For more than a decade, Austin Pueschel has been showing pigs. This Sturgis, Michigan native has seen success on the national stage, served as a Team Purebred Junior Board member, and has placed in the top 10 showmen at every major swine show. Currently, Pueschel is attending Iowa State University, in Ames, to pursue his degree in agricultural business. He was kind enough to share with us some of the tips and tricks he learned through the years to help train your showpigs.

GAIN THEIR TRUST
Start out by getting your showpig home to a comfortable environment. Then, get them used to being around you. The biggest factor in training a showpig is trust. If your pig doesn’t trust you, it will be an uphill battle for the rest of the show season.

MAKE IT A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE
This tip kind of ties in with trust, as well. The training process will go a lot smoother for you if cleaning, feeding, washing and walking are all positive experiences. Whether it is the beginning, middle, or end of training, I always like to make a point to end on a good note. This could be something simple, such as using marshmallows as treats during walking.

MAKE GOALS EACH DAY BEFORE WALKING
Training should be a relatively slow process. Start by taking your pig outside and rubbing/scratching them to make them feel comfortable. Then, you can work your way up to your desired amount of exercise. Keep in mind, your showpig should be able to comfortably walk at least the amount of time you expect your class to take.

PLAY A RADIO IN THE BARN 
When you’re in the ring, there are many different noises and distractions that occur and could scare your pig. Having a radio playing music in the barn helps get them accustomed to many noises that could take place while in the ring.

PRACTICE LIKE YOU SHOW
This is something that we all hear constantly, but it is incredibly important to implement this tip. Find something or someone to act as the judge. Growing up, I would use trees or telephone poles, basically just about anything, to pretend like I was in an actual ring.

MAKE IT A FAMILY EVENT
It can help to walk with other pigs at the same time to make practicing more of a real-life situation. This way you can practice avoiding groups and weaving through crowds. Practice makes perfect!

WIN EVERY BATTLE
This was a piece of advice that was shared with me at the beginning of my show career, and it is something that I have carried with me ever since. Whether it is walking back to the barn, keeping the pig’s head up or turning in a desired direction.

CREATE A ROUTINE
Once you have your showpig use to being around you and being outside, it is a good idea to schedule a routine. A consistent schedule is a way to hold you accountable, while allowing your pig to become accustomed to a stable day-to-day activity.