Training and Manners

Training and Manners

[video_embed url=”https://youtu.be/o1303TcTuzM”]Having a well-behaved goat is worth the time and energy to invest in. Think about the times you want to leave and need someone to take care of your goats. The better behaved they are, the more apt your neighbor will be to take care of them for you. There’s also something to be said about goats with manners that aren’t a headache or constant risk around you, your family, or visitors.

Manners

You will notice that some goats may be overly vocal. Do not pay any attention to it. When you respond to their constant cries for you it reinforces that behavior. If you yell back, they will learn that ‘yelling’ is how they communicate with you.

There are a few manners your goat should definitely have.

1. They should NEVER take (steal) hay from your hand while feeding.
2. They should never address you with their head. It is cute when they are young, but as they get older they learn that it’s okay to horn you. It is never okay for a goat to horn you. To train this, never touch the horns of a goat and only push them away by the neck. Goats communicate with their horns, if you touch them it opens the door for them to use them on you. This may sound extreme but you will find the balance. It is crucial to NEVER strike, hit, slap, punch, or otherwise physically inflict pain on a goat. Especially for packers, their relationship with humans must preserve a strong positive bond.

Flipping a Goat

Flipping a goat is a useful thing to know how to do. Use it to correct aggressive goats or to prevent goats from becoming aggressive. A goat communicates with other goats with their head, but it is NEVER okay for a goat to communicate with people with their heads. If a young goat begins addressing you with their head or rears up to horn you, flipping them is your best line of correction. Flipping a goat shows that you are the dominant alpha over them; it is uncomfortable and very arresting for them to be on their back.

Do not let the goat stand up for 10, up to 20 minutes, but no longer. If you let the goat up too quickly, it will not get the point across and has a greater chance of you repeating the process several times. Holding a goat down for 10 – 20 minutes should be the end of it for a first time offender. The more times the goat is allowed to use their head with you, the harder it is to stop the behavior. After you’ve flipped your goat, be sure to re-establish your bond by loving on them; otherwise, they will distance themselves from you. Positive reinforcement in the form of loving them is crucial for maintaining a loving bond with your goat.[video_embed url=”https://youtu.be/-jjIz-m5bpo”]

Squirt Bottle

This is the long arm of the law. Goats HATE water! The squirt bottle is a fantastic training tool. Be sure to use voice commands with squirting them, so they begin associating them together. This tool is equally essential in the pasture and in the backcountry for pack goats. Set camp boundaries and keep goats from getting into food, tents, and packs. Training with a hissing sound gives you the ability to correct at any time. Get your training Squirt Bottle here.[video_embed url=”https://youtu.be/r_Ph5d58hFU”]

Lead Training a Goat

You can begin this process as early as a week of age by tying the kids to the fence with 24″ lead with a swivel on at least one end. It prevents them from twisting up and choking themselves. Tie them up at shoulder height.[video_embed url=”https://youtu.be/MDSIWx7wjlA”]

Loading for Transportation

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Training for Water Crossing

You can start training kids when they are young by finding a stream about ankle deep and wide enough they can jump across it. Love them up and show them that water is not scary. You can then walk across the stream and out the other side to see if they will follow you (they most likely will). Then repeat the process until they are confident in it, then increase the depth. For more information on water crossing check out our water crossing article.[video_embed url=”https://youtu.be/tL164HlvwUc”]

BONUS: Lead Training a Pack Goat

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Maintaining the Bond

Maintaining a positive bond with your goat is a lifelong process. Bottle feeding and interaction is a start, but it’s important to not neglect to give your goats love and spending time with them. It’s really a rewarding experience. Just remember in winter months or busy seasons, don’t forget to spend time with your goats in the pasture regularly. This means more than just putting out feed and keeping up on chores each day. As you get to know them, you will be able to tell when they pull back, it really doesn’t take very long for goats to become less bonded.

Even in just a few weeks of absence, they can start to pull back. You will notice they come to you for love less often. Don’t fear this, just know the signs you need to spend more time with them and when feeding, be intentional to interact positively with each goat. You’ll see them bounce back fast in their love and interaction. They really are extremely rewarding creatures to be around. If you aren’t already, you’ll be a crazy goat person before you know it.