contemplating getting one when I move into a house of my own.
Here's some fun facts about pigs that you might not have known before!
-pigs are much smarter than dogs and hold more intense concentration than a chimp.
-there is such a thing as "seeing eye pig" for blind people
-are loyal, friendly, intelligent and affectionate
-considered smarter than a 3 year old child.
-can recognize their own names
-When in their natural surroundings; they are social, playful, protective animals who bond with each other, make beds, relax in the sun.
-they dream, recognize their names, play video games more effectively than some primates, and lead social lives of a complexity previously observed only in primates
-pigs enjoy listening to music, playing with soccer balls, and getting massages.
-pigs use clever ploys to try to outsmart each other and change their behaviors after being deceived to prevent it for the future
-they have amazing long term memory. If you put a ball, a Frisbee, and a dumbbell in front of several pigs and was able to teach them to jump over, sit next to, or fetch any of the objects when asked to and they could distinguish between the objects three years later.
-pigs have more than 20 of their oinks, grunts, and squeals have been identified for different situations or feelings
- Newborn piglets learn to run to their mothers' voices, and mother pigs sing to their young while nursing.
-Pigs are actually very clean animals. If given sufficient space, pigs will be careful not to excrete near where they sleep or eat
-pigs can't sweat! So where did the saying "sweat like a pig" come from?
I think that humans have a lot of misconceptions about pigs. We think they are stupid, dirty animals when it is quite the opposite! I'm glad I took the time to learn more about them. I think I have finally come to the final decision about my favourite animal! I will never look at them in the same light again (the misconceptions), so for that I am forever grateful.
Not only have I researched a cute and intelligent animal further... but I know the more I learn or come into contact with, the more I will grow to love these animals and wish to protect them. Which brings me to the next discussion...
Most people look at pigs as only food, when they are so much more than that. It becomes harder for a person to detach themselves from something when they grow to love and respect it. People in our culture wouldn't dream of eating their dog or cat because it is something they have grown to love. For me, this gets me a little bit closer to my goal of getting meat completely out of my diet. And again, this is a personal goal and I don't wish to push my beliefs on anyone else.
Just trying to help people see that the food we eat have a conscience too. They love, hate, play, feel, express, and bleed the same as any other living thing. I don't hate anyone who is a meat eater... I just believe that if people learn to love and respect these animals for the beautiful creatures they are, perhaps there will come a day when an animal isn't bred to die. Any living thing that is brought into this world , has the right to live their life as well.
We don't agree with women being suppressed overseas. Or you wouldn't want your 3 year old who can comprehend what is going on around them, to witness the horrors that some of these animals do. I think it's the same concept that applies... No one want to live in a cage.
To leave this blog on a positive note I'll leave you this
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and...the next time I travel down to the falls, I'll take a picture especially for you! then...um...we can photoshop you in there and then we can pretend like you were there! Then you can get your niagara falls fix!