# I bought my goat a ball :)



## peachick (Aug 3, 2010)

I bought a pretty red ball at the store last week  and wondered if the goat and lamb would push it around at all...  well no,  not at first.

But yesterday I was scratching the goats head, and then with the palm of my hand on his head I gave him a push backwards and kept the palm of my hand out after I did it..  Well  he looks at my hand and you could see him thinking  "OK,  I'll play"  lol  He then  steps towards me, drops his head, and pushes on my hand.  We did this a few times, and he kept coming back for more.
Realizing this could be dangerous as he matures  I decide to use the ball instead of my hand  and  I used that to push against him.  He continued playing and pushing harder,  backing up and rearing up on his hind legs then charging the ball with his head down ..  reminded me of a mountain goat.  I was loving it!  he was really quite frisky and playful, and seeing him rear up like that  over and over was amazing !.  After a while  I held the ball on the ground and he continued to push on it.  When  I stopped holding it  he began pushing it around the field a little and pawing at it,  He was even making noises as he pawed at the ball ...  so much fun to watch.  When he eventually pushed it into the brush,  he laid down beside it  and rubbed his face on it.  so cute.  It was like he was thinking ... Ohhh  I love my new ball.  lol

He is a 6 month old fainting goat and his horns will eventually pop this little ball,  so I think I'll get him a basket or socker ball that is a lot more durable.

I'll try to get photos or video of him playing with the ball today.


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## glenolam (Aug 3, 2010)

That's a great teaching tool!  Thanks for sharing!


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## peachick (Aug 3, 2010)

More photos on Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/s1gnature/sets/72157624645147960/


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## Shiloh Acres (Aug 3, 2010)

How funny!  Thanks for sharing. You make me want to get my goats a ball LOL. I love his markings btw.


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## freemotion (Aug 3, 2010)

Cool!  I have a basketball in with my buckling, and he ignores it.  I'm gonna to "teach" him to play with it today! Thanks!


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## peachick (Aug 3, 2010)

Thanks,  Yes I love his markings too.

After we are done playing  I take the ball away.  That way  he doesn't get board with it  and it will be a new toy when  I bring it out again.  This morning after  I took those photos  he did try pushing against me....  I just moved out of the way.  I cant have him doing that.


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## GeeseRCool (Aug 3, 2010)

That is funny!   Is it a baby or an adult?


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## HolsteinLuver (Aug 3, 2010)

Hey Peachick,

Is he a silky fainter or normal haired fainter?  He is georgeous!!!!!!!!  Do you have any does to breed him to when the time comes?


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## peachick (Aug 4, 2010)

I dont think he is a silkie...  I just call him long haired.

I have a few does on "order" for this fall.  The breeder did not have any girls with long hair when  I bought this one.  So the breeder is making me some  LOL  due to be born in a month or so.  I came home with a little lamb girl to keep my guy company until  I get the doelings.

BTW  the pretty red ball popped last night  when  I played with him again.  He's starting to hit it pretty hard when he rams it....  so we now will use an old basketball.

Wondering  did anyone try this yesterday?  with any success?


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## Hykue (Aug 4, 2010)

It's funny, before I saw this post, I was watching Dash and thinking, "You know, I bet she'd like a ball."  She likes to play with banana peels and she likes to paw at things.  So I got her a cheapo ball yesterday and I will see if she wants to play with it today.


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## Emmetts Dairy (Aug 4, 2010)

Thats GREAT...hes sooo beautiful...I love his marking too..and his black lips...soo handsome....Makes me wanna get a ball too!!!! Neat!


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## DAS (Aug 4, 2010)

I hate to rain on anyone's parade -- or bright red ball, but, as much fun as it is to push against his head with the ball, it just might return to bite you. Or butt you.  What you're doing is something that, IMO, should never be done with a goat: challenging by pushing the head.  Even though you have the ball between you and the goat, as far as he's concerned he's being challenged by  you.  And when he rears up it may be cute, but you are teaching him that a potentially dangerous behavior is okay.  If you push against a goat's head it is likely to push back harder, and he will hurt someone eventually.  Add in the horns, and you may have a dangerous goat.  

Just my opinion.

DAS


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## cmjust0 (Aug 4, 2010)

DAS said:
			
		

> I hate to rain on anyone's parade -- or bright red ball, but, as much fun as it is to push against his head with the ball, it just might return to bite you. Or butt you.  What you're doing is something that, IMO, should never be done with a goat: challenging by pushing the head.  Even though you have the ball between you and the goat, as far as he's concerned he's being challenged by  you.  And when he rears up it may be cute, but you are teaching him that a potentially dangerous behavior is okay.  If you push against a goat's head it is likely to push back harder, and he will hurt someone eventually.  Add in the horns, and you may have a dangerous goat.
> 
> Just my opinion.
> 
> DAS


Which is why -- as stated plainly by the OP -- they went from pushing with the hand, to pushing with the ball, to having laid the ball down so the goat could push and play with it all on its own...which it did.

If the goat had associated that play with the OP's hand, it would have ignored the ball and come back at her hand -- but it didn't.  Frankly, that tells me that what the OP did was pretty effective.

I say,


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## peachick (Aug 4, 2010)

Hi DAS.  Thank you.  I understand your opinion totally, and will watch his behavior closely.  

Pushing on his head the first time was not intentional,  but I was quite interested in his reaction.   As a long time dog trainer... I knew this was a behavior  I could shape into something I wanted.


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## warthog (Aug 4, 2010)

I think the ball is a great idea, will have to get one and try it.

Maybe we will be hearing about a goatie basketball team soon 

He sure is a lovely goat.


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## TigerLilly (Aug 7, 2010)

This is a GREAT idea! All my goats do is graze all day and jump on their picnic table to lay down. My Buckley is very lovable and will sit in my lap, but the other 2 weren't bottle babies, so they aren't as friendly yet. I have yet to see anything remotely related to 'playing' going on with them.
I'm learning so much on here. I'll be getting a large ball & see what happens!


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## peachick (Aug 12, 2010)

I wanted to update you guys on the ball playing....
It has been a almost 2 weeks  since I introduced the ball to my lil buckling and ...
He still LOVES his ball!
I only bring it out every few days.  But when he sees me with it, he comes RUNNING over to see me.
I hold it on the ground and he pushes and pushes on it with his head.  If  I pick it up and hold it,  he still pushes on it.  And  if I push him with the ball,  he rears up and rams the ball.  
its a riot to watch.  But  I dont really push on him much at all...
SO FAR he has never tried to direct this at me, hubby, or my son when we play with him.....  His focus is only on the ball.

At the end of the game  I lay the ball on the ground for him to push around.  This all lasts 5-10 minutes at most.  Then I put the ball away, and he does not try to continue.  And hes not tried anything when Im out there without the ball either.

Of course  if anything changes as he matures  (he is 6 months old now),  the ball will disappear forever,  but  I wanted you guys to know  that he totally respects me as the boss, and  I dont see any sign of this changing anytime soon.

I have also been clicker training him to jump on some logs for me...  his treat this week has been Fruitloops.  He LOVES them!


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## ThreeBoysChicks (Aug 13, 2010)

Kat - You would clicker train yoru goat.  How is his sheep friend doing?


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## peachick (Aug 13, 2010)

heh heh.  yea,  I doubt  I'll be doing any competitive agility or Freestyle dancing with him...  but he is fun to train 

The lamb is doing great...  although  I think shed appreciate a sheep friend to hang with instead of this thing with horns


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## Pioneer Chicken (Aug 13, 2010)

Wow, that is really neat! Does he learn fast when you are clicker training him? He is a handsome goat!


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## ThreeBoysChicks (Aug 13, 2010)

You should get one and bottle feed it.  That was so much fun.



			
				peachick said:
			
		

> heh heh.  yea,  I doubt  I'll be doing any competitive agility or Freestyle dancing with him...  but he is fun to train
> 
> The lamb is doing great...  although  I think shed appreciate a sheep friend to hang with instead of this thing with horns


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## peachick (Aug 14, 2010)

Ed  I'd love to do that...  maybe kent will ahve something for me this fall 




			
				Pioneer Chicken said:
			
		

> Wow, that is really neat! Does he learn fast when you are clicker training him? He is a handsome goat!


Yes,  hes been very easy to train  (highly food motivated  LOL) He also offers a lot of behaviors,  so the clicking and treating is almost constant  
OR
maybe I just think everything he does is adorable  LOL


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## Henrietta23 (Aug 14, 2010)

Huh! Mine have a soccer ball they ignore. I'm going to have to try that!


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## mabeane (Aug 22, 2010)

> DAS wrote:
> 
> I hate to rain on anyone's parade -- or bright red ball, but, as much fun as it is to push against his head with the ball, it just might return to bite you. Or butt you.  What you're doing is something that, IMO, should never be done with a goat: challenging by pushing the head.  Even though you have the ball between you and the goat, as far as he's concerned he's being challenged by you.  And when he rears up it may be cute, but you are teaching him that a potentially dangerous behavior is okay.  If you push against a goat's head it is likely to push back harder, and he will hurt someone eventually.  Add in the horns, and you may have a dangerous goat.
> 
> ...


I certainly agree with this post.  
A cute goat will become dangerous very quickly.


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## TigerLilly (Aug 22, 2010)

cmjust0 said:
			
		

> DAS said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Sounds like they are being pretty responsible about it, IMHO.


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## peachick (Aug 23, 2010)

Thanks for you input everyone.  As he matures  I keep an eye on his behavior towards me.  First of all he is ridiculously tame,  and  I can do practically anything to him.

Yesterday  we played with the ball for the first time in a week.  His attitude is the same.  His focus is only on the ball.  I hold the ball on the ground  and he rams it.  Sometimes  I push back with the ball,  but hes gotten pretty strong    He is less interested in it when  I let go...  allowing him to push it around the yard.  He's more interested in the interactive game with me.  When the game is over and  i take the ball away  he just walks away. 

Actually the only time he gets a little pushy with me is over food...  but  Im pretty sure  he'd do that anyway.
Im not sure the best way to correct a goat when they exhibit unwanted behavior. (other than the spray bottle)   What do you guys do???
When he knocked a food bucket out of my hand the other day  I yelled and stomped my foot at him...  he Fainted!!
LOL  I suppose that was pretty effective


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## apdan (Aug 23, 2010)

Just an idea but what about a jolly ball? That might hold up quite well.... I used to have one for my horses and goats. Got one for my dog and he shredded it........ :/ But that might be an idea for a ball!


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## peachick (Aug 23, 2010)

yes  I might get one  when the basketball busts )


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## ThreeBoysChicks (Aug 23, 2010)

Hey Kat, to answer your discipline question.  My big whether Danny gets rather pushy and when he does I push back, maybe a little hip action to push him out of the way.  I have bopped him on the nose once or twice, when he puts his nose were it does not belong. 

Another thing I do, is when they jump up on me to get the food bucket in my hands, I try to ignore them.  If that does not work, I use my knee and push them away.  I figure my 2,000 lb draft horses know to respect me when carrying a bale of hay or feed bucket into the pasture for them that the 100-150 lb goats can learn to respect me also.

And they do.  I really don't have much of a problem with them.  You are going to have the same issue I have in that your goat does not fear you and neither do mine.  I can not really drive them anywhere  So if I want them somewhere, I either have to lead them with a lead rope or carrying a bucket a food.


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## Egg_Newton (Aug 23, 2010)

apdan said:
			
		

> Just an idea but what about a jolly ball? That might hold up quite well.... I used to have one for my horses and goats. Got one for my dog and he shredded it........ :/ But that might be an idea for a ball!


That's what I was going to suggest. I've been thinking about getting one of those for my goats.


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## ChksontheRun (Sep 12, 2010)

Not sure what a jolly ball is but I have a big orange ball for my dogs that is totally indistructable.  The dogs have stopped playing with it.  Maybe I will put it in with the goats.  It is made of hard plastic.  It is called a Hueter Toledo - Indestructible Dog Ball, my boxers loved the 10 Inch one the best and pushed around forever before they lost interest.  I bet you could even train a goat to balance or walk on a ball like this as you can put sand inside to make it more stabile.


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## ChksontheRun (Sep 12, 2010)

Sorry, double post


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## Calliopia (Sep 12, 2010)

One of our dogs let their ball roll into the goat pen for about the 4th time yesterday and our buck finally decided that this needed seeing after. 

It was quite amusing watching him try to figure out how to butt something that rolls.  Since it wasn't agreeing to being butted he decided that maybe it needed sexing so he started making googly eyes at it and flapping his tongue. 

 Eventually he just stood there yelling at me to come make it go away since it was OBVIOUSLY not listening to him.


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## savingdogs (Sep 12, 2010)




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## dianneS (Sep 14, 2010)

This is great!  I think I'll get my goats a ball.  My mini horse has a ball and he loves it.

I've never tried "challenging" any of my young wethers, they are so sweet and tame and only want their heads rubbed.  I have an older wether, several years old and he loves to rub his head on things.  I've tried to get him to "play" challenging him a bit and he doesn't really react to me at all.  He might lower his head, but has never tried to head-butt me or get aggressive.  He's super friendly and tame too and he's fully mature.  He loves to push on things, so perhaps he'd like a ball!

I can't wait to try it!


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## peachick (Sep 16, 2010)

has anyone had any success with the ball??
I have not tried the ball with my new silky goats...  they are much more wild in temperament still.... I can pet them IF  I have food for them,  but touching their heads is not really possible....   

My older goat has gotten so strong I cant hardly hold the ball anymore,  so we dont really play with it.  Instead  he has a large fire wood log that he pushes around their yard.


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## Henrietta23 (Sep 17, 2010)

Mine are afraid of them....


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## tabetha (Sep 17, 2010)

I have to say, I loved reading this thread.... and I thought the part about stomping at him and him fainting was HIlarious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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