# New kids



## NH546 (Oct 2, 2013)

Our family just bought our first goats. 2does and 1 wether. They are 7 months old and super funny. My youngest daughter and I just took them for their first walk on the trails around our home. We are going to start lead training this weekend. The were bottle fed and seen to be really well behaved. The followed right along on the trails. Only once did they go in front. I stopped quick and they moved right behind us again. They seem to be seeking in nicely. Any tools or info would be appreciated. I did have one question. Collar or halter? Thanks again


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

Depends on your preference. If you will be showing them, teach them with a collar. If not, halter  They give you more control


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

Oh, where are my manners?  

Welcome to TGS!! Glad to have you here  :wave:


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

If you are teaching to pack, I would think you would want a halter. 

Welcome to TGS!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree.


Welcome to TGS


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## NH546 (Oct 2, 2013)

Thank you all. I will keep you posted on their progress.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

I usually don't start using a halter until the goats are over a year old. I've had a couple that just never needed them also. Remember that a halter can injure their neck so, never tie them on it or be too harsh with it especially when they are young.


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## NH546 (Oct 2, 2013)

I really don't want to string them together. They follow fine in the woods. At some point we will have to cross a busy parking lot our walk on some road. I just want to know we can put a leash.com them without to much hassle.


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## Charlie Horse (Dec 16, 2012)

Every day I walk about 5 miles in the morning. I take Sasha the german shep and I take 2 of the 5 goats on a rotating schedule. For the first half mile as I leave the neighborhood the goats are on leashes connected to collars. They get to run free through the sage brush out in the wilderness for most of the walk, and then go back on the leash nearing home again. Because the collar/leash being put on means "You have been chosen to go on a walk", my goats beg to be hooked up. Sometimes on the way back I have to grab a leg and catch one if there's some good browsing, or if the goat gets too far ahead (I'm mainly thinking of my female boss goat Victoria). 

In general the goats are great on the leash and pull on the leash less than the dog. However unlike the dog, goats tend to yank my arm when they pass nice freshly fallen leaves or other nibbly things on the side of the road. I tend to walk down the middle of the neighborhood streets to keep this to a minimum. Again its Victoria-- If she starts pulling like a sled dog for some reason, I grab her stiff leather collar and slide it up her neck. That way I can just hold it and she has to mellow out-- It seems like the high, stiff collar ring works something like a bit in a horse in that it creates pressures that are uncomfortable to fight against. Afterall, goats tend to cough and hack more when they choke themselves by pulling on the collar... 

I dont use halters. I have no opinion of them on goats. Of course the llama, yak and horses all use them so I'm guessing they'd work, but I dont know if it works better than a collar.


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## MarcoPoloMom (Sep 28, 2013)

I'm with Charlie Horse. Don't use halters. My boys follow along better than most dogs. When they were just learning I would use their collar to guide them in the right direction. Now, as soon as I'm 10 feet away, they come running. After 8 months of hiking there have been only 2 instances where I have needed to use a leash. One involved a stream & the other was a group of hikers with granola bars. They are sooo attracted to the sound of crumpling plastic :rollieyes  the goats, not the hikers  hee hee.


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## Nanno (Aug 30, 2009)

My smaller goats only wear collars, but I don't take my 200+ lb. wether anywhere without one. After he got to be about two years old, he was so big he could pull me by his collar and never even notice me skiing along behind him. That's when I got him a halter and my life suddenly became much easier. I don't tether him by the halter, but if I'm tying him up short (like for bathing and hoof trimming) I tie him by the halter. It's also much easier to teach commands like "walk," "woah," "gee," and "haw" with a halter because you can control your goats' movements precisely. 

But I'd wait till they were bigger. For one thing, it's hard to find a halter that fits a small goat properly. And for another thing, you don't want to spend money on something they'll soon grow out of. But they should certainly start learning to walk on a leash hooked to their collar right away. I try to make my goats walk next to me on a leash--not dragging ahead or behind. Dragging gets very annoying very quickly and can become a bad habit, so don't let them start. Have fun!


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