Training Began Today

[Henrico451]

Okay... training began today!  I went to Walmart and got me a good water gun.  When I went to the gate, I said, very loudly, get back and then I sprayed their little faces with the water gun.  Worked like a charm.  We went on a hike around the pasture and all I had to do was knee Gandalf twice, and he gave me my space as we walked.  When I got my chair to sit in the pasture and watch them play, Gandalf tried to head butt Dumble while he was beside my chair.  I squirted Gandalf and Dumble and they both backed off.

I must have the smartest goats in the world because today, all I did was a couple of squirts and a couple of knee bumps, and they did what I wanted!!  I'm so proud!  When I went out of the gate, I said, very loudly, get back and they all backed off!!  

My babies must be gifted and talented!

[IdahoNancy]

Timing, attitude, and love, stay on it you'll have an amazing crew

[Sanhestar]

I follow a different approach.

Started to build a new packstring last year and one of the goats that came to us from different breeders - Baku - had been given to us because he was bullied by his former herdmates.

As soon as he acclimated to us I discovered that he is doing a lot of bullying himself. Not sure if his former herdmates "saw" something that humans couldn't detect at that age or if he only learned aggressive social interaction from the bullying.

Anyway. He came to us with a second goat, they had been together for a few weeks and goat no. 2 - Schoko - was younger, smaller and somewhat afraid of Baku.

A few weeks later I bought two more lambs - 8 weeks old: Samuel and Marvin - and Baku took to bullying Marvin whenever I was around. He left Samuel alone but fixated on Marvin. Interesting thing is, that as Marvin gets older it becomes apparent that he has as strong a character and opinion of himself as Baku. Problem is, Marvin is a small goat that will stay smaller than the others for the rest of his life. He's like a small, fierce dog with a big heart.

I didn't want to correct/punish Baku everytime I was around. So I went a different route. Baku loves to cuddle and I would cuddle him excessively. IF he was standing quietly next to either Schoko, Marvin or Samuel without threatening or scaring them. If either of the three would leave, due to body tension or more clearer body posture from Baku - cuddling season would end, I move away, as well.

Didn't take long and Baku got the rules of the game.

As for backing up from the entrance: you could scatter some food away from the entrance so that they leave you alone.

With my horses I did the following - takes maybe two weeks then they have it sorted out if you stay consistent: I come with food, they block the entrance. I wait, wait, wait - not saying anything, not doing anything.

If they don't get the idea that I want them to move away, I can throw food away from the entrance a couple of times. They will start to associate my coming with food being thrown to other parts of the paddock and start moving there.

Next is, if one or two keep standing at the entrance to wait for the slightest weight shift away from the gate and then proceed with the feeding. They will learn that THEY can MAKE ME bring the food by moving away from the gate.

I built on this game to a point were they move to their feeding stations on their own.

We often encourage "impolite" behaviours - the goats don't know better and act according to their nature and age - by responding to it. Like you did with stroking the goat that pressed against your leg. I bet that you do something that makes them think that crowding the gate is what makes you go in/bring food.