# How can I get our dog(s) to stop chasing our goats?



## Crax (Jun 1, 2020)

This is probably a question that’s been asked numerous times but we have dogs that never seem to stop chasing my goats when they’re out in pasture, so what’re some good methods to stop them from doing so? My most effective method is keeping them in when the goats are out, but that goes by quick when my mom ALWAYS lets them out after the keep banging on the back door, and I always tell her to leave them in :/ so what are some other methods to stop them? I get chasing is instinct but we have a dog that can easily kill both my goats (an Alaskan malemute) and I don’t want that to happen before it’s already done, cause these goats are my babies and if anything happened to them it’d be horrible.


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## CountyLineAcres (Jan 22, 2014)

No dogs should be running with goats that are not livestock guardian breeds. It only takes a second for an absolute disaster to occur. Especially with dogs that have very high prey drives like Malamutes.

If you have no other options, you could go the e-collar route, but I advise against it unless you know what you’re doing. I would try to remedy the situation another way first.


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## Ashlynn (Oct 1, 2017)

I would keep them away from the goats. You could try a shock collar and zap them when they start chasing the goats, but that would still be taking a risk. Our Brittanies are fine with the goats except for the babies as the babies run faster and are more fun to chase, but I only trust mine because 1. They’re a soft mouth breed and 2. I know they would never actually grab one. We have had dogs from our neighborhood kill our goats years ago and would hate that to happen to anyone else.


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## Crax (Jun 1, 2020)

Sad thing is they both share a yard, we have an acre of land, we’ve done e collars before while they work on our other dogs the malemute never feels it, the malemute isn’t even our dog technically, he belongs to my brother so I don’t get why we’re housing him in the first place, I agree a breed like that shouldn’t be with them, everyone except me thought he’d be fine with them but unlike them I knew what he was capable of, hopefully my brother gets the ok to house him at his apartment if he doesn’t I’ll just keep the goats in their pen.


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## Ashlynn (Oct 1, 2017)

Crax said:


> Sad thing is they both share a yard, we have an acre of land, we've done e collars before while they work on our other dogs the malemute never feels it, the malemute isn't even our dog technically, he belongs to my brother so I don't get why we're housing him in the first place, I agree a breed like that shouldn't be with them, everyone except me thought he'd be fine with them but unlike them I knew what he was capable of, hopefully my brother gets the ok to house him at his apartment if he doesn't I'll just keep the goats in their pen.


Could you possibly fence in a portion of the yard to allow the dog to run in without getting to the goats? Like a small corner? Obviously you won't want to if you're brother is going to be able to take the dog to the apartment, but if you are gonna keep the dog at your place might be worth a try.


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## Crax (Jun 1, 2020)

Sad thing is everyone in my family except me thought our malemute wouldn't do anything to our goats due to the fact he's "fat and lazy" which isn't true 


Ashlynn said:


> Could you possibly fence in a portion of the yard to allow the dog to run in without getting to the goats? Like a small corner? Obviously you won't want to if you're brother is going to be able to take the dog to the apartment, but if you are gonna keep the dog at your place might be worth a try.


might be but then again my parents fenced our whole acre just so the dogs could run around, we had a backyard fence but that was taken down, I was very for keeping it, but everyone else was for taking it down, likelyhood of anymore fencing is very low sadly


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## Ashlynn (Oct 1, 2017)

Sorry your in that situation, I would keep the goats up until the dog is inside the house with no one to let him out or at the apartment. You have a pen for the goats you said correct?


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## CountyLineAcres (Jan 22, 2014)

I hope everything works out for you. I understand how hard it can be not having a say in how things are done. I know you just want what’s best for your goats!


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## Crax (Jun 1, 2020)

Ashlynn said:


> Sorry your in that situation, I would keep the goats up until the dog is inside the house with no one to let him out or at the apartment. You have a pen for the goats you said correct?


Yep we do, they stay in the pen when nobody's out to watch them or in this case when the two dogs that chase them are out


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## Ashlynn (Oct 1, 2017)

Crax said:


> Yep we do, they stay in the pen when nobody's out to watch them or in this case when the two dogs that chase them are out


Okay, they should be fine in there then. Definitely safer than being with the pupper. Welcome to the forum by the way!


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Did you have a high quality e-collar when you used one? There are quite a few different models and some are not quite as good as others.

Prey drive is a really tough thing to break a dog of. Does the dog seem obsessive about it? Anxious, whining, yipping when chasing? Does the dog get other forms of exercise allowing it to vent this energy it has for chasing?

How does the dog react to reprimands? Has the dog been taught to not do any other undesirable behaviors in the past?


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## Crax (Jun 1, 2020)

MellonFriend said:


> Did you have a high quality e-collar when you used one? There are quite a few different models and some are not quite as good as others.
> 
> Prey drive is a really tough thing to break a dog of. Does the dog seem obsessive about it? Anxious, whining, yipping when chasing? Does the dog get other forms of exercise allowing it to vent this energy it has for chasing?
> 
> How does the dog react to reprimands? Has the dog been taught to not do any other undesirable behaviors in the past?


I'm uncertain what the e collar was as I'm not the one who bought/got it, he shows no anxious behavior, and doesn't yip or whine when chasing them, He DID have another way to vent out through walking but nobody's taken him out in a while, the only two people able to keep a good hold on his leash are my dad and brother, he pulls too hard for me or my mom to have a good grip on the leash, when we do reprimand him he either listens or doesn't, we've managed to break him if digging in some trash cans the only one we haven't is the one in the bathroom for certain reasons I won't get into. He's a good dog don't get me wrong but aside from his goodness he's like a devil in disguise to be real honest.


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## 21goaties (Mar 13, 2018)

What do the goats have to eat in their pen? How big is the pen and how many goats?


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## Crax (Jun 1, 2020)

21goaties said:


> What do the goats have to eat in their pen? How big is the pen and how many goats?


They eat sweet feed, we have two Nigerian dwarfs, and the pen is 6 ft by 6 ft I'm sure might even be 7 actually


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

I would seriously consider rehoming him to a better environment - he needs lots of excercise - and attention. Talk to your brother - a malamute in an apartement without daily excercise leads to problems. I had one for 10 years . She was never in with the goats and had plenty of space on her own, but I wouldn't trust her loose in the pasture with the goats.... ever.


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Crax said:


> I'm uncertain what the e collar was as I'm not the one who bought/got it, he shows no anxious behavior, and doesn't yip or whine when chasing them, He DID have another way to vent out through walking but nobody's taken him out in a while, the only two people able to keep a good hold on his leash are my dad and brother, he pulls too hard for me or my mom to have a good grip on the leash, when we do reprimand him he either listens or doesn't, we've managed to break him if digging in some trash cans the only one we haven't is the one in the bathroom for certain reasons I won't get into. He's a good dog don't get me wrong but aside from his goodness he's like a devil in disguise to be real honest.


Well the fact that he isn't obsessive makes me think that there's a chance for him learn. Exercise would be a must though. No dog can learn to control their own behavior without proper exercise. Also it would take a HUGE amount of commitment to even have a chance of correcting this behavior.


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Crax said:


> They eat sweet feed, we have two Nigerian dwarfs, and the pen is 6 ft by 6 ft I'm sure might even be 7 actually


Do you have hay available for them?


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## 21goaties (Mar 13, 2018)

Crax said:


> They eat sweet feed, we have two Nigerian dwarfs, and the pen is 6 ft by 6 ft I'm sure might even be 7 actually


Could you possibly post a pic of it?

Are the goaties bucks, does, or wethers?

Do they have hay to eat?


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## Crax (Jun 1, 2020)

MellonFriend said:


> Well the fact that he isn't obsessive makes me think that there's a chance for him learn. Exercise would be a must though. No dog can learn to control their own behavior without proper exercise. Also it would take a HUGE amount of commitment to even have a chance of correcting this behavior.


I agree, thankfully we've been good on


21goaties said:


> Could you possibly post a pic of it?
> 
> Are the goaties bucks, does, or wethers (or any combination of those)?
> 
> Do they have hay to eat?


they are both doelings and they do have hay to eat


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## Ashlynn (Oct 1, 2017)

E-collars by the brand SportDog are good if you want to try with that again


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## Ashlynn (Oct 1, 2017)

We run the dogs in the morning and at night so they are calm during the day. In your case running him would just mean playing with him very intensely for like 30 minutes to an hour. If he likes balls you could get this soccer ball that is made just for dogs and won’t pop, my dog is obsessed with it. Also teaching the commands come or here if he doesn’t know them already. I find other than a dog’s name, they are the most important command. My first dog was trained by taking her to group professional training classes but my second dog was trained through you do this you get treat, you do that you get yelled at. My dogs are very different in how they learn and respond to different situations. Find what works for him. I wanna say be patient, but I know how frustrating this must be with it being your brother’s dog.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree to keep the dogs away from the goats.


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Something else that could be done for exercise is bicycling with them. This way you would be able to go farther and faster therefore give the dog more exercise without tiring yourself out as easy.


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## Ashlynn (Oct 1, 2017)

The only thing with biking is that the dog could pull you over, so you have to train them to do that too.


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## Crax (Jun 1, 2020)

MellonFriend said:


> Something else that could be done for exercise is bicycling with them. This way you would be able to go farther and faster therefore give the dog more exercise without tiring yourself out as easy.


Haha funny thing is I'm afraid of biking for the life of me, you can't put me on a bike for anything :,)


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Crax said:


> Haha funny thing is I'm afraid of biking for the life of me, you can't put me on a bike for anything :,)


Oh okay, I guess that's not going to work.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Oh boy this is a very tough situation you are in. I agree a fence to keep them apart is best but even then the dog IMO needs to know that the goats are a big fat NO! I also second (or third) the shock collar. I have herding dogs. The one is also my companion and there is no keeping him away from me. He thinks his number one job in live is to constantly be by my side. But they all herd and were trained to do so, but not a single one will herd the goats because I never had the goats as some fascination on the other side of the fence that might be a play thing if they ever found a way in or the goats out, because to be quite honest I will not keep any animal that kills another. The shock collar has been a HUGE key in training all 5 dogs between mine and my parents. My male, who was actually the most hard headed out of them all pays right by me while I’m doing anything with the goats. 
I understand that it’s not your dog and you have hope he will go live with his owner but a shock caller is a lot cheaper then a vet bill and worth not having a broken heart


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## Ashlynn (Oct 1, 2017)

Yes, and also remember shock collars are used along side training. Using a shock collar ONLY, can ruin a dog. With training AND a collar, you can teach them to mind you.


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## Goatzrule (Feb 7, 2013)

For getting energy out a flirt pole is a great tool. I agree with what others stated and want to add that he is a very high energy dog, they are bred to pull for *miles *so they need a job and they need to run. Its not fair to him to be cooped up, finding an outlet for him should be a top priority


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## Crax (Jun 1, 2020)

Anyone still confused and need clarification: I don’t let the goats out when the dogs are out, the dogs are the ones being let out when the goats are out, I’ve explained numerous times to my mom, whom is the one responsible for the dogs that she should keep them in since they aren’t lgds for the goats, and she lets them out anyways, even if I can keep them in for an hour would be a blessing but I never can make it 10 minutes as those dogs see the goats outside and want out even if they don’t need to use the bathroom so my mom lets them out, I just want the goats to have more space to roam for a bit as this is their home too, their pen is a good size but it’s mainly their safe space when I’m not outside, so I hate leaving them in the pen whenever I go to check on them, I guess they’ll have to learn now that they can’t come out when I’m outside with them even though ones already got the memo that she’s able to.


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

What if you took your goats out on leashes? I do that with my goats. Maybe then they could still get some pasture time with you right there to reprimand the dogs? It's just a thought I don't know if it would be safe for them with the dogs right there. Or maybe do it the other way around. Purposely take the dogs out on leashes and let the goats out and just keep the dogs away?


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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

Crax said:


> I'm uncertain what the e collar was as I'm not the one who bought/got it, he shows no anxious behavior, and doesn't yip or whine when chasing them, He DID have another way to vent out through walking but nobody's taken him out in a while, the only two people able to keep a good hold on his leash are my dad and brother, he pulls too hard for me or my mom to have a good grip on the leash, when we do reprimand him he either listens or doesn't, we've managed to break him if digging in some trash cans the only one we haven't is the one in the bathroom for certain reasons I won't get into. He's a good dog don't get me wrong but aside from his goodness he's like a devil in disguise to be real honest.


Start with obedience training him! For the leash walking.... pull the leash between the front legs and then pull it up like normal. He may try to pull but will realized he really cannot with the leash this way. A pinch collar may help and they do not hurt the dog just lets them know to stop pulling by the pinch. If used correctly.

Basic commands are very important to teach this dog. He is gonna be a heavy animal and he must listen to be safe for everyone. I have a 160lb irish wolfhound (the iw are sight hounds)... he will absolutely stop on our command even when he is flat out running to chase a deer. He will go down and stay for as long as we want him to be no matter the circumstances. Positive reinforcement (rubs, silly happy voices and treats are great for this) is very helpful and important when teaching obedience. And. Teaching obedience can be easy and fun for everyone. It can be made into a game but it also burns energy as well.

It sounds like this dog NEEDS more walks and interaction time. He is bored so is making bad habits of chasing the goats. The goats run and that is fun for him. A malamute has a very active brain and is high energy.... we had one for 18 years (ours was a husky malamute) so i do know how they are. These dogs do not "get a brain" until about four years old. Then they calm down some but are not couch potatoes. They need tons of activity to get rid of their energy.


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## moonspinner (Oct 5, 2007)

I have to keep it real and the fault here is with your brother. No malamute or husky should be confined to an apartment. If your bro truly cares about his dog and how this is affecting you and your goats he needs to rehome for the betterment of the animal AND for you. This should not be your problem. I had a neighbor with a husky who he could not control and the dog was constantly chasing my goats. Dogs can run a goat to death. I had to get firm with my neighbor and he did end up rehoming.


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## Goatzrule (Feb 7, 2013)

@Sfgwife Thats good to know about this breed, I knew they were high maintenance but I never really knew the extent. Definitely not for a beginner, Would you say they need a stable and consistent home environment?


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## whitepackgoats (Jun 8, 2020)

My advice is that you should earn some money and buy a dog kennel for your brother's dog, and then kennel him outside with you when the goats are out. That way you can be absolutely sure that the dog won't get out, because he'll be kenneled outside and not bothering your mom. I know it really isn't cool that you have to buy a kennel for someone else's dog, but part of being an adult is making up for other people's dumbness sometimes (sorry if that sounds harsh). You can get a kennel large enough for a malamute to lay down and turn around in for $100 at Walmart or D&B (farm store). Obviously you won't want to keep him in there very long, but he'll be fine for 30min to an hour as long as he has water and you let him go to the bathroom before you kennel him. If you have no way to earn money, I suggest having a serious conversation with your brother. Tell him that you love your goats just as much as he loves his dog, and it would be more fair to all of the animals if he bought a kennel for his dog so that the goats can play outside sometimes too. Tell him how you plan to use it, and that you'll be sure not to overuse it. If he is a reasonable person then he will buy a kennel.


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

Or how about this--when the goats go out in the pasture, the dog goes in the small goat pen and vice versa. As long as there is shelter for the goats in the pasture then it should work. 

Another idea is to run a clothesline with a runner chain on it for the dog. If the dog goes out unattended, he has to be on the runner chain. Since he chases the goats, the goats won't go to the area where the dog is chained. I have a runner chain for my LGD because he tends to roam when I'm not home. He can get some good exercise running back and forth on it. As long as there is shade, shelter, and water for the dog he should be fine and will get more "outdoor time" without the ability to chase the goats. As long as the dog gets walked regularly and has plenty of human interaction and "off-chain" time he should not become frustrated about being on a runner for a good part of the day.


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## Moers kiko boars (Apr 23, 2018)

I would go buy a long chain, good dog collar, chain the dog up while the goats eat. Dont put the dogd in the house to let them out by other people. Im sure you can find a corner post, wheel of a car. And chain the dogs up. After.goats are finished and put up. Let the dogs off the chain.


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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

Goatzrule said:


> @Sfgwife Thats good to know about this breed, I knew they were high maintenance but I never really knew the extent. Definitely not for a beginner, Would you say they need a stable and consistent home environment?


I would not say not for a beginner... just that they absolutely MUST have exercise at least twice a day. They do better with positive reinforcement than negative. They are crazy smart dogs and need something to keep their brain busy and they need be able to get out their energy. They need consistent rules from everyone in the home. Same rules different people. So one cannot say it is ok for the dog to beg for food when another says no.

Ours loved our middle son but they were both adhd babies lol! If one was having a hard day i would have our son go take Kane for a long walk. They both always came back lighter and more happy. Even if the walk was only around the yard several times. Most animals will have their special person but will love everyone in the home.

This dog may love to play ball... it is not hard for anyone to take ten minutes throwing a ball with him. Make an agility course out of things laying around. It will make his brain work and get the energy out too. Hide his baby (ours loved his toys and all were baby) and have him find it. When he find baby give him a cookie. We just used the tinny dog biscuits for treats.

Basic obedience it not hard to teach these dogs, it will burn energy and help you in the long run to control him. Leash walking is also important even though you may not use it much. Teach him tricks. Ours absolutely loved to be brushed. If he was nutty even after a good walk or playtime out the brush came. He would lay there forever and let anyone brush him. That always calmed him to the point of a nap lol!

I just think chasing the goats is him playing because he needs to burn off that energy and he needs to be taught the rules (no chasing the goats). Not because he is a bad dog most likely.

We got Kane when he was about four months old and he lived until he was 18ish. At about four he calmed down quite a bit. Meaning we could go two or three days between a long walk or long play times. Only about the last two years of his life did he not look forward to his walks. Even then he loved them but his old bones did not. We lived in florida at that time and we always got a pup cup of ice cream on our walks. So when he did not want to go we brought his home with us.... or he also liked us to pull his big ole butt in the wagon lol! He would dance like he was two for his pup cups. . He has been gone from us for four years now and we still miss our old man winter! He was an amazing boy.


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## Frank Alvarez (Dec 16, 2019)

I have both a malmute and husky . I also have cats, cows, goats, chickens and guineas. We initially had a big problem with the dogs chasing all the animals when we moved here. The dogs have killed armadillas, snakes, *****, rabbits, cats, chickens and guineas. Before we took steps to stop it,(first day we moved in) took us 2 hours to catch the dogs the first time they got in the pasture with the cows . The best solution has been an invisible fence with shock collars , manual shock collars and when the malmute is really stubborn, like when she attacks the husky or cat , using a cattle prod. With these dogs,especially the malmute,for the shock collars to work, their hair is so thick that you must shave the hair on the under side of the neck where the prongs should hit the skin and tighten the collar so the prongs actually do touch the skin. You must train the dogs to respect the fence. With the cat the shock collar and cattle prod have trained the malmute from attacking/ killing it , but she still steals its food. The dogs have both learned how to open all our doors and let themselves in and out when ever they wish, so we can't stop them from going in and out unless we lock all the doors. The goats and poultry are in a fenced area with the invisible fence outside that so the dogs can not get to close to the fence as they get shocked if they get too close. If you do not have a fence between them this would not work as the goats would not respect the invisible fence, even if the dogs do. Training with a leash and manual shock collar may be a good option to train the dog to not attack the goats(that is how I trained ours to not attack the cat) . As suggested above, a pen for your brother's malmute seems like a good idea(my malmute does not tolerate heat well though) if all else fails. You can likely get one even cheaper than Walmart on craigs list or make one from cattle panels.Hope this helps.Good luck.


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## gmjnmeg (May 21, 2019)

I know Bro is in an apt, but unless it's unreasonable for him to drive over to your family house, he should be there daily.
Also, I think it's unlikely the apt complex will allow the dog. If they didn't before the lease was signed, it was because of legal headaches/damage to property/etc. Lots and lots of reasons. Miracles do happen, but for your own peace of mind, I would write that off and not put time or energy into hoping for it.
The dog is bored.
You can get puzzles, play games with him, etc. (My favorite is "find it" where you hide treats around the house or room and give him the command, then he goes and, well, finds it.)
I agree he NEEDS exercise, but that won't solve the problem. He'll just get faster and have more endurance. He should still get exercise, but he'll just be able to go from the house to the goats in less time, so not a solution on it's own.
Family dynamics can be really stressful and terribly unfair. I feel you're being put in a very unfair (and possibly unsafe) position. So is the dog.
So here's how I suggest fixing it, or trying to:
1. Make sure your goats are really safe in their own pen. Possibly invest in electric fencing. I love my dog, but I wouldn't trust a shih tzu with my goats, let alone a malamute, so do make sure they are safe from a dog that would jump or dig, etc. It can be $$, but it might help. I have bought from Premier
2. Sorry goats, no yard time for a while. Your mom sounds like she has her own thing going on, and it's not the goats or the dogs. That's cool. It probably means if you take the problem in hand and can be proactive, she won't get in your way.
3. Dogs are pack animals. Half your problem is that there are 2 of them. They can't help it, they are mutant wolves. Try to keep them from being out together with the goats.
4. Why not take some obedience classes with them? If you can find a dog obedience/dog training group, you'll probably have fun and the dog definitely will. My dog LOVED dog obedience class day, and it really helped train ME. I noticed a huge difference for the better with both of us. Ask around, Google some places, watch some classes, talk to people, see what fits and try out Obedience Level 1. Odds are good that you will become Fido's favorite person. And you might even source a great home if your brother decides he can't handle the dog.
Pro tip: your brother should cover the cost of the class.
5. The trash can thing isn't just gross, it's dangerous. The whole family needs to figure something out before the dog ends up needing an emergency vet trip. I mean, serious $$$ vs whatever a really good trash can would cost.
Also, in the event a dog hurts a goat, who has to fork over the $$ for the vet? Or God forbid a goat is killed, what is the price to "replace" said goat? I know they are your babies, so it might feel odd to put a price tag on them, but money matters. Sometimes having a price tag that SOMEONE ELSE has to cover will keep their attention longer.
Pro tip: kinda think your bro should pay for the new trash can, too, but that's me. Pick your battles.
6. Last, and this is really critical:
Dogs get shot for chasing livestock.
Not even maiming, just chasing.
You might not shoot them for chasing your goats; but iftif get out and harrass someone else's livestock, most of the time the livestock owner is well within their legal right to shoot them.
And believe me, people will. 
It's not fair to the livestock, and it's not fair to the dogs, which is why we have to be the responsible species and keep everyone safe.
Don't worry, you can do it!
Best of luck!


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## CCCSAW (Jul 11, 2019)

I know you have gotten a lot of advice, I've been following, and I know a lot of it is difficult for you to do yourself. 

Fact is your goats need a larger safe area and the dogs need a smaller separation area. But it's the working with other household opinions that's the issue. 

Try, and I do mean try, to get them to understand. Set agreed upon times for the goats to be out and dogs to be in, no exceptions dogs need to go out to potty before or wait. Or for that agreed time the dogs must be on a lead line, or invisible boundary, or in a kennel if outside. I mean it's a few hours a day not all day. A lead line would be the cheapest, I like the ground stake type. We use an invisible boundary now but my hound dog ignored it for a long time (honestly it's really just so she doesn't run off into thr hills). They cost a bit but if it works you can have multiple dogs on 1 system.

As for training, the hardest things I see for you is control. Leash training with the goats is possible but not if you can't control the dogs. And then it needs to be consistent meaning anyone who let's the dogs out when the goats are out has to have them and keep them on the leash. It's hard work. I know its not the same but I did it with my dog and my chickens. It took time though, and though they might not seem anxious around the goats the fact that they are begging to go out to play proves they are, and it will be worse on the leash to start with. With my dog, she's a blood hound plot hound mix she was very curious about the chickens (my first livestock) but never concerning. I never planned to let her free roam with the chickens because of prey drive but after a few chicken escapes decided it was best for both them and the dog, she never hurt them but did chase. So I took the dog inside in the evening and let the chickens out as I always had done. But after a little time i got the leash and took Daisy out to potty, this was intentional, as I didn't expect her to go potty nor did she act like she needed too. Basically once outside I just watched her mood. I only took her into the yard far enough to potty if she needed but otherwise she had to stay on the patio with me. Once she started get anxious, basically any undesired behavior, she went back inside (a kennel or line lead could also work) and stayed until the chickens went back to the coop. Over time she calmed down she would go potty then find a place to lay down, so I started letting her off the leash, but always took her back inside if i had to go inside. As things improved i gave her more and more freedom, even stepping into the house for a minute or 2 at a time while leaving her outside, until one day I got distracted and forgot to check on her for almost 30 minutes, she was laying on the patio just watching her flock. We haven't had an issue with her and the chickens if 5 years since. She's still learning about the goats as she really just wants to greet them all, but she doesn't understand why they don't greet her back. But she's learning, and thanks to my fence jumping goat Daisy knows a goat headbutt just like a chicken peck means back off. But I still don't just let her go run with the goats, she does share the main area with the chickens though. 

Im not saying it's easy. It took a year before I trusted her with the chickens, and I could control her. I don't work with her around the goats as much, mostly because mine will headbutt her, and I don't want her hurt either. But if everyone can work together there is a chance they can coexist safely (under supervision preferably). But the dogs have to learn and accept that the goats are not toys or playmates.


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## HMNS (Jul 15, 2019)

Hi Crax...
There's some really great advice being given. I figured I'd tell you what has worked for me... : ) I had my dog before we got the other animals. (baby goats and chickens)

(before I do tho'...I think *your brother* should be the one to step up and make sure HIS dog is receiving the exercise and training it needs otherwise, I'd have a re-homing conversation with him...that's a very heavy load he's put on you (not fair!!)...just my two-cents...take with a grain of salt) : )

I have a dog (mixed: doberman/german shepard/rhodesian ridgeback)...she is so smart and so high-energy that, if she doesn't get enough exercise (mental + physical) she almost exudes 'crazy'.

I know this probably sounds corny but...I am a HUGE Cesar Millan fan!!! I have used some of his training techniques that I picked up by watching his weekend "Dog Whisperer" show on TV and...they work!! (www.cesarsway.com) My dog happens to be very ball-oriented and will do ANYTHING for the ball. I have a 'tennis-ball-thrower' (long plastic handle that lets me throw the ball MUCH farther than tossing it myself) and usually run her until she's breathing hard and somewhat calm...AM and PM. This is usually accomplished in about 10-15 throws...sometimes more. CONSISTENT PHYSICAL EXERCISE IS CRUCIAL FOR HIGH-ENERGY/HIGH-INTELLIGENCE DOGS!!

After her physical edge is worn down, her brain is able to reach 'calm' and she listens/responds much better. She's now, very good around the goats and chickens (I was really concerned about that when we got them)...she's been told to leave the wild mallard ducks alone when they are here (and she does) but, she LOVES to chase the occasional crane out of our pond.

I hope some of this helps. If nothing else, you have been shown that there are a lot of people on this forum that understand what you're dealing with and are always willing to offer advice and encouragement. I wish you all the best!!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

That breed of dog shouldn't be around goats.


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## Tanya (Mar 31, 2020)

Your brother is being very selfish.


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## lottsagoats1 (Apr 12, 2014)

I'm sort of late to this thread, but I raise Alaskan Malamutes. They do not do well with e collars and they have one of the highest prey drives of all domestic dogs. Your goats are on borrowed time if a Mallie is allowed in the pen with them. Plus, just the dog chasing them stresses them out enough so that it could kill them.

30 minutes of playing isn't anywhere near enough time to tire a Mallie out. They have been bred for hundreds of years to haul heavy loads over long distances, 30 minutes a day isn't anything to them.

The only way to get the dog to stop chasing your goats is to keep the dog locked up away from them. I don't care how much you work with him/her or how much training and e collars you do or use, it will not protect your goats from that breed of dog. It's like having a wolf as a guardian dog.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

If no one in your family is willing to protect your goats, you may have to consider keeping them locked up at all times or finding them a new home. Unless you are old enough to move out on your on and have your own place. As long as you are under your mom's roof, what she wants goes. Obviously you are on your own and family will not help. Your goats are at high risk of being killed with your current situation. I feel bad for you.


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