Hi new to Pack Goats

[Sanhestar]

Hello Shawn,

welcome here!

Take your time with saddling and packing. Both your boys will be growing for the next three, even four years.

There are two different "schools of thought" in the packgoat world. One, that thinks that packing a yearling won't do harm and the other that maintains that you should wait until at least 3 years before packing because adding weight to the growth plates of the bones can harm your goat.

Did you know that the growth plates in the spine are the last to close?

Whatever you decide, start with keeping the weight of ony load of the spine right now. Dog packs are designed for animals = dogs that have a generous layer of muscle left and right of the spinous processus. Goats in 98-99% don't have that type of muscle along the spine and the dog back will rub the skin directly over the bones.

Adding some protection is simple. Make to lengths of padding that you sew underneath the dog pack right and left of the spine.

Or stop using the dog pack and wait until your boy is old enough for a saddle, letting him grow and develop muscle and stamina without additional load.