# Training first show doe???



## Cartwheel (Jul 3, 2013)

We raise commercial Boers but recently purchased a great looking doe for my five year old's first show goat. She's a January baby & has been worked with quite a bit (very tame, great personality). I use a prong collar on her & she lets me lead her around & set her up but we haven't yet put in much time practicing for the show ring this July. How much time should we spend doing this each day? And any extra tips for coaching my 5 year to handle her is appreciated, too! 


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## BRBG7 (Oct 17, 2013)

We usually don't work with the goats that much after they know how to be shown. My advice would be pbj. The goat should always between the person and the judge just like a peanut butter and jelly sandwitch. Always move sides in front of the goat and set up square.


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## robin4 (Oct 12, 2013)

I don't have any goat advise, but I would like to give my 2 cents worth of advise on children.

My eight year old will be showing her first doeling in August. My daughter is small, only 50 pounds. I will also be showing a senior doe and 6 month buck. There're the only 2 worthy of showing, but I'm going to register a little doe for her even though the little doeling doesn't have a chance at placing, just so my daughter can get some experience. I want her first time showing to be a good experience.

The doe I'm showing is capable of dragging my daughter through the ring.

I guess what I'm trying to say, be careful, 5 sounds really young. I would make sure if the goat spooks, your child is capable of handling it without getting hurt.

Good luck to you, I hope he or she has fun.


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## Cartwheel (Jul 3, 2013)

Thanks, BRBG7! 

Robin4--Yes, I agree with making the first show about experience. Originally, we were planning to use one of our does that didn't have half a chance in the ring, too, but decided to just get a good doe that we can start our own purebred herd from. My husband grew up showing livestock, mostly beef cattle, from a very young age, and will most likely be going in the ring with our 5-year-old in the beginning. 


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

My kids show goats, and have a blast. This year they are 7, 13 & 15. They don't have fancy, shop stopping goats, but they have shown very competitive at the county fairs the past couple of years, and just overall had fun with their goats.
My youngest started out when she was 5 years old showing a doe 2x her size and it wasn't an issue. Biggest thing I can say is, make sure she spends a lot of time with her goat, playing, hanging out, and having fun as well as training, it really does make a difference 
So this is her 3rd year showing, and every goat she has shown she has been the one to train it with my help. Let her do most of the work, you just help give her direction  This way, she can learn to control her goat without needing much adult help.
I have never been in the show ring with my daughter with any of her goats. Last year she showed 2, and shared a third goat with her brother for showmanship. This year she has a doe and wether, they will be the smallest she's ever shown, but again, she trained them on her own, and they are the best behaved <for now lol>. She may also share a doe with her brother.

Walking on the show collar for a while each day, and learning how to set up is a good way to go. Once she is walking really well on the show collar, then you don't have to work with her as much. But you do want to teach your daughter to keep the goat between her and the judge at all times, so little practice shows will be good for her especially in the month leading up to the first show. 
I notice setting up the feet and keeping the goat still is usually the hardest part for little kids, so remind her if her goat tries to move around, not to worry so much about the feet, just worry about keeping her goat under control & standing still. But you want to try and get her to be as self dependent as possible, it will boost her confidence in showing <has for my kids anyway  >.

First shows can be a mess, goats can be nervous, and not pay attention as closely. My daughters first show with her doe when she was 5 was a mess, it was quite funny, but I thought I was going to have to rescue her. She'd try to set up her goats feet and she'd just run circles around my daughter. 
But you know what? Every show after that, the doe was as good as gold, we were so very proud of them both 

I found a nice website with lots of info on showing goats:
http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/bookstore/pubs/MF3064.pdf

My kids issue this year is getting their goats to hold their head up - well except for my youngest, her goats are the best! So anyway, I've been browsing through that link and it's very helpful 

Good Luck!


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## chriscrump (Apr 27, 2014)

Once the goat is tame, I would suggest working with it 30 minutes a day to build up stamina as well as getting the goat in the routine of this. So, when you go to a show leading and setting up is not a big shock. It will be use to it, and not get ill. Also, let the child walk with you holding the lead when you work with it. It will let him/her know that the goat is safe to be around and also with establish trust between showman and livestock. 

Source: showed for 6 years 


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## Cartwheel (Jul 3, 2013)

She's very tame & we work with her probably 10 minutes a day. She has always let me lead her on the collar & set her up with no problem. But recently she's started trying to fight the collar (tossing her head around & trying to back up) which she had never done before...I believe she's trying to establish dominance. I tighten the collar, rather than it being loose enough she can slip out of it (that helps) & continue to lead her. She's still fighting a little but not as much. My son knows "peanut butter sandwich" & he's actually really good at positioning the goat where she needs to be. When he leads her, she sometimes starts to run, so he ends up running with her (he doesn't let go!) & SHE is leading HIM. I think she's trying to establish dominance over him because she has figured out that she's stronger than he is. The running is what I'm struggling with correcting. She does not do this with me, only my son, because he isn't stronger than her. Any tips?


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

When my doe tried to run ahead of me, I put my hand around her nose and pushed back while squeezing a little. She hated this, and learned that she'll get her nose grabbed if she tried to pull ahead of me...


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

We've had issues the past few weeks with goats not wanting to walk without a fight, choking themselves on the chain collar, and a couple that want to drag you around, especially my 7yo's little doe.

We ended up buying a dog prong collar last week to try and OMG those things make a HUGE difference! So much so, that we bought a 2nd one and my older 2 kids are training all of their goats to walk on it. I put my youngest daughters doe on the prong collar after she was fighting me while I walked her the other day <daughter wasn't home to walk her>, and she absolutely was a different goat, she didn't drag me, didn't fight, choke or act like I was killing her.

Now, of course in order to use one you have to make sure your son can use it properly. It HAS to stay up around the top of the neck at all times and no jerking on the goat. Letting it slip down/jerking on it is the reason these collars get a bad reputation.

Now, my daughter's biggest issue is keeping that chain in place, so I may not let her show the doe in a prong collar, BUT we'll use it for training. I'm hoping at the show, the doe will walk fine on a regular chain collar. Being out of her 'environment' I think she will be okay.

But I thought I'd mention this, because the prong collar has just made the biggest difference. It does sound like your son's doe has figured out she can drag your son, and get away with it. You have to figure out a way to reverse that, and with your help the prong collar could possibly help.

If I can, I will get video of my 7yo using the regular collar, then video of her using the prong collar and show you the difference


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