Kunes as pets
The breed's natural good temper and friendliness towards people make it a popular pet in New Zealand and increasingly in Britain and America. They are usually kept outside in a small field or enclosure, but a few lucky kunes live as 'house pigs', living inside with their owners. Fortunately pigs are easy to house train and are naturally very clean animals.
Sows generally make better pets than boars. This is due to their more placid nature and much smaller tusks, which can sometimes become a hazard as boars mature.
Kunes as lawn mowers, scrap disposals etc.
Kune kunes are perfect for keeping the grass in small fields and orchards short. They are also excellent for cleaning up windfalls in orchards, but will also consume any fruit on low hanging branches.
Kunes are also happy to help you dispose of most of your household scraps and will usually eat the same sorts of things you and your family eat. Like people, some pigs are fussy and will not eat certain foods.
A resident kune kune pig or two can often be found in small rural businesses such as farmstays or wineries. These pigs are always popular with visitors and provide a useful scrap disposal for the kitchen.
Kunes as performers
Although not the most gymnastic of animals, pigs are intelligent and incredibly motivated by food. Young, active pigs will pick up tricks such as sitting and turning circles within a matter of days.
You can teach your pig with hand signals or voice commands, although I find hand signals to be more effective. I suspect this is because my pig is not a very good listener! Here are some pig-training tips, and there is even a
pig-training book available in the US.