A woman has trained her pampered pet pig to 'speak' - and even lets him sleep in her bed. <br /><br />Mina Alali, 25, bought mini-pig Merlin in March 2022 when he was just two-and-a-half months old. <br /><br />Since then she has trained him to ‘speak’ to her by pressing electronic buttons which say 'outside', 'eat' and 'ice'.<br /><br />The clever hog can also high-five and dance and perform other tricks such as sitting and staying like a dog. <br /><br />Mina takes Merlin for walks on a lead, and even takes him to dinner with her friends.<br /><br />He feeds mainly on Mazuri pig food, leafy greens such as rocket and spinach, and loves ice cubes. <br /><br />Mina says owning a pig does create difficulties with her lifestyle.<br /><br />“It’s definitely an obstacle sometimes. I love him so much, I’m OK with taking him everywhere and anywhere," she said. <br /><br />“But he doesn’t walk like a dog on a leash, which can be slow and annoying.<br /><br />“If we want to go to dinner with friends the attention can be annoying. I get stopped all the time, although I also love meeting people and chatting about him.<br /><br />“I’m constantly thinking about Merlin. <br /><br />"I always make sure to tell people, you have to ensure you have a lifestyle compatible with owning a pig, because otherwise it’s not fair to the pig. <br /><br />“You have to dedicate as much time and love and affection to them as you would a toddler.” <br /><br />Merlin is a Mini Vietnamese potbelly who weighs between 30 and 35lbs and may grow as big as 80lbs in the future and 3ft long. <br /><br />Although Mina likes sharing videos of Merlin on her TikTok account, she says his welfare is the most important consideration.<br /><br />“We were invited to be on America’s Got Talent, but I declined because my number one priority is for Merlin to be happy and stress free," she said. <br /><br />“Making videos in the comfort of my own home is OK because I’m not looking to exploit or put him in a stressful situation.<br /><br />“I’ve always wanted a pig my whole life, for as long as I can remember and having him is a dream come true.”
