# Goats pulling on leads



## Talron (Nov 17, 2013)

I was wonder if this is normal, for goats to pull on their leads while walking.
I want to walk them off lead on our hikes eventually but their pulling worries me because it makes me think they might run off or something.
One of them does it more than the other but he is also younger. Both are over a year but a few months apart. My older boy only pulls when he sees something he wants, but my younger boy pulls constantly because he wants to GO and frolic and eat. But I'm guessing my younger boy will mature and not pull as much? (I hope)

Thank you!


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## wyomingtrapper (Mar 27, 2014)

Don't know of the value of it, but...

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-train-a-goat-to-walk-on-a-lead.html


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

Goats are like dogs, always pulling the lead unless you train them not to. If it really bothers you, take one out at a time and practice. Make him walk next to you and if he tries to pull ahead put you foot in front of him or grab his ear and give a pinch.

That's how I trained my monster buck, before training he would drag me all over! Good luck...


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

And they shouldn't wander off if they really like you, mine stay close to me on walks. Get them used to coming to a can of grain and bring it on the hike. If they start to wander just shake the can and they should come running back for a treat.


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

Teaching them not to pull can be done:
- Use a halter instead of a collar. When you control the head, you control the animal.
- using pain to teach them (ear pinching, etc.) will work only temporary because they will integrate the pain into their existence and learn to ignore it. Work with changes of direction, obstacle courses, use your body language and verbal cues and patience.
- running and frolicking - they are one year old. They're kids, still and need to exercise. You might want to think about how much space and oportunities to run, play, climb you offer them at home.
- eating on the trail - normal goat behaviour for about the first hour. Keep on walking and they will catch up if they have a good bond with you. If they don't have that bond, work on that first
- grain can: works only as long as there isn't something more enticing to eat and especially in spring, everything else is more enticing than grain if it's green. Work on an emotional bond, instead.
- introduce a call to "come": whenever they run toward you, use this call. Don't call and wait for them to respond at first, use their behaviour to establish the call, then make use of it. That's how I teach mine: they stop to eat, I continue walking, they start running to catch up and THEN I call. After a while they make the connection between action and call and you can use the call as a signal to get them to catch-up


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## Talron (Nov 17, 2013)

I cant seperate them they've been together so long they go insane without the other. 
They love their grain but love all this forage more lol.

They have a decent amount of space and many things to climb. We are expanding their area soon though just because we want them to have more room.
I'd like to think we have a bond they stick around me in their pen, they yell for me when they see me, they dont run from me and let me love all over them, They come up to me and put their front hooves on my chest sometimes so I guess they know I wouldn't hurt them and are comfortable.
Maybe I'm over worrying about them running away. I want to let them offlease I'm just so scared they might run off and get hit in the road or something.


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

sanhestar said:


> Teaching them not to pull can be done:
> - Use a halter instead of a collar. When you control the head, you control the animal.
> - using pain to teach them (ear pinching, etc.) will work only temporary because they will integrate the pain into their existence and learn to ignore it. Work with changes of direction, obstacle courses, use your body language and verbal cues and patience.
> - running and frolicking - they are one year old. They're kids, still and need to exercise. You might want to think about how much space and oportunities to run, play, climb you offer them at home.
> ...


These are some really good suggestions.

The halter is awesome. I use one with a couple goats that pull.

I prefer to use positive reinforcement when training my goats rather than an ear pull. I only use "pain" type methods for 911 situations so that when I do it it actually means something important. Goats are smart and quick to learn. If you use physical punishment for little things (like pulling on a lead) it'll mean less for the big things.

Just my opinion though. For the most part my goats are all very well behaved due to positive reinforcement. I tried all the negative type stuff and some of the behaviors got worse. So I tried positive reinforcement like I use with my parrots and we've seen some amazing changes for the good.

I would read up about behavior and why positive reincforcement works so well here:

http://theanimalbehaviorcenter.com/theanimalbehaviorcenter.com/Home.html

My friend Lara owns it.


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

Talron said:


> I cant seperate them they've been together so long they go insane without the other.


Although I understand the problem, this is something you NEED to work on. You never know if there will be a time when you have to seperate them in an emergency and had no time to get them used to this.

Start with a few seconds at first, then minutes. Without any training, just being apart and learning that they will get together again. The last part is the important one, that a separation isn't permanent.


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## Talron (Nov 17, 2013)

Well I took them out today on the leash and they pulled still I've been trying to work with them but they just dont focus on anything but food. Wont listen to me at all, dont care about grain, dont care what I say, dont care about ear pulling or anything they just wanna run and eat.

However they did get away from me today when they spooked as a very loud motorcycle passed the house. But they stopped at the nearest food item after they spooked and kept eating so I got them back easily. (They are fed very well and have hay 24/7 and forage all day theyre just greedy beasts)
The only thing I can think to do is take them to a wooded area and let them offleash to get their energy out and eat until they're happy and see what happens.
Does anyone think this would work? They have room to play and run in the fence but they dont, they're very calm in their fence..

I'm at a loss I feel I should just give up on ever having a enjoyable hike with them.
Maybe they're just not up to it or the right goats for it?


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

I already wrote it but maybe it wasn't clear enough.

EVERY goat eats for about the first hour out on a hike. Especially if they have a somewhat limited diet in their paddock/pasture but even goats that have access to a wide variety of plants do this. It's basic instinct for them to sample a bit here, a bit there until they have eaten their fill.

And especially now in spring, when everything is fresh and full of energy, protein and other "good stuff" they are more attracted to food then anything else.

Work on it, they are still young and if you give up now you only teach them that this behavior is successfull.


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