But that’s exactly the strange scenario that confronted those at Wodonga Institute of TAFE yesterday.

Jazz the pig paid a visit to media photography students, showing off his tricks, eating yoghurt, giving his owner Lexley Sewell kisses and shaking hands.

Typically he spends his time at Mrs Sewell’s Table Top home, snuggling up on the couch or walking through the doggy door, but yesterday’s experience was exactly what the eight-month-old needed to be the face of a new campaign.

Mrs Sewell said Jazz is set next month to launch locally the RSPCA Choose Wisely campaign, which encourages people to buy humanely farmed animal products.

“People might think pigs are dumb,’” Mrs Sewell said.

“But he does all the things a dog does, sits, lays down, shakes hands.

“He’s cleaner than a dog, and I think he’s smarter than a dog.”

Students welcomed the chance to snap something unusual.

“It was a chance to shoot something totally unique, an image that grabs the eye,” Wodonga TAFE’s program area leader with creative industries, Brenton Saxby said.

Jazz has been getting lessons for a month from dog trainer Brydie Charleworth, who organised the photo shoot.