Daisy is Testing her Powers ...

Yesterday Daisy started expressing what I am interpreting is some dominance beh towards me - but I want to get a second (or many) opinion(s).

For the past week (since I got her), I have simply tried to hang out with her at feeding - not bothering her, but just being present so she can get used to me. After she has eaten her dry ration, I have been offering veggies, training "HERE" to warn her that I am putting something in front of her - either on the ground or for her to take from my hand (she doesn't see well due to her FAT!). As she munches, I have whittled away at her feet, talking to her.

Yesterday, she started approaching with some enthusiasm (?) when I enter the pen - I expect anticipating her food. After her dry food, she has come right up, head up, and been a little quick with a sort-of "bounce" & grunt (not her typical alarm bark) - frontwards, not a head swipe. If I hold out food, she takes it .. and has shown no real inclination to bite.

I have to admit it startled me a bit and I may have retreated the first time or two. Two nights ago I started brushing her with a soft brush ... she grunted a bit throughout - I interpreted it as concern, but not really alarm. I added the word "BRUSH" to indicate I was going to brush her each time I touched her (warning).

Last night, the same quick approach, with a snout shove. I countered with a firm NO, standing my ground. However, not having know her for long, I was concerned - so once she stopped, I got a soft broom to carry with me as a bit of a barrier, if necessary. She showed a snout shove to the broom, and I countered with a NO, and a firm shove back. This seemed to stop her (tho not cause her to retreat), but I decided to remove myself rather than risk making a mistake in my reaction. She seemed still interested in interaction, however, so I gently stroked her with the broom all along her back (from outside the pen). She really seemed to enjoy it, and even dropped down and OFFERED HER BELLY (as much as a morbidly obese pig can!) - I was touched! I tried to re-enter the pen to use the hand brush, but she showed the same excitement (I don't think aggression), so I told her NO to stop her and left the pen.

Thankfully Pris' and Kathleen's books arrived in the mail yesterday, so I pored through them into the wee hours, and thought about things.

Here are my preliminary conclusions - but I would like to know if I'm on the right track.

• She's learned that I bring treats - which she wants (esp since she is on a tight diet)
• She is expressing enthusiasm - but can't see well, so it's a bit awkward
• I interpreted these first bounces as scary and retreated ...
• So now she's testing how/whether she can control my beh to get more of what she wants (food)
  

My plan (based on my dog training experiences & pig reading):

• Make pig board so I feel safer
• Train her to sit and other simple skills to earn all her treats - tho I admit I'm a little uncomfortable baiting her with food until I better understand the cause and limits of her snout shoves - I don't want to get bitten!