Goat walking on heels

[Rocky723]

Hello so I have 3 boys in training right now and 2 of them follow very well no problems at all couldn’t ask for anything more. One of them he is just over 1.5 years old is a big attention and love baby and always wants to be next to me. The only problem is when we are out walking on trails he wants to be by me so much that he ends up walking on my heels is head is up my backside if I ever stop and is constantly tripping me up. Any help on how to train this out of him or prevent him from doing this as he gets older. Thanks!

[Nanno]

Phew! I was afraid from the title that your goat was walking on the backs of his heels, like he had a physical problem. I'm glad to know it's a training issue because that's easier to fix.

Having your front/lead goat walk on your heels is a pretty common problem with youngsters. It can stem from insecurity or from dominance. Either way, you need to establish yourself as leader by making him stay out of your personal space. My favorite trick is to grab an evergreen or leafy branch about 12"-18" long and wave it behind me while I walk. It whacks the goat in the face if he's too close. Pretty soon I can just carry it by my side, but if I feel him creeping up on me I give a backwards twitch and whap him in the face. Once a goat has learned to walk just out of range of my branch (but still too close), I start throwing in some sudden stops and even reverses. He won't expect it and because he's too close he'll run right into my swatter.

Sometimes instead of stepping back from your space the goat will get mad and run around in front of you. If he cuts you off too close, smack him with the branch and give him a verbal reprimand as he goes by. It won't hurt him but it should startle him. He eventually should learn not to pass you at all, but if he does, he must pass at a safe distance. A goat should always be afraid to pass you too close because as he gets bigger, passing close can get very dangerous since he could catch you with a horn or knock you down a hill with his pannier. Once a goat has successfully passed me, I don't try to run ahead and catch him to put him back in place. Instead I walk behind him until he stops (they always do), and at that point I grab his collar and move him behind me very deliberately and tell him "good boy." Sometimes I'll give him a scratch or a cookie once he's back where he belongs.

Good luck!

[Rocky723]

Thank you very much I will try this out on my next hike with them and let you know how it works out!!

[Nanno]

Expect it to take several hikes before the lesson starts to sink in. Even as it sinks in, he'll probably need a refresher course from time to time. He may also run around in front of you quite a few times in frustration at first, but if you're consistent about putting him back at the first opportunity he'll settle down eventually. I find that the ages of 12 months to about 2 1/2 years are the most difficult because your goats haven't yet learned basic manners, nor have they learned that they can't challenge you so it's a bit of a dual problem. The main thing is to be calm and consistent and not get frustrated if it takes time for the lesson to stick. Some goats learn right away but the more dominant/determined ones can really try your patience!