The domestic goat which is kept for livestock is believed to be a good pet.Goats as pets are kept for meeting certain requirements of the owners. Although they are farm animals, they need a partner of the same kind to roam in the yard.Goats have been used to provide us with milk, meat, fur, and skin across the world. Goat’s milk is often turned into goat cheese. Meat produced by the goat is called chevon. Mutton, commonly known as goat meat, is popularly used in Asian cuisine. A female goat is referred to as a doe. Doe produces milk for her kids as well. A male goat is referred to as a buck. Young goats are called kids. Goats are easily bred. Sheep and goats are popular livestock.One of the precocious breeds of the goat is the Nigerian Dwarf. Nigerian Dwarf resembles large dairy goats. They are naturally hornless. Precocious breeds mean that they were bred from an early age and are considered as young stock. Similarly, American Pygmy goats were imported to America. Pygmy goats require a lot of care from the owners. You must brush them daily and provide fresh food and clean water as well. While pygmy goats are known to eat everything, they must be kept away from poultry feed. If you have a pair of pygmy goats, you need a shed of around 48 sq ft (4.45 sq m) for their accommodation. Like human babies, baby goats also like to be held, cuddled and petted.To resemble the appearance of miniature dairy goats who provide milk, this goat was specially bred. This breed is categorized into companion animals. By 2002, numbers grew rapidly as there were 7000 heads of this particular breed. Of all goat breeds, it was first to rear as a show breed. Another important goat breed is the Anglo Nubian goat. Nubian goats have a longer breeding season as compared to other goats and are helpful in desert climates as they can survive hotter climates than most other species. They are known to have a high-fat content in their milk but produce less milk than average goats. Anglo Nubian goats were bred in Great Britain in the 19th century. After reading all about keeping goats as pets, do check out Pygmy Goats Facts and are guinea pigs nocturnal?How do you befriend a goat?To answer the question - are goats good pets or not? One must know how to tame them. Goat pets are the best backyard companions. Every goat owner should know that goats are prey animals and that’s why they prefer to be in herds. Goats initially don’t trust their owner as their first impression is that they will get killed. It is essential to spend sufficient time with a goat to develop a connection with them. Despite their timid nature, goats are inquisitive animals that will want to investigate you at some time.Feed your pet goats with a pan of grain or alfalfa pellets. Keep the grains on the ground and feed them over some time. With time, the space between you and the goat decreases. Start putting the grains in your lap. If your goat comes ahead and eats from your lap, slowly pet its head by putting your hand out. Owners should avoid any unpleasant actions before they start acting friendly. Once they start getting comfortable you can start milking them.What do goats need to be happy?Animals like dogs wag their tails to show that they are excited or happy about something. Whereas goats move their ears forward to show that they are happy. Such calls mean that a goat is in a more stable pitch and happier state of mind. Goats are considered very useful as they provide milk but goats as pets are fun to keep. Just a couple of things for their maintenance and pet goats become easy to take care of. These ways will determine the behavior of your pet goat.Good food.The diet of goats should contain roughage. Goat owners should know about their nutritional supplements. Goats like to eat hay, pasturage, and some shrubs. The main food component that goats love to munch on is grain or pallets. They can also eat woody plants or grass. In a matter of mineral supplements, your pet goat would also need plenty of freshwater. A healthy diet would be high in fiber and low in calories. Unlike cattle or sheep, a goat is known as a browsing animal so it won’t eat anything inedible. Make sure to feed them on time.Safe housing.Most species of goats live in tropical and equatorial areas of the world. Wild goats belong to the mountainous regions. A comfy shelter is necessary for the goat’s happiness. You can build a three-sided shelter from wooden pallets if you don’t have a yard or farm. It is very important to have proper fencing as goats can be little troublemakers. A dog run in the backyard works well for baby goats.Things to play with.Goats love to climb. Allowing them some space in the backyard or homestead would make goats lively than ever. Your pet goat would also like it if they get playhouses, stairs, see-saws. Make sure to keep your goat away from sharp objects.Good CompanyGoats are social animals and prefer to stay in groups. They depend on staying together. Goats are herd animals. A herd contains 20-25 goats. They tend to go solo in summer but during winter they get together. Goats have predators more than any other livestock. This gives a sense of protection to them. So one goat will get lonely and sad without the herd. Goat owners must make sure their goat has a companion.Taking proper care of health.Goats could be categorized into high-maintenance pets compared to other pet species. There would be changes in the behavior of pet goats if they don’t feel well. Some of the symptoms are they stop eating when the goat owners feed them, standing in strange positions, isolating themselves from humans.Where do goats like to be petted?One of the best signs your goat can show you is if he behaves friendly towards you, he likes you. Just like dog pets, goats also love to get petted by their owners. If a goat likes you, the goat will willingly allow himself to get petted. Pet goats tend to enjoy the attention they get from their owners. Goats show their affection by following your hand or rubbing against you. Many goats crave human interaction by scratching them on their chest or underarms. Although they have dog-like attachments towards humans, keeping goats and understanding them would need a lot of interactions. But remember that unlike dogs, goats do not like belly rubs.Keeping goats as your pet must prepare you for a long-term commitment like any other pet. If goat owners feed their pet goats, they even reach out to your hand. Goats will get comfortable with your presence once the owners start spending quality time, petting them or playing with them. Bottle raising babies enables the young goats to form stronger bonds with their humans, resulting in a more intimate relationship as they are able to recognize the owners and follow them everywhere because of the herd mentality.What are the pros and cons of having a goat?If you are wondering about keeping goats as pets you must consider the pros and cons of having pet goats. Playing with goats or visiting the goat farms certainly makes them seem like friendly animals.Pros:Goats are easy to milk.Goats are similar to cows as they both provide us with milk. It takes less time to milk goats compared to cows. As they are smaller in size, it gets easier for goat owners to handle them.Goats clear out bushy areasBy nature, goats are known to be browsers. In order to have a goat, you need around 50 sq. ft (4.64 sq m) space wherein 20 ft (1.85 sq m) is for sleeping or resting and 30 ft (2.78 sq m) for exercise. They can clear out bushes and brambles from your backyard. The only thing goat owners should keep in mind is to check the toxic plants or weeds. Goats tend to eat them as well because of their unawareness. Harmful weeds can make your pet goat sick.Goats are easy maintenance.Goats require less food. Although they like to feed a lot, provide them with only the necessary diet. They also don’t require a lot of space. A small homestead in the backyard would be perfect for baby goats. It is easy to potty train a goat as they are willing to be house trained and are good at following the commands.Goats are cute and fun petsOne of the cutest American breeds of the dwarf goat is the Nigerian Dwarf. Among the variety of smaller breeds of goats, the West African Dwarf group was imported from Africa. The American Pygmy goat too derives from there. These breeds of goats are bred to have an appealing appearance. Dwarf goats can jump from anywhere between 4 ft-12 ft (1.2-3.6 m).Cons:Goats are escape artists.Goats are very clever creatures that mimic human behavior. They can do tasks such as unlatching gates, turning on lights, and try to unlock doors. They are known to climb and escape from fence and are smart enough to bend wire fence by jumping on it until it is low enough.Goats tend to get parasites easily.Parasites thrive and proliferate in certain environments. Goats that dwell in those environments are at greater risk of getting infected by parasites. Internal parasites have a tendency to depend on a particular organ, there are many different kinds of parasite infection in goats.Goats are noisy.It is common for goats to make noise when they are hungry, excited, or delighted to be seen by a human. In addition, goats may produce sounds if they are frightened, lonely, or injured or when they are hungry. In certain cases, the tone of a goat’s bleat may indicate how serious an emergency is; nevertheless, some goats even cry for no cause.Goats are pesky.Goats can be quite annoying. They are very loud and will start crying or making noises at the slightest discomfort. Goats also sometimes cry because of no apparent reason other than that they feel like it. They are also master escapists hence goats have a reputation as troublemakers.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Are goats good pets? Must know facts for your backyard companions! then why not take a look at what sugar is found in DNA? Basic kids biology facts simplified! Or what color is espresso? Find out about this amazing wood shade.
The domestic goat which is kept for livestock is believed to be a good pet.
