Meet Penelope: Our Adorable Göttingen Mini Pig

Traveling Goat Yogi
Jan 20
2 min read

There’s someone very special at our farm who’s been stealing hearts left and right — meet Penelope, our delightful Göttingen mini pig!

Penelope may be small in size, but she is absolutely full of personality. And what makes her even more remarkable is her breed’s unique history and character.

A Little Pig with a Big Personality

Penelope is a Göttingen mini pig, one of the most distinctive miniature pig breeds globally. As adults, Göttingen mini pigs are significantly smaller than standard farm pigs — weighing around 35 kg (about 77 lb) when fully grown — making them one of the smallest domestic pig breeds globally.

What’s truly special about this breed is not just its size, but its friendly and docile nature. While originally developed for research, Göttingen mini pigs are known to be gentle and easy to interact with — traits that have also made them attractive as pets.

🐖 Fun Facts About Penelope’s Breed

Breed: Göttingen mini pig
Origin: Developed at the University of Göttingen in Germany during the 1960s
Purpose: Initially bred as a biomedical research model due to its compact size and manageable nature
Size: One of the smallest domestic pig breeds, typically reaching around 35 kg (77 lb)
Personality: Known for being docile, intelligent, and social — perfect companions for humans

Göttingen is pronounced like this:
GER-tin-gen
- “Göt” ≈ gurr (with a soft ö, kind of like the “ur” in fur)
- “tin” = tin
- “gen” = gen (like again without the “a”)
If you want it super close in English-friendly terms:👉 GUR-tin-gen
In German, the ö is the key — rounded lips, softer than a hard “oh.”

The breed was created by crossing three different pig types: the Minnesota mini pig, the Vietnamese pot‑bellied pig, and the German Landrace, combining their strengths into a pig that’s small, gentle, and genetically consistent.

❤️ Why We Love Having Penelope Around

Penelope is more than just a cute face — she’s a reminder of the joy that comes from simple pleasures. Watching her trot around with curiosity, snuffle in the grass, and interact with everyone who visits brings so much happiness to our farm.

Her friendly personality reflects what many Göttingen minipig owners discover: these pigs are intelligent, social animals who enjoy engagement — whether it’s a gentle scratch behind the ears or joining in on little farm adventures.

🌟 Come Say Hello!

Whether you’re a longtime pig lover or just curious to meet a real, live mini pig with a vibrant personality, Penelope is always ready to make a new friend. She’s a natural charmer — and once you’ve met her, you won’t forget her!

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