# Understanding pooches?



## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

Ok, everyone keeps posting pooch pics for opinions on bred or not. How do you tell? They all look the same to me... I must be missing something. Can someone please explain it to me? 

Thanks


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

Best way I can explain it is:

An open doe's vulva will have a "cup-like" appearance. If you look closely from the side you'll see the tip of the vulva, where the clitoris is, will be pointing up slightly. Not like a 90 degree angle, but will be cupped upwards. I don't like to "cooch" or "pooch" my girls till at least 50days after last noted heat. The anus will be puckered tight, the vulva wrinkled. Be careful when you look, as an open doe's rear end changes constantly with her cycle.

A settled doe's vulva will be relaxed, and the tip will be pointed downwards. Best to take a pic of your doe prior to breeding (NOT in heat), then another after she's settled. The anus will also look relaxed and "loose".









Settled doe, FF.









Recently just out of heat, open doe.









Settled doe, FF.


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

Whoops I mislabeled my pics! Change the last two captions around.


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## mjgh06 (Sep 4, 2012)

It's best to know what your doe looks like not bred and then look again no earlier than a month after you believe she is bred. The best way I can explain it (I am still learning) is this -

Look at your doe from the side view and the rear view while looking at the vulva. Don't hold the tail up.

If the tip points out or up from side view(this is my biggest clue), and from the front view the anus is high and tight - vulva area looks flat and tight then not pregnant.

If from the side view the tip points down and from front view there is more of a poofy, smooth, soft look of the whole area and her vulva area seems swollen and wrinkly - goat is pregnant.

Here is a thread on here that helped me a lot and another website explaining how to tell they say with 100% accuracy.
http://www.thegoatspot.net/forum/f217/pouch-photo-please-136553/index2.html
http://www.americanfaintinggoat.com/?page_id=656

You'll read about the triangular shape versus the tear drop shape - I've never been able to tell that difference in any of my does but maybe I'm just not good a differentiating shapes, or I just don't the difference enough to know what I am looking at.


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