# Clicker training goats?(Pics )



## LadyIsabelle2011 (Jun 21, 2011)

I was wondering if it is possible to clicker train goats? 

I ask because I notice them looking a little bored out there and want to give them some kind of "job" to do around here. They seem super food motivated so I thought maybe this wouldn't be too crazy of a thing to ask...

(edited to explain a little better and post a pic...)








Thought I would just add a quick pic of the possible clicker training candidates....

The black one in the center is my oldest Isabelle(she is the one I really think will do great with clicker training, she is very curious and seems to have little bit of goaty genius in her...she already figured out how to open the door to her pen  )

The smaller brown one is camellia(she's still in the getting to know me faze )

(The funny blobs in the back are my ducks re-mucking up their newly cleaned pool  )


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## patandchickens (Jun 22, 2011)

Of course you can. You can clicker train (or anyhow, train using a reward marker) anything with a nervous system   Plenty of people have clicker trained goats. Go for it.  Have fun 

Pat


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## ThreeBoysChicks (Jun 22, 2011)

Peachick - Where are you?

She previously showed dogs and is now raising goats.  I think she has had success with clicker training her goats.


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## LadyIsabelle2011 (Jun 22, 2011)

What kinds of things can you teach a goat...any suggestions? Possibly somethings that will be useful for them to know someday


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## ThreeBoysChicks (Jun 22, 2011)

Personally, I think the mos important is to come when called.  I move mine from one pasture to the other along with my 2 draft horses.  I love that I can lead the horses, walk to the field and call the goats and sheep and they come running.  And the same when we head back to the barn.  They are wonderful, when they listen to you.


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## LadyIsabelle2011 (Jun 22, 2011)

Well, I started her out on clicker training today...

She seemed to pick-up the whole touch target idea pretty fast...I was pleasantly suprised at how quickly she seems to learn(when food is involved anyway  )

Will keep an update on her learning progress for anyone that is interested...


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## peachick (Jun 26, 2011)

lol  Im here...  just not too often lately.

Clicker training is a whole lotta fun.  You have to really read up on operant conditioning.  Once YOU get it,  you can teach an animal (or husband) to do anything.  Its all in the timing, and rewarding with the correct motivation.  The thing with opperant conditioning is there is NO negative reinforcement.  you only reward the desired behavior.  What happens is the unwanted behavior dissapears.

Id recommend reading anything Karen Pryor has written.  She is the Queen of the clicker!  It was maybe 15 years ago,  I was heavy into advanced dog training competition when  I read the book "Dont Shoot the dog" by Karen Pryor, and it sorta kinda  changed my life.  Here is a good article to start with about starting to clicker train ANY animal..
http://www.clickertraining.com/node/3226

The first thing Id teach a goat is target training.  You have already sort of done that with your hand.  Now transfer the same behavior to an object...  a stick, a ball, or something flat like a butter tub lid.  Then you teach the goat to touch it with its nose.  put the target in different locations and heights.  its easy...  just put some peanut butter on it 

I taught Buckley 2 behaviors but then  sort of dropped it.  I should do more.
one behavior was to stand on a log for a treat.  he quickly learned that anytime I walked in the direction of the log (even if we were not training)  he'd race me to it and stand on the log proudly for his reward...  some times the reward was only a good body scratch if I didnt have treats with me.

The other thing I taught him (which caused some controversy on this list)  was to play with a ball.   Here is a few photos.




DSC_0197 by S!GNATURE, on Flickr




DSC_0196 by S!GNATURE, on Flickr




DSC_0186 by S!GNATURE, on Flickr


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## LadyIsabelle2011 (Jun 26, 2011)

Thanks for responding pea-chick 

I have actually gotten past the target training and am using it just like you mentioned using it, getting her into position for certain tricks,
like standing on stuff to get her treats. I have also taught her to shake and am working on getting her to lay down 

I do have a question though, can a goat roll over? You know, without hurting its self or shaking up its stomach...


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## peachick (Jun 26, 2011)

rolling over is not a natural behavior (that I have seen in MY goats).
But you could easily teach her to spin or  turn around.  right and left.  Use a "wax on, wax off" type hand gesture and use different commands for the two different directions.  Just lure her with a target stick.  Start with just having her turn her head. reward
 then turn her head and take one step.  reward
turn her head and take 2 steps. reward ...

You can also teach her to circle around you left and right directions.
go through your legs...  teach her to back up, step sideways - left and right.  raise one paw, kick -  front leg and back leg, hop up and down, shake her head, bow, pick up objects... so many tricks, so little time!

I was one of the first groups of people to earn titles in the Canine Freestyle Federation.  I taught my dog Acer to dance   he was brilliant!! and a lot of fun to work with.  When he died young of cancer I kinda quit training.  But,  my dogs website is still online,  heres some photos of Acer and I dancing...  http://www.signaturebsd.com/Freestyle/FSpage.html


Kat


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## vegaburm (Jun 27, 2011)

I don't really care to teach my goats tricks. If I had more time, that would be fun, but right now, no time. However, if I could use clicker training to help them behave on the milking stand, that would be a Godsend! My doe wants to keep this one leg up in the air and at any moment it can come down into my bucket! Even if I could just train her to keep that leg down it would help. And standing still, that would be even more awesome. But, since they are generally eating while on the stand, not sure how to proceed. I've read the basics, but don't really know where to start. Suppose I have to buy a clicker first. lol. 

I have a really jumpy crazy dog that could use some training too!


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## peachick (Jun 27, 2011)

Clicker training is perfect for fixing bad behavior.  dancing  on the milk stand is a perfect example of extinguishing unwanted behavior!   she cant dance and be still at the same time....  so we reward her for being still...  and the dancing naturally disappears....  without any negative corrections....  its purely positive training...  we reward the behavior we want  the bad behavior goes away.

you dont have to use a clicker.  it is only used as a signal to mark the correct behavior at the second it happens.
I normally use the word YES, in a loud happy voice when the wanted behavior happens.  Timing is VERY important.

I have a girl that dances a lot too and raises one leg.....  this is how I plan on shaping her behavior....

I will set up a 5-10 minute training session when I do not plan to milk her....  at least for the first few sessions.
I will have her on the stand.  no food in her bin.  But  I will have a cup of extra special treats in a cup on my lap, (like raisins) 
and I am sitting in position as if  I am going to milk her....   but really Im not even going to touch her, yet.
FIRST
If she starts to dance already,  I am watching the raised leg  and the second she puts her foot down,  I give her an excited YES! and toss her a few treats in her bin.  I'll continue watching her leg and each and every time she puts it down  I will say YES and toss her some treats.  if and when she keeps the leg down for more than a few seconds  I will repeat the YES and give her more treats....  the longer she holds it down in position  the more treats she gets.
In her little brain she is figuring out that - "if  I keep my foot down it releases moms treat hand, and I get goodies."  This puts the goat in control of the situation and she learns how to get the treats, so she is much less nervous.  
SECOND
We up the anty.  Now we touch her,  maybe just a hand on her side or hip.  hold your hand on her and if when she starts to dance...  watch that leg again and repeat everything we did in the first criteria.  When she will keep the leg down for several seconds, and we are treating her almost every second then start moving your hand around slowly.  still treating her if the leg stays down.  Reward her like crazy if she will allow you to touch her and she is not dancing. At that point,  Id probably give her a break and stop the training session....  releasing her from the stand is a reward in itself  

On the next session,  repeat the first and second critera,  and hopefully we can get to the THIRD criteria.  If we can touch her on the stand and she is holding still,  now we slowly slide our hand to her udder and then back up to her side or thigh.  Id give her a large hand full of treats for this.  Because this ultimatly is what she is objecting to,  so a larger reward is required when you start touching her udder.  In clicker training  we call this a "jackpot"
(its the same for us...  the bigger the job, the more we want to be paid)  continue petting her and treating her for being still,  then slowly slide your hand to her udder again  and then back to her side again,  so that we are only touching her udder for a brief second....  rewarding big time for being still.  Continue this a few times before leaving your hand on her udder for any length of time.  This might be all we can accomplish for this session.

The FOURTH criteria will be to actually leave your hand on her udder and possibly start milking her...  but  depending on the goat  that might take a couple more sessions.  Always start each session with the first second and third criteria before doing the fourth.

I will probably start this today with my girl Mapel.  The training sessions are always seperate from the actual time we spend milking.  When she dances during milking  at first  I will ignore it,  but as our training sessions get more successfull  I will start to expect better behavior during milking.   Taking the extra special treats out with me during milking just  incase she works hard and earns some better rewards than the regular feed.

Sorry this got so wordy...  i was kind of thinking out loud here as I figured out how I was going to do this myself.  I know  i skipped a few steps,  but you get the idea  

kat


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## vegaburm (Jun 27, 2011)

I think I am going to get a clicker anyway. It is a good separate noise from my voice. I think the dog would respond to it.  I will certainly give it a try. Any less dancing would be good. I don't enjoy fighting with her on the milk stand.


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