# Nigerian Dwarf Goat Bonding and Affection



## Kenny Battistelli (Nov 29, 2020)

I have two Nigerian dwarf goats that I acquired a few months ago. They run towards me when because they think that I always have food on me. They don’t like me handling them and are sometimes shy around me. How do I know if they like me? How do I bond with them?


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

Pen them in a small area while you feed them. Get them used to you touching them everywhere, leading them by the collar, and rewarding them with something they like. The more you handle them, touching them and spending time with them, the more they will trust you. You will have to get them used to you handling them and tying - for hoof trims, vaccinations, etc. It's not a matter of liking you - it's a matter of trusting you.


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## Tanya (Mar 31, 2020)

Welcome to TGS. Spend time with them without treats. If they come close to you then touch them.


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## Kenny Battistelli (Nov 29, 2020)

@goatblessings Thank you for your response! What will penning them in a small area when I feed them do? Also, when you say spend time with them, how long do you mean and what does that look like? Like just being in their presence or playing with them...?


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## Kenny Battistelli (Nov 29, 2020)

@Tanya They expect treats from me every time they see me so they pretty much are all over me when I enter their pen. Should they not expect food from me always? 
They are also a little timid when I try to touch them.


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## Tanya (Mar 31, 2020)

Ok. So yes mine expect treats too.... goat moms forget that this is not always a good thing. So you start with the feed routine. Once they know you only visit officially at feeding time and yes they can tell time. 
You can start by talking to them over the fence. Once they are used to fence visits without treats you can do inside pen visits without treats. Trust is very important.
One of my workees made the mistake of letting strangers in my Destiny pen. She literally took out her anger, fear and frustration out on me.
It will take time.


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

I sit on a bucket in the pen with them - sometimes just reading. Let them approach you. Being lower to the ground is less intimidating for them. They will eventually be curious and come up to check you out. Take it slow. I spend about 30 minutes 2x a day with one that is suspicious. Move slowly, talk lowly. It may take some time, but eventually they should come around.


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## Kenny Battistelli (Nov 29, 2020)

@goatblessings Ok, I will try that! I think they might just try to eat my book. What are tells signs of trust or love?


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## Kenny Battistelli (Nov 29, 2020)

@Tanya As I proposed to Tanya, what are telling signs of their trust and/or love in you? I fear that I ruined their trust because when they escaped I would angrily drag them back in their pen.


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## Tanya (Mar 31, 2020)

@Kenny Battistelli a goat shows trust - from my experience, when they allow you to touch them under the belly, top of the head and "hug" them. They also seem to show trust when they come lie down next to you and relax


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## Tanya (Mar 31, 2020)

Head butting you, biting you and climbing on you is not trust. That is dominance.


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## Kenny Battistelli (Nov 29, 2020)

@Tanya I thought you weren't supposed to touch the top of their heads. Also, I was sitting down the other day and one of the goats put their front paws on my lap. Is that what you mean by climbing on you? I guess I shouldn't allow that?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Petting on neck and back is best. Rubbing top of head is a challenge for headbutting.


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## Tanya (Mar 31, 2020)

Kenny Battistelli said:


> @Tanya I thought you weren't supposed to touch the top of their heads. Also, I was sitting down the other day and one of the goats put their front paws on my lap. Is that what you mean by climbing on you? I guess I shouldn't allow that?


Scratching the head can signal a challenge. My goats have learnt that its affection.


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## Ana (Jan 29, 2020)

I’ve previously had Nigerians and I always pet my goats on the head yet only my bucks had an aggressive reaction and one doe as well yet all of my other does and kids saw it as affection I guess it just depends on the goats personality :shrug:


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## Ana (Jan 29, 2020)

goatblessings said:


> I sit on a bucket in the pen with them - sometimes just reading. Let them approach you. Being lower to the ground is less intimidating for them. They will eventually be curious and come up to check you out. Take it slow. I spend about 30 minutes 2x a day with one that is suspicious. Move slowly, talk lowly. It may take some time, but eventually they should come around.


Yes that is a very good way to build their trust


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## Kenny Battistelli (Nov 29, 2020)

@goatblessings @Ana When I take the homework out to sit out with the goats and do, they leave me. Is this still an effective way to build trust in this case?


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## Moers kiko boars (Apr 23, 2018)

It takes time. They look at us as a feeder..then an invader. When I first got goats..i would just walk with them. I would talk to them..but just hang with them. I sometimes would take a folding chair & read. Before long they get curious about what you are doing. So now..all my goats are comfortable when Im around
But they still LOVE ME when its feeding time..lol


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## Cedarwinds Farm (Dec 2, 2019)

My go-to trick for socializing skittish goats is to have my morning coffee out in the goat pen. I just sit down and drink my coffee and ignore the goats. They usually get curious and eventually end up coming around, so then I'll talk to them in a calm voice. Eventually I can pet them. Sometimes this takes a while! I have a buck that I bought as a kid, who had not been socialized very much by his previous owner. It was probably a month or more before I could touch him. But now he is very friendly, and will follow me around the pen. I find having coffee with my goats is a very relaxing and rewarding experience, for me, as well as for the goats. I have also quit hand feeding my goats. I do not like being bitten, jumped on, or disrespected in any way, and every time I would walk into the pen and try to hand out food, I would end up getting mobbed. Now, they only get their grain out of feed pans on the ground, and that leads to a much pleasanter experience for all of us. That's not to say that I would never hand them a treat. If I'm walking past their pen and have an apple core in my hand or something, I'll hand it to them. But I don't hand feed them as a general rule.


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

I very rarely hand feed. I do go in the pen to feed and they are very happy to see me. I have goats in their own pen and will clean the pen with them in it, so they can see me working and notice I'm not hurting them. I've had babies jump in the wheelbarrow trying to help. I also let them wander the barn with me. Goats are not dogs and behave differently. Letting them know you are safe to be around is best. It takes a while. Some many never come in for pets, but tolerate your presence well. Sometimes just scratching the back while they are eating helps a nervous one. Some are very affectionate - others are not - depends on the goat.


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

I hand feed all of my goats at some point, but I especially hand-feed my packgoats. These are the ones I want to bond closely with and who I expect to follow me everywhere. However, I train them to take treats politely and not paw, jump up, or get in my face to get at them. And when I'm not feeding them treats, they are not allowed to beg for them. That said, all this training I do with my boys flies right out the window the second I walk outside with a bag of peanuts and start handing them out to the entire 15-goat herd! My big boys knock everyone else out of the way to be the first and only goats in line. But when I'm just working with the two of them I don't have this problem. Numbers and pecking order make a big difference to behavior and what you can expect in any given feeding situation! 

One of my packgoats is naturally skittish about being touched. He loves treats and is incredibly intelligent but would rather not be petted or scratched. I call him my "autistic" goat because he often acts as though he's somewhere on the autism spectrum. I used treat training very successfully to teach him that it's ok to be petted, touched, scratched, brushed, etc. I've since done more with clicker training and it's gone very well and decreased his learning time. Treats are a great training tool if done correctly. You know your goats love you when they trot over to you when they hear your voice, and not just because they expect to be fed. You also know they're bonded to you if they follow you all around your property without a leash and will follow you away from home on a leash without being dragged.


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## Gooseberry Creek (Jun 3, 2020)

I agree with sitting in the goat pen drinking coffee. The goats and I listen to spotify on my phone lol. Sometimes country, sometimes pop, sometimes old rock.. they like it lol! They get curious and come up to you.
If you scratch them with your nails up and down alongside/ right next to their spines or take a stiff brush out there..once they figure out it feels good, they will let you brush or scratch them. Then, eventually, pet their heads ears and give hugs.
All my NDs were skittish at first. Now they are friendly.
The Lamanachas have been like puppy dogs from the beginning. They love attention.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Very good advice.


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## Tanya (Mar 31, 2020)

How is the bonding going?


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## Kenny Battistelli (Nov 29, 2020)

@Tanya I'm not really sure... I thought I was making progress but then some days it feels like they are scared of me. I usually spend 45-60 minutes with them a day...it is pretty cold where I live right now... I also try to read to them out loud so they just hear my voice.


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## Tanya (Mar 31, 2020)

They will learn to trust you. Just keep going. One day at a time. As everything they are wild by nature. But they are clever and adapt quickly. You will see. As long as they stay healthy and strong.


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## Kenny Battistelli (Nov 29, 2020)

Tanya said:


> They will learn to trust you. Just keep going. One day at a time. As everything they are wild by nature. But they are clever and adapt quickly. You will see. As long as they stay healthy and strong.


I'm worried that I ruined their trust yesterday. It was hoove clipping time and I had to tie them up, which they did not enjoy.


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## Cedarwinds Farm (Dec 2, 2019)

Kenny Battistelli said:


> I'm worried that I ruined their trust yesterday. It was hoove clipping time and I had to tie them up, which they did not enjoy.


They'll get over it if you are consistently calm and kind. Mine sometimes pout when I've done something they don't like, but they come back around.


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## Cedarwinds Farm (Dec 2, 2019)

Kenny Battistelli said:


> @Tanya I'm not really sure... I thought I was making progress but then some days it feels like they are scared of me. I usually spend 45-60 minutes with them a day...it is pretty cold where I live right now... I also try to read to them out loud so they just hear my voice.


This is such a good idea! I should start reading aloud to my new goats. It would improve my mind and maybe theirs, too.


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

Kenny Battistelli said:


> I'm worried that I ruined their trust yesterday. It was hoove clipping time and I had to tie them up, which they did not enjoy.


As long as you don't actually harm them, doing "traumatic" things like hoof trimming can build their trust in ways that coaxing and befriending never can. They learn that even when they are physically restrained and compromised, you don't hurt them and can therefore be trusted. Being both firm (no-nonsense) and gentle at the same time teaches them that you are a strong leader who can be relied on.


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## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

I second what @Damfino says. When I started out wih dam raised kids, there was one who hated having his feet touched, let alone hooves trimmed. We practiced every single day, first I just touched each foot, then eventually I lifted each foot, slowly increasing how much I did, until I actually started to trim. The next thing was to touch his belly, which he also hated. After the touching I always praised him and "celebrated" that he survived it.
We did this while he was on a stand, having his grain. One day I forgot to touch his belly, and I realized he was waiting for it. He was looking at me, anticipating the touch and the celebration. That was a "touching" moment, and the first big sign of trust.


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## Kenny Battistelli (Nov 29, 2020)

A few weeks ago I was in their house laying down and they came to me and laid down next to me. I'm assuming that's a sign of affection/trust. They haven't done the since though.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Sounds good.


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## Kenny Battistelli (Nov 29, 2020)

The dominant one of my goats tried to challenged my dominance yesterday. What should I have done in the situation?


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

Naughty! Usually when a goat tests the boundaries with me for the first time, I run toward him with stomping feet and I clap my hands and shout at him. It scares the pants off him and he leaves my space immediately. If he doesn't leave (or if he gives me the sideways head-toss or the stink-eye), I keep after him until he turns tail and _runs_ (not walks!) away. Then I turn my back and go about my business. As long as he stays respectful, I don't mess with him again.

I have learned not to go after my goats to make friends after such an interaction. The goat is the one in trouble and he needs to be the one to seek forgiveness and friendship. If you go after him to tell him you still love him, he's likely to interpret it as aggression from you. He's probably still nervous (and possibly a little angry) from your previous encounter (which did not go at all as he expected!), so if you go after him while his emotions are high he'll feel cornered or pursued and is likely to turn on you again.

Long-winded explanation gleaned from watching goats interact with each other: When a subordinate goat challenges a dominant one, the dominant goat puts the subordinate one in his place, then he displays his superiority by turning and ignoring the upstart after he runs away. There is no follow-up interaction between goats after a challenge has been settled. I think this is where we humans often trip up. We feel bad so we go after the goat to try to make friends again, but since goats don't have "kiss and make up" vocabulary in their language, they misinterpret our gesture and they think we're coming after them to continue the fight. This actually gives legitimacy to the challenger's feeling of dominance. A dominant goat only continues chasing a subordinate one if he sees the subordinate goat as an actual threat to his position. Since standing down and running away didn't make you give up the chase, the goat believes you see him as serious contender for top place, and he basically has no choice but to engage in another fight to settle the matter.

If your goat approaches you after you've chased him off, and his hair is flat and his eyes are soft, it's a sign that you can reach out and make friends. If he comes up with his hackles raised, a saucy tilt to his head, and a challenge in his eye, chase him off again until he comes back with a nicer attitude. Let him know that there are no friendly interactions as long as he's trying to be boss. But if he's gentle, he gets treats and scratches and all kinds of nice things. If your goat is a little scared of you for a while after your angry outburst, that's ok. I'd rather win over a nervous goat any day than have to deal with an aggressive one.


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## Kenny Battistelli (Nov 29, 2020)

@Damfino Thank you for taking the time to write all that! I always appreciate your advice and experience. My goat reared up to head butt me and I didn't know what to do. This might sound awful and abusive, but I punched him and punched him, and he reared up again and so on. I did not know what else to do! It's not like I could put him in time out to teach him what he did was bad. I do not like hurting them. When the fighting stopped, I went over to apologize and stroke him.


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

It's ok. At least you didn't run away from him! Hopefully he learned some respect from that well-earned beat-down.

I try not to engage with my goats physically if I can help it (although if they catch me by surprise I may have no choice!). They are bigger and stronger than me and if it came to a physical fight I would probably lose. If I have a goat that I know is aggressive, I carry a water pistol every time I go to the pen. Most goats HATE to be sprayed with water and once they know what the water pistol is for, they'll back off before I can even pull the trigger. If a normally docile goat catches me by surprise, I will do the stomp/clap/yell act to get him away from me, and if he keeps coming back for more I look around for sticks or pinecones or _small_ rocks and I'll throw them at him until he runs away. If I can find a good stick about 2 feet long it's even better. I'll whack him with it, and when he turns to run away I'll whack his bottom few times for good measure until he's truly on the run. Then I'll walk away like he's not worth my time. The point is not to hurt the goat but to give him a good scare and make him feel small. He should be afraid to attack you. Once he gets in the habit of being your friend, he won't want to attack you any more. But for now it's good enough for him to be afraid of what might happen if he acts feral.


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## Kenny Battistelli (Nov 29, 2020)

My dominant Nigerian Dwarf isn't all that strong so I wasn't scared of getting hurt. He's also disbudded. 
I'm glad there are ways around physically hurting him! 
It's probably my fault because sometimes I do play with them and let them playfully head butt me. I should not have done that. I was sitting on the ground petting one of my goats and this goat was eating my jacket so I shoved his head away and that's when he reared up. 
Sometimes they rub their heads on me. Is that a sign of affection, do they want scratched, or are they challenging me?


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## Kenny Battistelli (Nov 29, 2020)

So today, one of my goats got out of their encloser. I had then in a small wire fence and one of the posts fell down. While anyway, the goat got out and I chased him, found out he was much fast than me lol. He ran into his real pen because the gate was open, and I was able to chase him down when he was in there to take back to his brother in their temporary encloser. Now, anytime I walk at him, he runs like I have a knife in my hand. Did I completely ruin his trust, or is he just pouting? How else should I have gotten him back in his pen?


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## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

Kenny Battistelli said:


> So today, one of my goats got out of their encloser. I had then in a small wire fence and one of the posts fell down. While anyway, the goat got out and I chased him, found out he was much fast than me lol. He ran into his real pen because the gate was open, and I was able to chase him down when he was in there to take back to his brother in their temporary encloser. Now, anytime I walk at him, he runs like I have a knife in my hand. Did I completely ruin his trust, or is he just pouting? How else should I have gotten him back in his pen?


I find luring is always more effective than chasing. I usually have so e kind of nibble in my pocket for such mad moments. When they get out, they usually don’t run away, go even go far. They just want that grass or other goodie on the other side. I wouldn’t go after him right now, but give him time to come to you again.


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## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

Kenny Battistelli said:


> Sometimes they rub their heads on me. Is that a sign of affection, do they want scratched, or are they challenging me?


I looks like you never got an answer to this question.
Rubbing ng their heads on you is their way of trying to own you (Scent gland between their horns). I was advised not to let my bucks do this. But I didn’t know for their first year, and I let them. It made them think I was their doe after that. It took a while for Jeffrey to learn that he is not alllowed to rub his head on me.


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## Tanya (Mar 31, 2020)

I am so glad you are making head way. 
Head rubbing from a buck is not on. You become the bucks property. And it can cause friction.
Head butting happens when your buck is throwing a tantrum. You can stop this by putting him on the ground and holding him there for a few seconds.
Chasing goats is a predator action. Try not do it unless they are heading towards danger. When you do it you are a bwar or mountain lion. It makes them run faster.  
Goats are like children. They only process "sulk" untill you have a treat for them.
You have done well so far. Keep going.


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## Kenny Battistelli (Nov 29, 2020)

MadHouse said:


> I find luring is always more effective than chasing. I usually have so e kind of nibble in my pocket for such mad moments. When they get out, they usually don’t run away, go even go far. They just want that grass or other goodie on the other side. I wouldn’t go after him right now, but give him time to come to you again.


I didn't have any treats on me at the time, and they usually prefer the lush green woods better than the cookies I have in my hand. 
The strange thing is, after this happened I put him into his temporary enclosed where his brother was, and he actually came up to me. Then he went away after I petted him, so I walk toward him, and he got all scared.


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## Kenny Battistelli (Nov 29, 2020)

MadHouse said:


> I looks like you never got an answer to this question.
> Rubbing ng their heads on you is their way of trying to own you (Scent gland between their horns). I was advised not to let my bucks do this. But I didn’t know for their first year, and I let them. It made them think I was their doe after that. It took a while for Jeffrey to learn that he is not alllowed to rub his head on me.


Thank you for answering this question! I think I figured it out with my goats. One of my goats does it to claim me, the other one does it when he wants to be petted. When they do it to rub their smell, I push their heads away.


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## Kenny Battistelli (Nov 29, 2020)

Tanya said:


> Head rubbing from a buck is not on. You become the bucks property. And it can cause friction.


My one buck likes to claim certain weeds in the pasture lol! Like I said to MadHouse, one of my goats does it to be petted I think because he is really gentle and stops when I start to pet him. 


Tanya said:


> Head butting happens when your buck is throwing a tantrum. You can stop this by putting him on the ground and holding him there for a few seconds.


I will definitely try this next time! 


Tanya said:


> Chasing goats is a predator action. Try not do it unless they are heading towards danger. When you do it you are a bwar or mountain lion. It makes them run faster.


I was overcome by anger as I watch my goat waltz out of the fence and I wanted to catch him quickly and drag him back in. I was very surprised by how fast he was with his short legs!


Tanya said:


> You have done well so far. Keep going.


Thank you for this. Before today, my goats were comfortable with me "hugging" them, touching their stomachs, etc. I definitely bonded to me, or maybe they just tolerate me because I give them food and let them out of their pasture sometimes.


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## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

Kenny Battistelli said:


> Thank you for answering this question! I think I figured it out with my goats. One of my goats does it to claim me, the other one does it when he wants to be petted. When they do it to rub their smell, I push their heads away.


Good for you for figuring it out!
A small suggestion.... instead of pushing his head away (which could encourage them to push back), say No! Sternly and use the spray bottle. I have learned from TGS, that any kind of push, especially of the head, is a bad idea for bucks. They can decide to headbutt you back, maybe not today, but maybe one day. Better to give your message in a way that is not from their own dictionary, so they know you are something other than a goat, they should not treat you like one.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

A lot of great advice here.


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

Kenny Battistelli said:


> So today, one of my goats got out of their encloser. I had then in a small wire fence and one of the posts fell down. While anyway, the goat got out and I chased him, found out he was much fast than me lol. He ran into his real pen because the gate was open, and I was able to chase him down when he was in there to take back to his brother in their temporary encloser. Now, anytime I walk at him, he runs like I have a knife in my hand. Did I completely ruin his trust, or is he just pouting? How else should I have gotten him back in his pen?


Goats frighten easily and it can set you back a bit if you give them a scare, but the nice thing is that they can also be very forgiving and I'm sure with a bit of time and patience you'll win their trust back. Chasing goats never works because as you discovered, they are indeed faster than you! The only time I chase a goat is if Sputnik is sulking about being caught for his morning walk. He thinks if he goes into the scrub brush I won't be able to get him (and he's actually kind of right!), so I will stomp towards him, shout, clap my hands, toss sticks, and make a big hullabaloo until he runs out of there. As soon as he runs out and heads toward the gate I get calm and quiet and approach him gently with the offer of a treat. As soon as he comes to me (or lets me come to him), he gets a reward. He's learning not to hide in the scrub oak anymore--it's not working for him. But definitely always be calm and quiet on your approach. 

If I ever have to "chase" my goats (such as herding them into an enclosure), I do it quietly and at a normal walking pace. I get behind them and direct them by putting an arm out to the side and maybe waving it up and down a little and slapping it on my hip. I might tap a goat on the bottom to get her moving if she stalls out, but I make a point to try not to scare them in the process. I have sometimes chased my goats away from something they aren't supposed to climb on (like my trailer when I'm trying to drive away). I try to make sure the level of "scare" is appropriate to the reaction I want, and as soon as I get that reaction I back off so my goats don't think I'm acting like a predator. Chasing with the intention of catching (as opposed to the intention of making them leave an area) is perceived as threatening and predator-like. Don't try to catch by chasing any more and they'll soon learn to trust you again.


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## Kenny Battistelli (Nov 29, 2020)

Damfino said:


> Goats frighten easily and it can set you back a bit if you give them a scare, but the nice thing is that they can also be very forgiving and I'm sure with a bit of time and patience you'll win their trust back. Chasing goats never works because as you discovered, they are indeed faster than you! The only time I chase a goat is if Sputnik is sulking about being caught for his morning walk. He thinks if he goes into the scrub brush I won't be able to get him (and he's actually kind of right!), so I will stomp towards him, shout, clap my hands, toss sticks, and make a big hullabaloo until he runs out of there. As soon as he runs out and heads toward the gate I get calm and quiet and approach him gently with the offer of a treat. As soon as he comes to me (or lets me come to him), he gets a reward. He's learning not to hide in the scrub oak anymore--it's not working for him. But definitely always be calm and quiet on your approach.
> 
> If I ever have to "chase" my goats (such as herding them into an enclosure), I do it quietly and at a normal walking pace. I get behind them and direct them by putting an arm out to the side and maybe waving it up and down a little and slapping it on my hip. I might tap a goat on the bottom to get her moving if she stalls out, but I make a point to try not to scare them in the process. I have sometimes chased my goats away from something they aren't supposed to climb on (like my trailer when I'm trying to drive away). I try to make sure the level of "scare" is appropriate to the reaction I want, and as soon as I get that reaction I back off so my goats don't think I'm acting like a predator. Chasing with the intention of catching (as opposed to the intention of making them leave an area) is perceived as threatening and predator-like. Don't try to catch by chasing any more and they'll soon learn to trust you again.


My one goat is still scarred from this experience. I walk up to him all the time in his pen, no problem. When I take my goats out to have "play time", which is just time for them to roam around in the woods and yard to eat, and I try to walk toward Clark, he runs away. 

The only time I chase is when they get out of their encloser. They have their pen, which is a large area fence in with t-posts and welded wire. They never get out of this anymore. With all the new plant growth, we have a wire fence that is moveable that Clark gets out of all the time. The first time he got out, I chased him into his pen and was able to catch him in there to drag back to his brother. The second time, both him and his brother got out, and all I had to do was walk towards them and they ran into their pen. Yesterday, Clark got out again and he ran right into his pen after I started walking towards him. I did have to catch him to drag him back to his brother. They don't dare to escape when I am sitting with them but when I leave and watch from a distance, they start banging on the fence. This is why I've been stressing a recall command.


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

When you catch him, make sure not to drag him afterwards. I know he doesn't want to go, but work on your leading skills so that once he's caught, Clark will just walk along with you. If you drag him he'll just get more and more resistant to being caught because he doesn't like what happens afterwards. As mad as you are that he ran away, always reward with pets, kind words, or a food treat when you finally catch him. Then gently encourage him to walk where you want and make a big fuss when he does it. 

Have you considered teaching your goats to tether? If you want them to browse the yard but not wander out of it, a tether can be a great option. You just have to tether them far enough apart from each other so they can't tangle. You can start with a short tether and work up to longer ones as they get used to avoiding entanglements. I had a goat who lived on a 60-foot tether for almost 4 years. The main thing is to make sure someone is always home when goats are tethered. Entanglements and loose dogs are the biggest dangers to tethered goats. When we go on pack trips I bring my orange screws and a couple of lengths of dog chain so I can tether my boys on the trail. Tethering is a great option for letting your goats have some freedom and fresh browse without you having to sit there and micromanage them to keep them out of the neighbor's yard.


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## Tanya (Mar 31, 2020)

Destiny gets out allot. 😁 . Chevani plays hide and seek with her untill she goes to the gate by herself.


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## Kenny Battistelli (Nov 29, 2020)

Damfino said:


> When you catch him, make sure not to drag him afterwards. I know he doesn't want to go, but work on your leading skills so that once he's caught, Clark will just walk along with you. If you drag him he'll just get more and more resistant to being caught because he doesn't like what happens afterwards. As mad as you are that he ran away, always reward with pets, kind words, or a food treat when you finally catch him. Then gently encourage him to walk where you want and make a big fuss when he does it.


I can't even catch him anymore to drag him! Yesterday, I was leading both goats someplace and Clark got loose so I just let him be (we were on our property), took the other goat to where I wanted him to be, and then came back to get Clark. As soon as I got within 6 feet, he bolted toward his pen. I did not approach quickly or threateningly but he was terrified and sprinted away. I calmly walked to the pen and shut the gate to keep him in. Then I went back to his brother and waited a few minutes before going back to Clark. He was a little calmed down but still did not want me to grab his collar. I didn't even run at him or harm him in any way and he was acting like a stink butt!



Damfino said:


> Have you considered teaching your goats to tether?


Tethering would not work for my goats. We have a german shepherd that would kill our goats if they were out in the open, so they can only be roaming outside a fence for a limited amount of time.


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

Kenny Battistelli said:


> I can't even catch him anymore to drag him! Yesterday, I was leading both goats someplace and Clark got loose so I just let him be (we were on our property), took the other goat to where I wanted him to be, and then came back to get Clark. As soon as I got within 6 feet, he bolted toward his pen. I did not approach quickly or threateningly but he was terrified and sprinted away. I calmly walked to the pen and shut the gate to keep him in. Then I went back to his brother and waited a few minutes before going back to Clark. He was a little calmed down but still did not want me to grab his collar. I didn't even run at him or harm him in any way and he was acting like a stink butt!


That's too bad! I'm not sure why he would still be so frightened. I think you'll just have to be calm and patient on this one, and make sure whenever Clark does finally let you approach him, you give him some nice scratches and a treat. He should look forward to you coming up to him. 

I'm currently working on a similar problem with Sputnik. Sputnik has always been a stand-offish goat from the time he was born. Even when he was a few days old, he didn't want to be touched or picked up like the rest of the kids. He would run away if he thought anyone was going to touch him. I can't help but think it's a similar thing to what some autistic humans experience. If humans can be autistic, why can't animals? It took two years of regular positive reinforcement for me to get Sputnik to accept touch and brush, and then only when he was already tied. To this day Sputnik is hesitant about being caught and he hates to be petted. He only tolerates it when he's haltered and knows he can't get away. I also make sure to give him a food treat every time he accepts pets and brushes. He has to be ok with touch or he wouldn't be safe to take to events where kids and old ladies put their hands and faces all over him. Sputnik loves food rewards so this has been a good avenue for teaching him to accept all kinds of training. He's the smartest goat I've ever worked with but he's definitely "different". 

Currently Sputnik is mad at me. He was twitching strangely last Friday and couldn't seem to pick up his feet properly or see ledges. At one point he almost looked like he was having a mild seizure. I suspected it might have been the very early stages or a very mild case of goat polio so I gave him Vitamin B complex injections for a couple of days. A goat his size takes a 12 cc injection and that stuff stings, so needless to say he was not happy with me! Sputnik's symptoms immediately improved, but now he's extremely shy about letting me catch him or put him on the stanchion. I suspect I'll be working with him for a while to regain his trust after this episode. Some goats are very forgiving no matter what you do to them. Sputnik is NOT one of those goats! I wonder if Clark is a grudge-holder too. 



> Tethering would not work for my goats. We have a german shepherd that would kill our goats if they were out in the open, so they can only be roaming outside a fence for a limited amount of time.


That's too bad. Tethering sure could make your life a bit easier!


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## Kenny Battistelli (Nov 29, 2020)

I am pleased to report that Clark has forgiven me! He has gotten out a bunch more times, but after time and time again of not going crazy and calmly walking up to him when he does this, he no longer fears me.


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## Tanya (Mar 31, 2020)

Great news


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## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

Yay! That’s great!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Good to hear.


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