# Dog in love with goats



## PurpleToad (Feb 14, 2016)

I have two new goat kids both are being bottle fed and both spend most of their time in the house right now. My dog is IN LOVE with them to the point that she won't leave them alone. She's a Mountain or Treeing Feist, the name varies depending on who you talk to. Traditionally they are squirrel dogs, my dog wants to herd cattle, though. The Feist looks similar to a Jack Russell but is, in general a bit bigger. I'm honestly not sure what to do about her love of the goats. I'm worried she'll hurt them, but not out of malice, just because she's so excited to see them. Any thoughts?


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## ShireRidgeFarm (Sep 24, 2015)

I'd say just watch them interact and be careful; you know your dog best.  If she's wanting to play with the goats as if they were another dog, I would be concerned about the goats getting hurt.


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## PurpleToad (Feb 14, 2016)

ShireRidgeFarm said:


> I'd say just watch them interact and be careful; you know your dog best.  If she's wanting to play with the goats as if they were another dog, I would be concerned about the goats getting hurt.


She tries to do puppy play with the first of the two goats we got but with the new one she just wants to sniff him to death. I don't know if it's because he was around other dogs before we got him or what. She also just sits at the baby gate and whines if she can't get to them. We have a baby gate between the living room and the dining room so that I don't have to constantly keep her out of the cat litter and cat food.lol As I said she'd never INTENTIONALLY hurt them I just didn't know if there was a way to encourage her to "calm down". I'm hoping the novelty will wear off and she'll get over it.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

All my dogs are a bit obsessed with the baby goats. I have one that sounds like yours. She loves them but she's also a dork and at times thinks she can play with them. I've had her a year and she has calmed down on the playing because she gets scolded over it. I still don't 100% trust her to just be with babies but I feel better about it. The only thing I can't get threw her head is that their mothers are their mothers, just because they hate you doesn't mean they are going to harm the kids


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## PurpleToad (Feb 14, 2016)

Jessica84 said:


> All my dogs are a bit obsessed with the baby goats. I have one that sounds like yours. She loves them but she's also a dork and at times thinks she can play with them. I've had her a year and she has calmed down on the playing because she gets scolded over it. I still don't 100% trust her to just be with babies but I feel better about it. The only thing I can't get threw her head is that their mothers are their mothers, just because they hate you doesn't mean they are going to harm the kids


I don't let her out with them unsupervised. When I do let her out she runs right to the laundry room and starts sniffing them through the wire crate they are currently kept in and her entire butt just wiggles with excitement the entire time. I'll just keep an eye on her and maybe when they're bigger and outside I can work on introducing them with the goats wandering around and the dog on leash.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree, do not allow them to be unsupervised.


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## PurpleToad (Feb 14, 2016)

toth boer goats said:


> I agree, do not allow them to be unsupervised.


If there is ever an instance where they HAVE to be out together I'll try to make sure my dog has her harness on. She doesn't hate it but it does work to calm her down tremendously. We put it on when company comes over and she calms down a lot.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I would let her check them out while you are around. Let her start learning biting and rough play is a 'NO' while you are around. That way say she gets out while your gone one day it's not going to be this new toy for her, if that makes sense. 
I have two rabbits in cages in the house. My one dog would sit there for hours just watching them. So I took them out and yeah she tried to chase them and she got in trouble, then she really got up close and personal checking them out and now, because she likes them will check in with them but it's not this obsession to really check them out


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## PurpleToad (Feb 14, 2016)

Jessica84 said:


> I would let her check them out while you are around. Let her start learning biting and rough play is a 'NO' while you are around. That way say she gets out while your gone one day it's not going to be this new toy for her, if that makes sense.
> I have two rabbits in cages in the house. My one dog would sit there for hours just watching them. So I took them out and yeah she tried to chase them and she got in trouble, then she really got up close and personal checking them out and now, because she likes them will check in with them but it's not this obsession to really check them out


When we leave she is put in her pen which is in our bedroom. It's also where she sleeps at night. It's a newer model of the pen we've got the goats in and so far it's held up to Tux's head-butting. So yeah we're letting her have limited interactions with them at this point.


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