# Training a wild doe



## Bree_6293 (Aug 4, 2014)

I have a doe that is one year old. The previous owner barely handled her and has shown her once at 5 months old (won reserve champion). I have had her for 1 month now and been trying to tame her down, but she is wild :/ I have tamed other goats down before, but this one and another I got from the same lady and they both won't settle down. The other one I haven't been putting a lot of pressure on though as she is in kid. We took the 1 yr old to a show yesterday and the judge said that she is a lovely doe but couldn't really see her full potential as she wouldn't stand well. She stayed in an odd crouch frame and if we tried to adjust her she would flip out. To lead she pulled and walked odd too. So she ended up in 4th out of 12 does. But the judge said that if we can get her to behave better that she would be higher up. At home she will eat treats from our hands but at the show wouldn't touch them! 
What can I do to make her better for showing?


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## Ride4ever (Aug 7, 2013)

Sounds like you have your hands full! A wild yearling can be no fun this I know especially when that wild side costs you in the ring. How often do you work with her now? By "tame" what is your definition? My definition of "tame" is them walking up to you, being friendly, and not being too difficult to walk. My showmanship doe isn't as tame as I would like, often bottle babies are the really tame ones. But this doe probably needs constant work. I have babies that I call "scaredy cats". Its just what I came up for them because they run like sacred cats or kittens. but I can tell when they are little that they are going to need lots of extra work to be able to do anything in the show ring with them. I begin by putting them in an area that they can't run too far and holding them and touching them everywhere(I do mean everywhere) until they relax even a little. Then I release. I try to do this everyday and it really helps. Also when walking reward them when they relax, walk a few steps, or even simply stop resisting. Goats can be huge pains, but with patience they will become trained.
Oh and that "crouching" is her way of trying to protect herself. I have a yearling myself who likes to do that. It however is uncomfortable for long periods of time so sometime at home when she does that just stay in the same position and wait it out, when she stops doing it release pressure. Also she will realize that being stacked up isn't a crazy, scary thing. If you wanted you could even take her to a show and not show her, but get her used to the atmosphere. Also if she really isn't responding to anything or is just not where you want her to be, I have found often(not always) that if you breed the wild ones their mothering instincts will cover some of those wild instincts and make them easier to handle. Just some thoughts. Hope you can "tame" her!


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## Bree_6293 (Aug 4, 2014)

We have had ones that went from bolting in the opposite direction when we went out to now pushing at the gate for first attention. The little yearling has gotten a little better. She will let me pat her back now without trying to run. But that's about it. Still a lot more work to go... Thank you for you advice I will be trying it all with her


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## Bree_6293 (Aug 4, 2014)

She will now let me pat her all over her back. Still doesn't like being touched on the belly/ udder area.. When she is eating she is more than happy for me to sit next to her and pat her. Sometimes during the day she will even walk over for a pat! Haven't put her back on a lead yet..


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