Chat
01-28-2017, 11:49 PM
I am new to this association so I am just learning my way around. I will try posting what I am about to tell you but as I am new I am not sure whether it will stick.
It sort of sounds to me as if you might be trying a little too hard with your boys (making an assumption) and that you might want to dial the intensity down a few notches. I am not one for using punishment or operant conditioning on any of my animals either. They are gonna be your buddies so think about treating more like that and I think you'll all have more fun.
Touching and rubbing: When one of my goats acts up (and I am thinking about my moodier one now) I'll fill up my pockets with peanuts and get into the paddock. My goats share the space with cows and sheep and EVERYBODY likes peanuts. So I get mobbed and everybody starts to compete with getting treats. Once the problem goat will follow me anywhere for the peanuts I get the chance for him to let me take him aside and go to work. Do this a couple of times and he'll look forward the work out session where he doesn't have to share the peanuts. Then he gets peanuts as long as he lets you pet and stroke him. Start where he's fine with you stroking and move to the tender spots over time….. be patient.
Poking: This is a pretty simple behavior to stop. All you have to do is to love this little piece of HELL right out of your goat.
I used to have a doe who bit just about anyone who came into the paddock except me. In the pecking order of the goat world she also bit some of the lower downs for what seemed like fun. She was an excellent milker, great mother, and drop dead beautiful so she was going nowhere even though my wife thought she should.
This doe was biting to get attention, and when she bit someone she sure got it and even a squirt in the face or the victim shouting, pushing, or slapping is better than nothing. So every time she bite she got what she wanted, and SHE WAS IN CHARGE.
So we cured her the same way we cure attacking roosters. Whomever she bit has to go right after her and hold her, stroke her, coo, and generally love the hell she was causing right out of her. Don't let go, be patient…. she'll change her/his behavior and so probably will you.
Best of luck
It sort of sounds to me as if you might be trying a little too hard with your boys (making an assumption) and that you might want to dial the intensity down a few notches. I am not one for using punishment or operant conditioning on any of my animals either. They are gonna be your buddies so think about treating more like that and I think you'll all have more fun.
Touching and rubbing: When one of my goats acts up (and I am thinking about my moodier one now) I'll fill up my pockets with peanuts and get into the paddock. My goats share the space with cows and sheep and EVERYBODY likes peanuts. So I get mobbed and everybody starts to compete with getting treats. Once the problem goat will follow me anywhere for the peanuts I get the chance for him to let me take him aside and go to work. Do this a couple of times and he'll look forward the work out session where he doesn't have to share the peanuts. Then he gets peanuts as long as he lets you pet and stroke him. Start where he's fine with you stroking and move to the tender spots over time….. be patient.
Poking: This is a pretty simple behavior to stop. All you have to do is to love this little piece of HELL right out of your goat.
I used to have a doe who bit just about anyone who came into the paddock except me. In the pecking order of the goat world she also bit some of the lower downs for what seemed like fun. She was an excellent milker, great mother, and drop dead beautiful so she was going nowhere even though my wife thought she should.
This doe was biting to get attention, and when she bit someone she sure got it and even a squirt in the face or the victim shouting, pushing, or slapping is better than nothing. So every time she bite she got what she wanted, and SHE WAS IN CHARGE.
So we cured her the same way we cure attacking roosters. Whomever she bit has to go right after her and hold her, stroke her, coo, and generally love the hell she was causing right out of her. Don't let go, be patient…. she'll change her/his behavior and so probably will you.
Best of luck