# When to call it quits?



## NH546 (Oct 2, 2013)

We have three goats that we have had for about 2 months. 2 does 1 wether. We are training them to pack. They walk in the trails with us every other day. We have been training them on a leash and a string. The bigger doe and wether are awesome. They string well together and walk on a leash real well. The smaller doe resists all. Weather she is on the leash by herself or in the string snd it does not matter where she is in the string. We originally only wanted 2. She is smaller than the other 2 and she just doesn't have that look in her eyes. The other 2 look at you like they understand. So my question is when do you cut your losses and send her to somebody who will use her as amilker? They are alpines by the wsy.


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## idahonancy (Dec 13, 2008)

There may not be a clear answer to your question. You did not say how old she is. Does she respond to treats where you could reward her? Is she bond to people? I have a goat that draggs behind when on a leash. If he is having fun he walks great. He wears a halter so he is easy to lead but I keep a pinch collar on him just in case he decides for some reason known only to him he has to start dragging on the lead. He never drags on the pinch collar, I always put it on him when we walk and I never have to use it. He knows it is there. However he is very bonded to me and walks well most of the time. He is bossy and now and then he tries for a moment to see if I am paying attention. A pinch collar is made for dogs but works well for this goat. I walk 3 goats at once. 2 of the goats use a double dog lead that has a swival so they can change positions. They walk beside each other most often. If you doe was comfortable with one of the other goats maybe she would walk on a lead tied to another goat.
I hope your doe is bonded and you find a way to communicate fun to her goat language. My trick would only work for a goat who is being bossy but over all enjoys walking.


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

The only thing I can say is, packing is suppose to be fun and relaxing. Do what you need to, to make it so.


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## NH546 (Oct 2, 2013)

They are 8 months. They were bottle fed. I am curious about her rearing. During the day I will go sit in the barn with them and Fred and Buddy will lay right on me and snuggle up. Molly is stand offish. She is also a treat snob. I cluck my tongue and Fred and Buddy come running they could care less if it's a carrot, apple, fruit loop , or a pb cracker they want it. Molly only wants it when she wants it. Makes it hard to use a treat as positive reinforcement.


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## Darlaj (Dec 10, 2013)

I would think that just wondering when it's time to give up means its time to give up.... If you are not feeling it it's time to move on.... Sometimes things just don't fit


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## Barnes19 (Sep 8, 2013)

Sometimes you get an odd one ... 

I'm not a packer at all, but I have a similar doe who's never come out of leading problems. 

She's 2 1/2 years old, born here, I let her mum raise her and started lead training her at about 8 weeks old ... worked a treat on every other kid, not her. 

She still leads badly, sometimes even acts up like she'd never seen a lead before in her life. Really weird ... she's towed me dragging on the ground multiple times. I'm not big and shes a tiny girl but she hauls like a cart horse.

I'll never call anything untrainable ... but with Miss I've more or less said enough bruises and scrapes you can be managed other ways.

It sounds like she doesn't see much value in human contact/company ... try and make friends with her (ok state the obvious I'm sure you've done that) ... does she have a sweet spot (somewhere she likes being scratched so much she goes gaga) ... every goat has one, sometimes lots of attention to her sweet spots makes a world of difference to her opinion of human contact and thats a start.

Have you tried wandering lots of different things under her nose as treats? She's bound to have something that she'll jump through hoops for ... try all sorts ... one of mine likes flowers, another will go crazy on parsley and nothing else. What about a handful of normal hard feed? Most goats will do anything to get their teeth on some of their normal grain ... sweet feed's good it smells nice.


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## Houdini (Dec 4, 2013)

I found that if they don't want to be with you, you separate her from the other goats where she can't see them. This will cause her to be lonely and want some company and if your the only company she gets then she will bond very quickly. Also she will most likely cry for the first while. 
When my goat was away from the other goats for the first time she became very clingy and didn't want me to leave her sight.
Now my uncles goat if terrified of people. She wasn't getting enough food so we separated her form the others and now even she is desperate for my company(even though shes terrified of me) lol  
That's one thing to try.
Ohhh a way to make an automatic sweet spot is to leave a snug collar on for about a week. They get very itchy and love it to be itches


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

what is her position in the herd. She couldbe ofstandish because she is low ranking and gets mobbed by the others when she dares to come closer. This could also be the reason why she's reluctant to follow/work.

And looking at her age, she could go thru a growth spurt or have problems with growth related issues like osteochondrosis dissecans.


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