# I am not another goat, stop butting me.



## heatherlynnky (Oct 17, 2014)

Ok seriously this has become painful. I managed before but I have a leg that is healing up from a dog bite and the goat keeps butting me. I could not get out of the pen because of it. So my husband says its time to break this bad habit even if it hurts her feelings.

How do I stop this. She is a very large bottle fed baby of 3 years, who does have horns and who thinks she can also sit in my lap. The problem if you ignore her or stop giving her all your attention she butts you wicked hard and she won't stop. I managed by holding her horns before but with a hurt leg I can't. So he is right, I need to learn how to break this habit. Any ideas?


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## Southern by choice (Oct 17, 2014)

Most people will use a spray bottle.
Cattle prod also works. LOL


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## heatherlynnky (Oct 17, 2014)

I don't think I could cattle prod her, my husband might but I couldn't. I will try the spray bottle. She had me in tears and I still could not have zapped her. I have a pit bull bite on the back of my leg and she rammed it a good three times before my husband could plow through all the geese to come help me. Not up to doing it again.


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## frustratedearthmother (Oct 18, 2014)

I think it's time for some tough love!  First let me ask - is she an "only" goat?  If so, a companion goat that she can butt instead of you might be in order.

Like Southern said - a lot of folks will try a spray bottle first.  Spray her right in the face - she's not going to enjoy that but if she is that much of a spoiled brat it might not stop her.  If that doesn't work - you might want to seriously consider the cattle prod.  It will probably only take one or two times and she'll get the idea. 

Consider this though....if your husband is the only one to prod her - then your husband is the only one she's going to respect.  If the correction doesn't come from you it's not going to keep her from butting you.

Good luck and please don't risk your safety - especially with your injury!


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## JAF Farm (Oct 18, 2014)

So sorry to hear that. Bless your heart hope you heel quickly. And since I'm new to the goat world I really don't have anything to ad, but I do agree with spraying her and if that doesn't work the prod could do it.  Good luck.


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## goatgurl (Oct 18, 2014)

I've used the spray bottle with good results, got to be kind of a joke around here.  I've used it on bucks, does, the dog and chickens too.  be sure it is on stream and not spray and some folks put a little vinegar in the water to make it more unpleasant.  now the warning, if she is spoiled she may not stop no matter what unless you use something more aggressive like a cattle prod and frustratedearthmother is right, if you don't correct her yourself she won't respect you.  you let her learn it was ok to butt you now you have to teach her its not ok.  good luck


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## Southern by choice (Oct 18, 2014)

I hope your leg heals quickly. That stinks to get bit there!
There are hand held "prods" too. No different than hot-wire really.
We actually have to carry the prod in with some of our turkeys. Doesn't work well with them because their feathers are insulators.
But they do respect us more.


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## heatherlynnky (Oct 18, 2014)

She is not an only goat she has 2 buddies. She never did this until we had 2 other goats that we ended up getting rid of because of this bad habit. She picked up on it though. My son gets it too, she doesn't do it to my husband. I will have to be the mean mom I guess because its dang painful and she is a big girl.


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## Southern by choice (Oct 18, 2014)

Remove her horns and you will solve your problem I bet!
We had to do this with one of our girls- she was fine with people but became ridiculously aggressive with the other goats and the dogs.
It was not a big deal at all. Took awhile to heal, changing bandages but I got my sweet baby back!

Here is Millie's story
http://www.backyardherds.com/threads/de-horned-2yr-old-doe-week-3-update.28257/

sadly life got in the way and I haven't updated... I need to.


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## heatherlynnky (Oct 18, 2014)

She had been dehorned but they grew in anyway. Apparently it didn't take. The person who did it was new at it though. I should have just had something done as soon as I saw them growing but she was so sweet I thought it would be fine. WRONG


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## Southern by choice (Oct 18, 2014)

Yeah, she is past a disbudding, it would be an actual de-horning.
How is your leg healing?


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## heatherlynnky (Oct 18, 2014)

It doing ok. It was not as bad a bite as it could have been considering the breed but 35 days later there is still bruising and a fair amount of swelling. Thankful for loose pants and a dog that had lost most of its teeth. Holly had it a bit more swollen but I kept it iced and I don't think she did any harm really. Just a bit extra swelling but she was just playing. I will really have to become strict with her and break this though.


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## kinder (Oct 19, 2014)

I'm sorry for your troubles, and hope for a speedy recovery.!! I've been reading this because I have a 11 mo. old 87lb. buck who was butting me. The spray bottle did it for me and now he's a little lover again. Thank you to every one.


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## goatgurl (Oct 20, 2014)

@heatherlynnky i would hate to think how bad your leg would be if the dog had all its teeth, lol.  keep applying ice to get the swelling out and heat to get the circulation going.  and work on correcting miss holly.  I've had adult does dehorned and they came thru it just fine.  i might wait till it gets a little colder so there are fewer flies but if holly is a goat that you really want to keep it is worth the effort.
@kinder I'm glad the squirt bottle worked for your buck.


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## GLENMAR (Apr 26, 2015)

I have a bossy doe, I just carry a stick and pop her on the nose to keep her out of my way.


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## tressa27884 (Jul 20, 2015)

I'd smack her in the face with a horse lead line.  We have one ornery ram (sheep) who was bottle raised and he used to nail us every chance he got.  Now if I walk into the pen with a lead line hung over my shoulder he will walk in the other direction in a hurry!


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## goats&moregoats (Jul 20, 2015)

ok, I definitely can see why a spray bottle on stream would work, I have a weather and a doe who stay at the other side of the pasture when I am filling water buckets. LOL they got a sample of water spray from the hose when they were being to rough with the little ones.  So that should work. I have to smack (open hand) my wether on his shoulder occasionally because he gets a little brave with me. He trots off shaking his head, as if to say what the hell was that!

Miss Poppit (bottle baby) use to paw at me with her hoof or ram the back of my legs when I would stop petting her. I used the same open handed method on her(not as hard because she was still a baby) this worked with her as well. It took a couple of times with her but she got the picture, unacceptable behavior. Now she is just over a year and comes to me for a little affection and then resumes what she was doing when I am done.


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## Debsfrontporch (Jul 22, 2015)

This is my first time having friendly petting interaction with goats. In the past I just put out feed and got out of the way. Hubby brought home three bottle feeders last week. They're precious. Two weeks to two month olds. And of course they're now my "babies". But one in particular has begun to butt me. Playing. But I just had BOTH knees replaced 3 months ago. I cannot get knocked down. I'm gonna try this water bottle deal. I hope it works. Any other ideas on curbing the playfulness away from me.


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## outdoorhoney (Jul 31, 2015)

I'm very sorry to hear about your dog bite. As somebody who grew up with and has owned/owns a pitbull(s), it is extra heartbreaking to hear their name brought up in a negative way. When raised properly with a loving family, they are an amazing breed.

My girls have horns and the first and ONLY time I've been poked with a horn was when I blindly walked into one of my does while she was browsing the pasture with her head down. It was an accident and I've personally never experienced one of them trying to head butt me. So the comments regarding horns being a factor isn't necessarily true. Now, as for headbutting you because they may be a little too playful or thinking of you lower in their "pecking order"(even though that isn't true!), maybe. The spray bottle technique mentioned above is a wonderful idea. Goats have a natural dislike for water and I've successful used this technique to get my goats to stop misbehaving. A spray bottle with a steady steam works best. Of course, this only works if you always have your spray bottle handy! I've gone into the pen a couple of times to scold one of my girls for picking on the babies only to realize I didn't have the spray bottle with me, oops. Another option is a quick pinch or tug on an ear. Usually you only have to do this once to get the idea across and associate an ear tug/pinch to a bad behavior. I've noticed that any time I have tried to push my girls away or grab them by the horns they take it as a challenge which only prolongs the behavior. Goats are very smart animals and as long as you take time to work with disciplining their bad manners, they will listen. I am still learning myself but as long as you assert your dominance in the herd without challenging them, they will follow you.


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## MMWB (Jan 19, 2016)

I doubt removing he horns would make a difference.  Your compassion is admirable, but you either do what it takes to train this goat or you will have to get rid of her or kill her.  If allowed to continue she is potentially dangerous to anyone who might be around her.   The spray bottle is the most favored aggressive response that goats seem to respond to well.  Another method that is particular to goats (if the spray bottle doesn't work), is to reach across her back (standing on one side) and pull the front and rear leg closest to you out from under her. She will fall toward you. Maintain a tight grip on those legs as she will fight and kick to get loose.  Kneel across her neck and put some weight on her body. She will bawl and fight, but it is not harmful to her.  Just enough pressure to keep her pinned. Hold her there until she is absolutely still for a full minute and let her up.  It is very rare to have to ever do this twice with a goat in its life time.  There are rare exceptions. I picked up an aggressive 7 year old wether last spring that I had to do that to twice over the summer.  Other goats that see this will also have the reinforcement that you are definately the herd leader and not to be messed with.    Like raising kids,  animals need disciplined and trained for their and the greater society's benefit.


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## RN2Cowgirl (Jan 22, 2016)

I have to agree, this is both with goats and sheep. Remember this is how they play with each other, show dominance etc. If the bottle doesn't work you have to "pin" them. This shows them you are the boss. I play with them by teaching them to tap my hand with their head. They love getting scratched between their horns. (Not all) funny story..
I thought it was fun to play head tap with my ram, he's very sweet, lol..yeah. he caught my sunglasses and my nose had a huge scratch down it. I have to remind myself although they are sweet and loving they are animals.  I usually am reminded the hard way..lmao..


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