Pigs are curious animals that are much interested in human contact. Positive interactions provided regularly may reinforce this curiosity and lead to the development of a positive human-pig relationship, i.e. a relationship characterised by pigs willing to approach and interact with humans and that are thus easy to handle. The quality of the human-animal relationship is being included in many animal welfare evaluation systems. The development of the relationship with humans involves different sensory channels (acoustic, visual, tactile or chemical). Memory is central in the relationship, and it leads pigs to discriminate and even recognise individual humans. The nature of the relationship matters since it will modulate not only pig health and welfare but also productivity and product quality as well as stockpeople work quality and job satisfaction. Future research aiming at improving the human-pig relationship will have to focus on the pigs’ sensorial and cognitive capacities and social behaviour, as well as stockpeople training.