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I second, what Dave is suggesting. If your goats do not have much variety in their paddock, they will stuff their faces in the first 20-30 minutes of a hike. At the moment this is especially difficult because the plant live is still very attractive. Let them eat for a while before you start. Also, keep in mind that the mother (and the kid, also) have higher demands due to lactation and growing so they will be especially hungry for good, nutritious plants.
Take them out when they have eaten enough. Allowing them to take a few bites along the road also helps.
Teach them to follow when you call them.
Take a look at the following videos I shot about two years ago. This is a mixed group of experienced and new packers. They all know the routine of following on moves from pasture to pasture with the large herd, so they know THE call "kommekommekomm" already. But the spring grass and leaves are too tasty so I have to wait them out a bit until they catch up again.
I've made it a practise to give the name and the call not until they start walking towards me again, so that they connect the call with the action of walking (and not eating) and with several repetitions this will pay off.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-FJY6jICwY
The second videos shows them with another experienced packer but also along another trail and later in the day (hotter already) so you see some of them lagging much more.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaQhyT2342Q
My little furry helper (dog) is very usefull but you can see that she isn't pushing them too hard.
It takes time to teach them and I found that the best time to get reliable training into them is during autumn and winter when the food isn't such a strong distraction. You can build on what you teach them during this time then in the next spring/summer.
Take them out when they have eaten enough. Allowing them to take a few bites along the road also helps.
Teach them to follow when you call them.
Take a look at the following videos I shot about two years ago. This is a mixed group of experienced and new packers. They all know the routine of following on moves from pasture to pasture with the large herd, so they know THE call "kommekommekomm" already. But the spring grass and leaves are too tasty so I have to wait them out a bit until they catch up again.
I've made it a practise to give the name and the call not until they start walking towards me again, so that they connect the call with the action of walking (and not eating) and with several repetitions this will pay off.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-FJY6jICwY
The second videos shows them with another experienced packer but also along another trail and later in the day (hotter already) so you see some of them lagging much more.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaQhyT2342Q
My little furry helper (dog) is very usefull but you can see that she isn't pushing them too hard.
It takes time to teach them and I found that the best time to get reliable training into them is during autumn and winter when the food isn't such a strong distraction. You can build on what you teach them during this time then in the next spring/summer.
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Sabine from Germany
![[Image: zoVgi.gif]](http://dragcave.net/image/zoVgi.gif)
Sabine from Germany