This Little Piggy

Meet Tiller.  He is my husband's answer to the fact that our venture in borrowing Grampa's rototiller didn't work, and the weeds are winning in the new area we have designated for the garden.  Tiller's job is to eat the weeds, fertilize the area and get the clay-laden soil ready for us to till next year.

Henrik is very curious about this new pet.  He has spent endless hours trying to nip Tiller, lick Tiller, bark at him and race him up and down the fence line.  A few times he has even figured out how to get into Tiller's space and terrorize him. 

The funny thing, is, Tiller is a very social animal.  I half believe that he thinks he is another dog.  He willingly races Henrik as far as he can around the perimeter of the fence, and then squeals and snorts and calls for Henrik when he disappears out of sight.
They have conversations together.  Henrik is louder than Tiller.  He has a very LOUD bark.

 And he gets overly excited about Tiller and begins to hyperventilate.  Tiller grunts and squeals and talks away to Henrik and sticks his snout out as far as he can.

The first day that Tiller was with us, Henrik raced all around the property in excitement.  Every time my husband said 'Where's Piggy", Henrik ran over to the shed to show off his new prize.  

A few days after that, I let Henrik off the leash and he raced over to the pig pen and hopped in.  He proceeded to bark and jump and completely mess with Tiller's head (and body).  Poor Tiller.  He was completely baffled about how to deal with this.  It took me quite a while to get Henrik back over the fence.  He is a big boy and I did not have the strength to lift him.  I sort of rolled him over the edge of the fence.  Then I looked at Tiller.  His poor piggy skin was red with stress.

When my husband came home, I told my him about this and he went over to inspect.  He came in to tell me that Tiller was not displaying signs of stress.  He was sunburned.  

After that, we made a mud puddle for Tiller to keep him cool (and to give him some SPF).