While they might be different species that hasn't stopped a great dane and a pig forming a strong bond of friendship.
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It all started when their owner Lisa Fowkes bought Mazie under the impression she was a miniature pig.
Today she weighs in at 220 kilograms and is roughly the same size as her great dane friend Elsie. Luckily her larger size didn't matter to Lisa as she lives on acreage.
After about a year of owning Mazie Lisa decided to get a great dane.
She had always loved the large size and kind nature of the breed and wanted to get a puppy.
"I've always had hand-me-down dogs or second-hand dogs as I call them," Lisa joked.
With her kids grown up and left home it was the perfect time to buy the dog she'd always wanted.
"They're such big gentle giants," she said.
"They wouldn't hurt a fly they're just big lovers."
Mazie was about a year old when Elsie came along.
It was the beginning of a strong bound the two would share even after being separated by a fence.
Once Mazie got bigger she started destroying things in the house so she had to be moved to the paddock much to Elsie displeasure.
She busted her friend out of the paddock and they would go on adventures together.
"I had the police call me once to tell me my dog and pig were running down the road together," Lisa said laughing.
They never had any desire to leave the property before being separated which resulted in Lisa's fur family growing even larger.
A pig named Valentine was added to the fix as a companion for Mazie.
He was also meant to be a miniature but grew to the same size as Maize so his original owners had to rehome him.
What was expected to be a great friendship between the two pigs didn't quite work that way.
"Maize hates him," Lisa said.
"I guess she thinks she's a dog because she grew up with dogs."
Like any good girlfriend Elsie took Mazie's side and also took a disliking to the new pig.
"I'm sure Elsie doesn't like him because Maizey doesn't like him," Lisa said laughing.
While Maize got a new "friend" in Valentine the pig Elsie also got a new friend, a great dane named Hank.
He was rescued from the pound as a seven-year-old.
"He is the biggest dork and kindest dog you'd ever meet," Lisa said.
"He's scared of everything even birds.
"If there are sparrows in the outdoor area he looks up at them with his big eyes as if they might hurt him."
Hank doesn't join in with Elsie and Maize's games but rather sits back and observes from a safe distance.
"Maizey and Elsie are all over each other and they're about the same size," Lisa said.
While two pigs and two great danes might be a big enough family for most, Lisa's family also includes a miniature pony named Misty, working dogs and her human companion, Jayson.
- Read more pet stories in the Wimmera and Grampians Pets 2019 here.