Can I keep a milk goat in the backyard with my dogs?

[redhen]

Quote:
Thats not true at all. She has been talking to us and asking questions about goats for a good long while now.
Shes allowed to ask questions on things shes not sure about(how else do you learn?).... didnt you ever ask questions about something new?? Or did you wake-up knowing everything all at once??
Shes doing the RIGHT thing by asking....

lol I know you're being serious but

It seems like, in my experience (and all dogs are different), that when dogs like to chase and there is more than ones its just a hop skip and a jump until something gets ripped apart for fun. Although they may run from the cats, I doubt the goat will stick up for itself (so not an expert). I would put up the temporary fence, take the goats and still build the barn. Seems like a win win!

Yeah..and?? That has nothing to do with my post....

 

[CapricornFarm]

You don't know until you try it, I have goats that let dogs have it (butt!) and some that run. The bigger the goat is, the better chance it has. Maybe the dogs need a pen.

 

[arabianequine]

Quote:
lol I know you're being serious but

It seems like, in my experience (and all dogs are different), that when dogs like to chase and there is more than ones its just a hop skip and a jump until something gets ripped apart for fun. Although they may run from the cats, I doubt the goat will stick up for itself (so not an expert). I would put up the temporary fence, take the goats and still build the barn. Seems like a win win!

Yeah..and?? That has nothing to do with my post....

Did you not get your nap today?

 

[BorderKelpie]

I keep my dogs and my livestock separated. It's just me, but since dogs are predators and livestock is prey, I just plan for the worst and try to manage things accordingly. I do let some of my dogs loose with the other animals, but it's a case by case situation and they are always supervised.

My other concern would be that since you are looking for a goat for milk production, stress from the dogs could lower or even stop production. That, and since milk production generally requires babies (except in very rare cases - I had one of those, may Sandi RIP), babies throw in a whole new extremly tempting variable.

Just for safety and peace of mind, I am going to suggest keeping them separated.

Best wishes in what ever you decide to do and I hope you have a very enjoyable goat experience (goats are awesome fun when they aren't outsmarting you every chance they get.)

Oh yeah, the other caveat I try to remember:
One dog = one brain
Two dogs = half a brain
Three dogs = no brain (think pack mentality)

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Thats not true at all. She has been talking to us and asking questions about goats for a good long while now.

I based my reply on the fact that she doesn't have a place ready for the animals, and it didn't sound like getting THIS goat was her idea.

The better way to do it is have the fences and shelters in place before the animals are aquired.​

 

[kstaven]

Quote:
Pack mentality is just the thing we count on for livestock protection. 4 dogs that are very well trained and know how to work individually and together.

By the sounds of the first post the dogs in question need some further training in not chasing animals. Dogs can be taught to differentiate between animals that belong and those that don't.

This has been our approach rather than more fences, kennels and the like.

 

[NYboy]

Do you know anyone with goats your dogs could visit?

 

[SarahFair]

I wouldnt leave my personal dogs with mine for an extended period. 5-10 minute potty breaks and thats it.
Dogs tend to gang up on animals when there is more than 1.

Ive got one do that wouldnt hurt a fly another one that might chase for sport but be too chicken to hurt anything
but Ive also got a killer on my hands.

You just have to be careful.

 

[carolinagirl58]

years ago I had a Bouvier and a Jack Russell in the front yard and a goat with her kid in the back. The goats had been there for a while and the dogs SEEMED fine with them. Got home from the grocery store one evening and found the kid dead and the mother goat dying. I guess the dogs had gotten bored. I don't know if either dog would have acted alone. I'll never take that kind of risk again though.

 

[PotterWatch]

We had two dogs when we got our goats. One was just fine with them and never bothered them even a smidgen. The other was obsessed with them and couldn't wait to get a taste. That dog has been happily living with some friends for about three years now. When we sold our goats, the friend that we sold them to has a dog that didn't care about the goats and the goats were kept in a separate area.

However, her Dad came to visit and brought his two dogs with him. The dogs and the goats were separated by a wood plank fence the entire time but even with that, my friend let her Dad know not to leave the dogs in the yard alone just in case. One day, he let the dogs out and left the house thinking he would only be gone a few minutes. He got delayed and ended up being gone for two hours. When my friend came home, she discovered that one of his dogs had broken through the fence and killed all of the goats (three pregnant does). Very sad for everyone involved. Just goes to show, it really just depends on the dog.