If your potbelly did not come to you already housebroken then you have some potty training decisions to make. There are two common options for pigs: your pig can be litter box trained or it can be taught to potty outside. Before you decide which option to choose, take a moment to consider the pros and cons of each method.
Litter box:
Pros: Training your potbelly to use a litter box is an excellent idea if you plan on keeping your pig indoors most of the time. When the pig is left alone in an empty house, it can’t very well make it outside to potty. In this case, your pig will probably find a spot in the house to use as its yard. Keeping a litter box for your pig inside will help you avoid coming home to a messy floor. Litter box training can benefit you even if you stay home most of the day. Just because you are home does not mean you aren’t busy. Using a litter box will help if you know you won’t have the time to get up once every hour or two and let your pig outside to potty.
Cons: Litter boxes do not clean themselves. If it will be impossible for you to clean out the dirty litter every day or two then this is not the potty training method for you. A buildup of old litter will cause nasty odors that hang in the air until the box is cleaned. Aside from the extra cleaning chore and the odor problem, litter box training car present other problems. Finding a pan to use as a litter box is no easy task. A cat sized box will not fit your potbelly once it is full grown. You will need to find a box that is both long enough and wide enough to fit an animal that might reach upwards of 100 lbs. The box must also have sides that are lower than about 6 inches so that the pig won’t have difficulty getting in and out. Purchasing enough litter to keep up with a litter pan of this size can be a costly monthly expense.
Outside:
Pros: Outdoor potty training is probably the most popular way to potty train a potbelly. This may have something to do with the fact that when your pig is outside trained you can avoid the unsightly look of a giant box filled with animal wastes and the stench that can come along with it. Not to mention, you will never have to clean out that box. Outside training will save you the cost of the litter and the expense and hassle of finding the exact box you need.
Cons: In order for the pig to go potty outside, it has to be outside. If the pig is going to be left indoors alone with no way to get outside, then your potbelly will likely make do with a spot of choice on your carpet. This means you will have to leave you pig outside the entire time you are gone, despite cold weather and other hazardous conditions. If leaving your pig outside is not an option for you, then consider installing a little doggy-door (of the right dimensions of course) for your pig to use. Teaching the pig to use the door will require a bit of additional training.
