# newbie questions



## slickscustoms (Oct 8, 2010)

hello my new goat friends :hi5: i dont ahve any goats yet but i would like to get some. i live in the country but not on a farm. i do have a one acre yard with a chainlink fenced back yard. the fenced in area is as wide as my house and aprox. 200-300 feet deep. is this a good enough area for a couple of mini's? im pretty sure they would have enough room but i wasnt sure about the chainlink fence. i guess im just worried cause im sure its not normal to have goats in your back yard haha, but hey they would be pets after all. i know they are herd animals and love company so would they get along with a dog? my dog is the same size as a mini and needs a friend too. i have shelter for them already. i guess the only thing im worried about would be putting the mini's with my dog. please dont beat me up but what do yall think?


----------



## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

I wouldnt recommend putting the goats right in with the dog. I would create a pen either for the goats or the dog so they can be separate. Eventually if the dog shows no aggression towards the goats they can be together when supervised. I do let my goats and dogs together from time to time but that was supervised for a while before I allowed them to be alone together without me there.

IF you have a hound type dog then I would not put them together


----------



## pelicanacresMN (Dec 29, 2009)

every dog will react differently. We have 2 golden retrievers. They hang around the goats a lot but are more interested in finding mice/squirrels/grouse or whatever other little creatures they come across. It's funny, we use the dogs for bird hunting but yet, the dogs never even try to harm the chickens. The goats are always aware of where the dogs are & what they are doing but they are used to them running around. What kind of dog do you have? I agree with Stacey that it'd probably be best to keep them separate until they get used to eachother. Two goats together will keep eachother company.


----------



## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

Welcome so glad you are here. :wave: 

As for the dog. They are all so different. I have dogs that have been around the dogs for ever but they still chase them to play. I have one that use to chase them but he would nip at them to get them to stop so he could play. It is a little scarry for me the though of putting a dog with the goats unless they are use to the goats. Also, I have a few does that have really hurt my little dog.


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree.... that dogs are all are different.....you must be careful.... as dogs like to play and when a goat runs from them........ it creates the wild dog instinct( to hunt) in some ... they love the chase...and can either play to rough.... creating injury... over stressing the animal... or even death...... supervising... I agree... is good to do.... if you want the dog around the goats.....


----------



## slickscustoms (Oct 8, 2010)

thanks for the responses i understand and agree the situation wouldnt be a good one. i guess i could put a divider up and use one half for goats. maybe one day i can have me a little hobby farm like i want i might have to wait till then. in the mean time i'll just have to look at all of yall's cute little guys on here. thanks!!!


----------

