12.
Using goats for companions or helpers
Goats make great companions, something that more people discover every day. Miniature goats such as the Nigerian Dwarf, Pygmy, and mini dairy breeds are growing in popularity as pets, in both the city and the country. (Check out Chapter 3 to find out more about these and other breeds.)
Goats are intelligent and funny, and they’re also a great way to meet people. I had a little goat named Malakai, who was a dwarf Nigerian Dwarf, because of health issues. His petite size made him all the more adorable. He was house- and car-broken, and so I took him with me wherever I went. He was the little Mystic Acres farm emissary and never failed to attract people. Besides helping me meet people, Malakai gave me the opportunity to educate people about goats and clarify their inevitable misunderstandings. (Get into goats, and you’ll find that misconceptions abound. I brace you to take on the most common of them in Chapter 20.)
Keeping goats as pets
You can leash train goats and take them on walks throughout the neighborhood or around your property, which provides exercise for all of you. (Chapter 8 shows you how to get started leash-training.) I can tell you from experience that just sitting and watching goats has a calming effect. Studies of other pets have shown that they can lower your heart rate and improve your health — and I’m sure that the same is true for goats as pets.
Finding a helping hoof: Using your goat for packing
Goats are social animals and, after you establish a relationship with them, they love to spend time with you. They enjoy going for hikes and can go almost anywhere you can. Not only that, but they can carry your belongings, they find plenty to eat right there in the wilderness, and they make great companions.
So why not take your goat packing? Ideally, you select a large wether for packing and then take the time to train him to obey commands and to carry your gear. Goats are surefooted, excellent pack animals and can help you work, whether it be gathering wood in the forest or just carrying your belongings on a holiday hike. Chapter 8 tells you about training your goat as a pack animal.
Sharing your goat with others
Another way you can use a companion or pet goat is as a therapy animal or a visitor to children, seniors, or other groups who don’t usually see goats. After you train your goats, you can approach teachers, administrators, or activity directors to plan a goat day (or hour). You get to spend time with your goats, and other people get to learn about their unique personalities.
Some people use goats to help children with autism improve their sensory abilities and social skills — there’s nothing like a cute pet to get people talking to you — and to improve morale and entertain residents of nursing homes. (I talk more about these benefits in Chapter 18.)
Raising goats as a 4-H project
Getting children involved in raising goats is a good way to teach responsibility. Keeping goats requires twice-a-day chores. Children quickly learn that the goats depend on them. They also find out about the cycle of birth and death and get outdoors to get regular exercise.
Some of the things that children can do in a goat 4-H project include the following:
Developing a budget for goat care
Writing a report on and giving a speech about goats
Demonstrating hoof-trimming or other routine care (Chapter 9)
Watching a goat show
Exhibiting the goat at the county or state fair (Chapter 17)
Milking the goat and making cheese or yogurt (Chapter 15)
Training the goat to walk on a lead (Chapter 8)
Writing or drawing for a goat newsletter or magazine
Determining Whether Goats Are for You
You may love goats and the idea of raising them, but how do you know whether raising goats is right for you?
The first order of business is finding out everything you can about goats. You get a good start by reading this book. I also recommend that you spend time around goats. Ask goat people you’ve met whether you can go to their farms and observe or even help with their goats. Firsthand experience gives you an idea of what goats need and how you like working with them.
The upcoming sections tell you more about considerations you need to mull over before you become a goat owner.
Devoting time and effort
Expect to spend at least a half hour each morning and a half hour each evening on routine goat care. If you get a lot of goats or use them for a specialty such as milk, meat, or fiber, you need to budget more time. (Part 4 tells you about each of these situations.)
Goats need a supply of hay and/or browse (grasses and other plants they can find in a pasture) and clean water at all times. (Chapter
