[Chris H]

Whats the best way to stop my 9 month old Bagot castrated boy from butting me   It is getting to be a real battle to look after the other animals as he is always looking for a chance to butt At first it was only when I had food but now he just seems to enjoy it anytime.

[colliewoman]

Whats the best way to stop my 9 month old Bagot castrated boy from butting me   It is getting to be a real battle to look after the other animals as he is always looking for a chance to butt At first it was only when I had food but now he just seems to enjoy it anytime.

     
I must admit that other than my own method (curry!) I don't know, but please do be careful

[Chris H]

I have thought of it, but we are all veggies...........even with him I can't make an exception, and the rest of the times he makes us laugh.

[Lesley Silvester]

My response to being butted is a sharp slap on the face.  It doesn't hurt but it makes them think and they usually learn not to pretty quickly.  It's my equivalent to butting back and shows I am their leader not the other way round.  I would add that I don't advocate training animals be hitting them but this was the only thing I found that worked.

[ScotsGirl]

Are there any female goats around? His hormones are probably kicking in and I know my ram likes to give me a "friendly" butt when he is in with the ewes. Although no malice it can still hurt if you don't see it coming.


Now he is away from them he is a big softy. I Agree with the slap if you can catch him quick as soon as he butts you. Unless your response to his is instantaneous he won't understand. Other than that you could always try the Parelli carrot stick method and see if it works with goats. You need to keep him out of your space and it works a treat with naughty young ponies!


Good luck

[kja]

male goats entire or castrates need to know who's in charge from day 1 pet males are possibly the most unpredictable and will take liberties.

you have to put him in his place sooner rather than later it will only get worse.

does he have a beard ? if so when he goes to butt get a firm hold and pull it back to his chest it will take time but he will get the idea. this method works pretty much like a dog harness on a dog that pulls your putting their bad behaviour back onto them. he has to know his space and your space and he will only learn by training.

good luck.

[Chris H]

Not sure what the carrot method is? do I smack him with one!
He is with a female, but is castrated. Will try the beard pulling today and report back

[ScotsGirl]

Lol, no you don't hit him with it! It is about 4' long and you can improvise with a stick. The a carrier bag on the end and wave it at him when he comes within stick length from you. Don't let him get used to bag as it is a slight scare tactic. Make yourself look big and be very firm in making him move back. Once he has taken even the slightest step back, you stop so that he realises where the boundary is.

[fruitfarm]

A short sharp spray of cold water in the face is quite effective . Use one of those little bottles you get for spraying plants.

[jaykay]

I second either the water spray or we found by mistake that a slap on the nose with leather gloves (this was to a tup by a visitor) worked far more effectively than my usual bashing him on the head with the bucket.

[jinglejoys]

Never tried it as non of my billies have ever butted but I'd go down the squirt in the face track.Bagots have horns and any "Butt back" has got to be pretty hard to work.The main thing is to find out what caused it on the first place.
   I bought a Bagot billy out of Glos market (when they had one)and he was more a swiper than a butter.I knew what caused this,too much horn grabbing and I stopped it.A year later he went to a new home but first I had to drop him off at a pick up place (remember ewhen you could still do that?)
    I went to ask him out of the trailer with his collor and lead,he hesitated,and the "helper" immediately grabbed his horns...one years training up the spout!....boy did I let rip
 

[feldar]

I don't know much about goats,  but the water treatment worked on a ram lamb we had that used to be a real pain.
I had a bucket of water in my hand one day when he went for me so i tipped it over his head which made him disappear back up the field. After that we kept a small water pistol and aimed it at his face when he got butty with us, he soon thought better of doing again.
But i don't know wether a goat would be a bit sensitive to having this done to them, they always look a bit more intelligent than a sheep!

[colliewoman]

I would reckon on the water method being even more effective with a goat as goats appear to be water soluble. The only reason I can think of their huge dislike of the rain  

[johnys]

Our Billy was terrible for butting before he had the snip it took about 5 months for the hormones to work out of his system he still butts but not hard and most of the time he stops short its just a game, try an old washing up liquid bottle filled with water he will soon learn to back off when he sees it, smacking him could frighten him away from you and you will never gain his confidence

[Lesley Silvester]

A quick slap never seemed to frighten my goats off but did do the trick when they realised that would be my immediate response.  It hasn't worked with Cloud though so I'll try the squirt of water. I have a small water pistol that \i could keep concealed in my hand.

The gate from the goatyard leads onto my fenced patio so when the goats get out (most days) they can't get any further but it used to be a job to get them back in.  Now I just shout "Hosepipe" as I head towards it and they usually go straight back in.  If they don't I turn in on with a jet just behind their heels.  Works every time.