LANGLEY — Pigs are the fourth-smartest creatures on the planet, trailing only humans, primates and whales.

So it’s not a surprise that it takes three 4-H’ers and their entourage of parents, grandparents and an aunt to wrangle the nine hogs.

“There was a time when we were putting them in the arena, and one of them tried to lift the rod out from the gate,” said Curtis Amsler of Whidbey Island Hogs.

Since Monday, Curtis and his sisters, Cloe and Caterina Amsler, have camped out at the fairgrounds to get their animals ready for the fair.

The highlight will be today’s livestock auction, when they will sell off the hogs they have raised for the past six months to the highest bidder.

At noon, nine-year-old Cloe, who weighs probably somewhere in the neighborhood of 60 pounds, will guide — with ease — Chris, her 273-pound hog, through the arena as potential buyers size up the hog’s ham.

It’s her second year as a 4-H’er.

Her brother Curtis, 14, and sister Caterina, 12, will also show off their pigs, and all hope to sell their hogs well to raise money for next year’s 4-H project.

But before the auction there was a long week of preparations: Veterinarian checks, Wednesday was wash-and-clean day, Thursday was show day, and grand champions were crowned.

Caterina said that’s one of the best moments of the fair.

“My favorite thing is when you know your pig is really good at something,” Caterina said.

The kids have trained the pigs to follow their commands. Not a problem for the fourth-smartest creatures in the world.

Barn duty and teaching “civilians,” as Curtis called fair-goers, about hogs is also part of the fair.

“We get up at 6 a.m., get to the barn at 7. Clean until 9. Then it’s barn duty,” Curtis said.

The Amsler children are from a long line of hog enthusiasts. Grandma is the 4-H leader of the year, and parents Toni and Jim are helping out where they can.

Through their involvement with 4-H, the kids have learned about animals, farming, sustainable living, marketing and business, and provide the most natural, hormone-free, grain-fed meat you can buy on Whidbey Island.

But until Saturday, the pigs are part of the family.

“Some of these pigs are so gentle, you can lay down with them,” Caterina said.

Curtis warned that the pigs aren’t lap dogs, though.

He points at one of the black-and-white hogs snoozing peacefully in the huddle with its siblings.

“This one can be vicious,” Curtis said.

Hard to believe, until the kids bring in the troughs of food. The pushing and shoving begins for the best spot for lunch.

Caterina points out that the grain mixture is not their favorite, though.

“They love dog treats,” she said. “They eat them like candy.”

The nine pigs that the family is showing at the fair eat 100 pounds of feed a day. It’s what it takes to be a grand champion and a big moneymaker at the auction.

Curtis, Caterina and Cloe hope to make between $1.25 and $2.25 per pound for their hogs, which average about 250 pounds. Grand champions, of course, sell at the high end of that figure or above.

The hogs will have their final moment in the limelight at the auction. Then it’s time to say goodbye.

Cloe, Caterina and Curtis won’t be around when Miss Piggy, Monkey (Caterina’s hogs), Albert, Chris (Cloe’s), Deimos and Theid (Curtis’) leave for their journey to the butcher.

“We’re a little sad. This Sunday, when they go, we’re not allowed in the barn when they go,” Caterina said.

“We have till noon to say good-bye,” Cloe added.

And even Curtis, who is a six-year 4-H veteran, said it’s not easy to let go.

“That’s the saddest part,” he said.

But he added if his hogs Deimos and Theid do well in the judging and then turn a big profit at the auction, it will be very rewarding.

“I’m proud,” Curtis said.

The pigs have been the children’s main concern since they took “custody” of them in February, when the piglets were only a few weeks old.

Every day after school, they cleaned and fed their animals, trained the hogs and cleaned up after them.

Admittedly, none of these activities are Cloe’s favorite.

“My favorite thing is everything, except cleaning and shaving them and cleaning the barn. I like playing with them and showing them,” Cloe said.

Curtis said he likes getting the animals show-ready.

“My favorite thing is cleaning and shaving them. They get a little freaked out by the clippers,” he said.

But it’s not all hands-on learning; the kids also study all there is to know about pigs.

“We know that they are smart, because we read books about them,” Cloe said.

“Yeah, a pig saved a little boy from drowning,” Caterina added. “I heard of a pig that paints pictures.”

“Police use pigs to sniff for bombs,” she added. Quickly, the discussion among the sisters turns to the question of whether pigs are allowed on airplanes to sniff for drugs or bombs, and if that would make them flying pigs.

But there is no doubt that the girls know how to answer all really pressing questions about raising hogs and the fair.

Cloe is especially proud to show visitors the mommy sow Blue with her piglets at the hog barn. The baby pigs promise to be a big attraction this year.

Visitors can check out the animals during fair hours at the green hog barn near the log-show area. The livestock auction is at noon today at the livestock arena.