# Possessive goat



## Hngorka (Jan 2, 2016)

I have a few gots but one that is my baby... She is still only about 5 months or so old. She was the first the others I have accumulated over the past few months. I love care and show all of them attention but of corse my little one has gotten the most. I have noticed she can be very possessive over me at times, will bite the cats if they try to love on me when she is around will buck and chase them away. Same with some of the other animals, the chickens and the ducks. She tries with the other goats but is much smaller. She can be pushy follows me around gets in the truck, follows me for chores, loves jumping on me when I'm least expecting it lol.I had to lure her yesterday and I noticed the behavior but on steroids. Her hair was standing up and was relentless on trying to attack one of the cats that came in the pen while I was holding her. Mind you she's not mean she loves the kids just not sure if it's normal for them to be as territorial as she can be or if it's because I just babied her to much.


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## MoonShadow (Mar 1, 2015)

No,in my opinion I would not call her behavior normal(I mean its normal if you don't discipline them lol),I have never had a goat act in that manner, towards me or other animals. Lol I think you have babied her to much, you definitely need to start using some discipline. You are certainly not going to enjoy her jumping on you when she's full grown, it might be cute now but it won't be forever, trust me.
I have had goats who I have babied and spoiled more then others, I'm sure most of us have, but I always attached discipline along with that love. So yes, as long as you start disciplining her now you should be able to reverse her bad habits and changer her behavior.


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## deerbunnyfarm (Dec 14, 2015)

My "herd queen" is sort of like that... She's my special girl, I'm the only human she lets touch her and she's very affectionate and cuddly with me. She is also bossy with her sister so, if I'm scratching her sister she will come over and either push or butt her away. Never with hair raised, and I don't let any of them jump on me, but she is a bit possessive and protective. 

I kind of view it as we just have a closer bond and she's my "right hand man" or something...  But, I discipline her just like I do the others if they cross the line. If she were relentlessly attacking anything while I was giving her attention, I would immediately put her down/shove her away and either leave or ignore her completely. You're reinforcing that you want that behavior from her if you continue giving her positive attention after it. They get a thump on the nose if they're being pushy.


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## Hngorka (Jan 2, 2016)

She is a good girl... Just my problem child... She comes with my to do chores just not the chickens anymore because she will get into the feed. But she follows very well, is very affectionate, loves coming up for a hug... But the jumping I do have to break. It was adorable when she was small and I don't encourage her to do it, she sneaks up me when I am bending down... The. I ting I have seen before never with her hair up thought. 

I had to lute her because she was in the pen with the buck ( my fault) and I thought he may have gotten her so I lured her. Her attaching the cats could have been from the lute. But just wasn't sure how to discipline her about the jumping... She is defiantly the escape artist and since she is the youngest and wouldn't stay in her area she has to be brought up to the house at night so she does not do something like run in the road.


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## Aprilszoo (Mar 31, 2014)

It can be hard, when their behavior is as cute as it is annoying, but like others have said, you have to start laying down the law. Consistency is the key.... You can't laugh about something one time and then get mad about it another time....

Decide on a couple of the worst issues, like biting/nipping, or jumping up on you..... And concentrate on those to start. You can work on other things after you've made progress with the first issues. Like others suggested, pushing away, and ignoring her when she does something wrong can work... But it's important to praise her and give lots of attention when she's doing what you want.... 
Above all, you have to be consistent!

Good Luck!


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## lottsagoats1 (Apr 12, 2014)

I got 2 yearling does last year from a small farm. These 2 were bottle kids, raised by the couples young daughters. They sounded like yours. They were spoiled, horribly. All well and good except, as grown ups they would jump up on you, thought they should be able to run at large whenever they want, including coming into the house. A full sized Nubian or Alpine jumping up on your back or butting you for attention is not fun. The Alpine would nip if I didn't pay attention to her and would go after the chickens and dogs if she thought I was paying them attention. They darted out the doors whenever I would go into the goat pen and run to the house. They would get under foot looking for attention, causing me to trip and butting into my severely arthritic knees, causing damage to the soft tissue. It took a lot of discipline to get them to act like a goat. They had to get rid of these 2 because of their behavior, it was getting dangerous to their small daughters. If I didn't take them, they were headed to the slaughterhouse, which was too bad because they are nice goats (they are now anyway).

You need to nip this behavior in the bud or you will have an out of control adult goat. If something happened and yoyu had ot get rid of her, she would probably end up in the slaughter house or abused because of her behavior.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree with the others.

Get a squirt gun and when she misbehaves squirt her.

Or pull her ear until she yells out. Tell her to quit.


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## Laney3535 (Jun 25, 2012)

Yep she seems a little too overprotective of you... I agree a squirt gun or pulling ears works really well. My herd queen is just like that with me. Hits any goat, cat, or chicken that comes near me when I am spending time with her. She raises her hair at anyone that is not me or my mom. She hates men... and I mean HATES men. No idea why. So when I take her to shows she puffs up and blubber at any man that comes near me or walks by. She has never hit a stranger. If she did she would go bye bye. She does like to lure men to her pen at shows and act all sweet and when they pet her she sneezes alfalfa slime all down their shirts. Every single time she's done this it has been a man. She's weird as heck. But she thinks she needs to guard me from everyone and everything. It's not like I even raised her. I bought her as a 2 year old. Haha


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I have one that is super protective over me. I personally don't mind it except the fact that I have kids and accidents happen. She is never mean to my human kids but she would butt or hook another goat and they would run over the top of the kids to get away. She is down right nasty. She gets smacked for it every time and has learned to dial it down. She will still pull another does ear or hook at the dogs (the dogs don't bother me) but not near as bad as it was.


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## Hngorka (Jan 2, 2016)

Laney I like your post , I have been working on her behavior. After some of the things you mentioned it also sounds like the older goat I took in. She is a huge very pushy alpine, but for the most part she's not to bad. Will try to push her way out of the gate... Got out so many times when the fence was first put up. Diva for sure. I have a feeling once my problem child is big enough though she will take over as head goat


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