# >Need to start<



## Kaneel (Oct 7, 2012)

I just recently started raising my first animal for FFA, a little boer doeling, about 3 months old, for breeding, and I need some help on exactly what to train her for, and how to do it.I know she needs to walk on the show collar, and for right now I'm trying to just get her used to the collar in general, but I don't think I'm making good progress. I'm using a dog collar and lead atm, since whenever I use the chain she basically chokes herself to death. She really hates the way the collar has to be held, is there any way to soften her up to it? She loves alfalfa and grass, when I have her on the leash she will follow me with it(the goats are worked on a pasture so if I let her off of the leash she will just graze and not follow me most of the time). I've tried getting her to follow beside me holding the collar up with alfalfa, but she still won't budge. She's softened up to me for the most part, she'll even follow me around a bit without the leash. Any advice will be helpful for this since I doubt it will be good in the show ring to have to lead her around with alfalfa.

She seems calmer and more trusting with me, than the other goats at the farm with their owners are. I think it might have something to do with the fact that I saw her a few times before we took her from the breeder, and that I'm not as...rough with her as others are to their goats. But I'm worried that she isn't on a good training track because of it. She isn't walking all that well on a leash, while some people's goats(although they are practically choked while doing it) will walk well enough BESIDE their owner, I can only get my goat to follow me, using food. This worries me a lot because if I am training her wrong I could ruin any chance we have at being successful in show. I would prefer a kinder approach rather than choking her with the collar right off the bat, and I don't want to prod her with a stick or have anyone chase or follow her to get her to walk, as it's hard enough already to touch her legs.

I can touch and pet her no problem except for her shoulder+hips down. She's gotten better with it, I can touch her belly and front legs sometimes but most times she jumps away, and 95% of the time when I touch her back legs she flips out. Is there any methods to get her to allow me to touch and pick up her legs? I need to be able to do this easily since she will need her hooves trimmed.

Any advice anyone can give me on training, and general interaction with the goat will be welcome and helpful. 


Thank You All,
K~


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Your goat will need to be unafraid of you in order to show. It can be difficult, but you will earn her trust through kindness.


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## Kaneel (Oct 7, 2012)

I think I'm doing good trust-wise  I let her off of the leash today and when she couldn't see me, or when I walked away she would baa and chase after me. So I think she's warming up to me a lot more. And I was able to pick up her feet, front and back today, as well as rub her stomach without much protest. I'm thinking of getting her a halter to work with her. She might to better with it. She still isn't doing well with a collar.

I was wondering if you can use a halter on a goat in the show ring? I've heard that you can a couple of times but I've also been told that you can't.


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## HaleyD (Sep 12, 2012)

From my experience it seems like they walk better on halter than they do with collars for when you are exercising her.

I don't think you are allowed to show them with halter-I've never been to a show where it was allowed. If you are in FFA you can ask your ag teacher and he will tell you


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## FFApride (Oct 8, 2012)

to get her used to being touched, when she's eating brush her. Brush her all the way down to her hooves. I did that with mine from day one. They still have some issues being touched, but at least their not trying to rip their own legs off.
Okay for the halter training, I'm also having issues this year, because mine are soooo stubborn. They're not afraid of me, just hate being tugged at. My goat last year, was the opposite. He would run in the show-ring and walk in front of me, and I had to keep pushing him back into his halter. But to get him to that point, it took him being walked behind another goat. Once they have one to follow, they do better. You're going to have to be able to pull her some for she knows you're in charge. This year I only have one goat that follows me with no problem... My doe though, she will fight me, probably always will. 
I've tried the whole pinching their butt stuff. Maybe you could try that, and when on the halter, and she doesn't walk, kinda pinch the skin on the point of her back.


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## Kaneel (Oct 7, 2012)

I didn't want to mess with her while trying to get her used to the collar, but I think I'll have to now. I'm going to see if I can get a halter for her today. And I interact with her every time she eats, and she's getting a lot better.


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