# Never shown need help!



## hscottom87 (Mar 21, 2013)

We are brand spanking new to showing goats & know nothing! We brought home a week ago a 2 month old doeling. There's a show in a month we'd like to attend. How do I train the goat to "show"? How do I teach her to lead & teach her to set her feet correctly? I'm feeding her a good quality feed specifically for show goats & chaffhaye. Not sure if I should give her any of those supplements I see on the show goat website. I know does are finished out differently then wethers. I'm just lost! Any & all advice is appreciated.


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## HamiltonAcresBoers (May 9, 2012)

First off- welcome to the world of show goats! We're happy to have you  what breed is she? Start her off on a halter in a few weeks.


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## Kaneel (Oct 7, 2012)

Is it a small, prospect show? Honestly if you just bought the goat you shouldn't show it. It already is stressed out by going to a new home, now it's brought to a new place to be dragged around with other goats? I believe it's unneeded stress on the baby. For now, I would work on bonding with the animal, try getting it to follow you. Then try having it follow you on a leash. Take it slow! You have time


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## HamiltonAcresBoers (May 9, 2012)

Kaneel said:


> Is it a small, prospect show? Honestly if you just bought the goat you shouldn't show it. It already is stressed out by going to a new home, now it's brought to a new place to be dragged around with other goats? I believe it's unneeded stress on the baby. For now, I would work on bonding with the animal, try getting it to follow you. Then try having it follow you on a leash. Take it slow! You have time


I think a month is plenty of time to settle in.


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## hscottom87 (Mar 21, 2013)

Boer goat. It is a smaller show. Designed mainly for kids. This goat is for my 6 year old.


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## Kaneel (Oct 7, 2012)

HamiltonAcresBoers said:


> I think a month is plenty of time to settle in.


 Depends on the goat. And it is enough time to settle in, but personally I wouldn't start training. But if you want to get your 6 year old some experience, it would probably be good to show in this show.


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## VincekFarm (Jun 27, 2011)

I think it would be good experience for both goat and your child. It's best to start young from my experience. You just need to get the goat comfortable walking next to you on a leash, which might take awhile depending on the goat. Then once the goat seems comfortable switch over to a collar/show chain. To start off with the feet just touch her feet often and get her used to moving them and possibly try to chine her? Chining is when you press down lightly with your fingertips along the spine and infront of the hips. I'm not sure if it is correct to chine with meat goats, but that is what we do in dairy goat shows. Are you bottle feeding her or is she weaned?


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## caprine crazy (Jun 12, 2012)

I would work with walking her at a consistant speed. Then stand her still, don't mess with her feet. That will come later and since it's just for your 6 year old it will be easier on him/her if they can just walk the goat. If you can get her to walk good, lead/stop on command, then that will be great. I prefer starting younger kids out with an older doe/wether that can already lead and stop on command and has been shown before because then the goat is less likely to run all over the place and will behave in the show ring. Then, your little one won't feel bad because their goat tried to run away on them. And sometimes, just because they do well at home doesn't mean they will walk good at the show. Sometimes they don't like being around goats they don't know or they don't like the texture on their feet or they just don't feel like walking!


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