# How long do goats remember?



## Goat_Scout (Mar 23, 2017)

I may be getting a pregnant doe from a breeder in Texas, who is selling out of goats. Last May I got a doe/kid pair from her, and I have really enjoyed those two. 
I have four bred does to choose from (all due December 20th), and so far the breeder has sent me pictures of three. It will be hard deciding which one, they are all beautiful and well-bred animals!

My question is, how good of a memory does a goat have? Will Matilda (the doe I got from the breeder before) remember whichever doe I pick? I think all four of them were either born or raised on the breeder's farm, so Matilda knew them before I bought her. I'm just curious, that's all.


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## groovyoldlady (Jul 21, 2011)

She may remember them. Our first doe was from a farm going out of business. A full year later the former owner came to bring me some supplies. When she saw his truck she went nuts running back and forth and calling (She was a nubian...) When I let her out of the pen she ran right to him and started rubbing on him. She remembered both him AND his truck!


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

Two years ago I sold a yearling pack wether prospect named Snickers. This summer the owner came to watch me give a packgoat class and he pet my goat Sputnik, who is the twin brother to Snickers. When the man got home to Snickers, Snickers sniffed him eagerly all over and made some funny grunting noises and all his hair stood up. He'd never done that before when the man had been out around other goats. Clearly there was some recollection there just from the scent.


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## Goat_Scout (Mar 23, 2017)

groovyoldlady said:


> She may remember them. Our first doe was from a farm going out of business. A full year later the former owner came to bring me some supplies. When she saw his truck she went nuts running back and forth and calling (She was a nubian...) When I let her out of the pen she ran right to him and started rubbing on him. She remembered both him AND his truck!


That is so sweet!


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## Goat_Scout (Mar 23, 2017)

Damfino said:


> Two years ago I sold a yearling pack wether prospect named Snickers. This summer the owner came to watch me give a packgoat class and he pet my goat Sputnik, who is the twin brother to Snickers. When the man got home to Snickers, Snickers sniffed him eagerly all over and made some funny grunting noises and all his hair stood up. He'd never done that before when the man had been out around other goats. Clearly there was some recollection there just from the scent.


Wow! _Two_ years!


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## Ranger1 (Sep 1, 2014)

I think they remember, but I don't know if they always show it. I bought a yearling doe from a herd, and the next year bought another yearling doe from the same herd. Going by the age of the goats, they had "known" each other for 4 months before I had bought the older one. I wondered if there would be any recognition-if there was, it was only that the older doe remembered the younger doe as being a young, annoying kid who probably bounced on her back every time she took a nap. At any rate, she treated it like any new goat and beat it up. If it had been an older doe or her dam, I'm sure I would have seen different signs proving that they knew each other.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Yes they remember. Some friends sold a buck & a year later went to visit. That buck saw his former owner & called out to him.
I went to visit folks who bought a young doe, she came right to the fence & told me she wanted to come back home.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Yes, I believe they do remember for quite sometime.


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

They remember, but, take a doe out to kid, put her back in a few days with the same group she had been with for 3 years and they all act like she is a stranger and proceed to beat her and each other up! 

I think goats have much more intelligence than they are given credit for. I also think they have a pretty good memory. (And some try and show neither!)


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