Goats and dog collars

Xerocles

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I am in the VERY EARLY stages of introducing (just planning and dreaming right now) goats on my place. And, like many, I am pondering the possibilities of fencing. I am considereng Nigerian dwarfs, and would like to rotate their browsing. But this early in the game, don't want to pop for "permanent" fencing in 3 or 4 different locations. I've already had panels suggested, and will probably go that route at first.
BUT THE REASON FOR THIS POST is something I just saw. I have a neighbor about 3 miles from me who has 2 goats. I know he has goats because I saw them standing about 3 ft from a major highway, no fence. And I thought "he's got escape artists". Well, it seems each time I travel to town, I see these goats standing on the side of the road. Now I never met him, and I didn't want to just stop by and ask if he had a goat escape problem. But I was talking to another neighbor, and mentioned it. He told me that the guy had an underground dog fence, and the goats wore shock collars. And as far as he knew, the owner never had a problem with the goats getting out.
Hmmmmm. I already have the underground dog fence for my dog, and it works wonderfully. Even at full gallop after a critter or her favorite toy, she abruptly pulls up short of her "learned" limit. The company even makes a "stubborn" collar for particularly strong willed dogs. Anybody got experience trying this method? I know the routine for properly training my dog to the system. Just wondering if it's feasible for dwarf goats (there will only be two. Period.)
 

B&B Happy goats

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My guess (having nigerian dwarf goats) is a shock collar would have to be really snug to give the goat a shock.....and once shocked, I think ithey would keep on moving. Doubt that system would work very well for you.....we use break away collars in case they get hung up on something,. Neighbor found one of their goats hung by the regular collar on the wall hay rack.... and the electric underground fence won't protect them from predators.
 

Xerocles

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Well, lots of concern about predators. Cautious, but not overly so. We don't have "lions and tigers and bears, oh my". Not even coyotes (yet, anyhow). Dogs? Haven't seen a dog except mine in the 11 months I've been here, and MY dog (not a LGD) is fiercely protective of her area and her pets. Haven't seen any tracks, etc of coons, possums, or bobcats. She's outside unless we go below 30f, which is rare here.
Heck, I think I'll just get two cheap brier goats and give it a try. The collars are cheap. Don't want to write off any animal as "expendable", but lets face it. $20 brier goats are about as expendable as it comes, to try out a new system. They make it a year, and go to the freezer farm anyhow.
 

B&B Happy goats

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When you set food out, something will come around to eat it...it's hard to not get attached to any animal, $20 or$1500, ....it's still a heartbreaking sight to see a animal attacked by another,
Had a neighborhood cat that wasn't afraid of dogs...until a pack of dogs came through , and disemboweled him before I could run to save him....then went through the woods and did the same thing to three goats...
Not looking for a argument, but you asked for advice and got the BEST advice from experienced people....
Just doesn't seem fair to the goats at all :hit
 

Xerocles

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Not looking for a argument, but you asked for advice and got the BEST advice from experienced people....
Just doesn't seem fair to the goats at all :hit
@B&B Happy goats. I am sorry to upset you. Not my plan at all. I guess I sound callous, but just wasn't raised to think of animals as "pets" or anything close to that. Taught farm animals were like tools. Take as good care of them as you can, but if they break, just suck it up and get another.
I knew better than to put that in my post, because it might upset people. Dummy me. I'll be more careful in the future with how I say things.
And the advice IS (REALLY) appreciated! Even when I don't listen, I read and think about everything everyone says on here. YOU GUYS are the experts. I'm just a novice feeling my way along.
 

B&B Happy goats

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@B&B Happy goats. I am sorry to upset you. Not my plan at all. I guess I sound callous, but just wasn't raised to think of animals as "pets" or anything close to that. Taught farm animals were like tools. Take as good care of them as you can, but if they break, just suck it up and get another.
I knew better than to put that in my post, because it might upset people. Dummy me. I'll be more careful in the future with how I say things.
And the advice IS (REALLY) appreciated! Even when I don't listen, I read and think about everything everyone says on here. YOU GUYS are the experts. I'm just a novice feeling my way along.
Will reply when we back from the dr.....
 

Bunnylady

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I'm down to 1 very elderly goat now, but have had as many as 5 at once. 2x4 welded wire, 4 feet high, to keep the goats in, and a hot wire at shoulder height (to the goats) to keep them from rubbing, climbing, and breaking down the welded wire - that's the only effective confinement I have managed. At times, we have tried to fence off part of their pen with hot wire to allow grass to grow or for some other reason. Inevitably, my goats have found a way around or through - I've seen them charge the wire, scream as it shocks them running through, and keep going. One time, I saw one on the wrong side of the fence, and yelled at her. She started to run back where she belonged, but when she hit the wire, it shocked her hard enough that she fell down -on top of the wire. As long as she was down, the wire was too, so she wasn't getting shocked, but every time she tried to stand up, the wire came with her, so it shocked her, she screamed, and fell down again. I had to sprint to the barn and turn the fence off so she could get off of it.

Pointy headed problem children.:th
 

Beekissed

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Well, lots of concern about predators. Cautious, but not overly so. We don't have "lions and tigers and bears, oh my". Not even coyotes (yet, anyhow). Dogs? Haven't seen a dog except mine in the 11 months I've been here, and MY dog (not a LGD) is fiercely protective of her area and her pets. Haven't seen any tracks, etc of coons, possums, or bobcats. She's outside unless we go below 30f, which is rare here.
Heck, I think I'll just get two cheap brier goats and give it a try. The collars are cheap. Don't want to write off any animal as "expendable", but lets face it. $20 brier goats are about as expendable as it comes, to try out a new system. They make it a year, and go to the freezer farm anyhow.

If you've got a good dog patrolling the same territory, I don't see a thing wrong with trying it out....especially when you've seen it successfully in action.

When I was growing up, many people just stuck a billy goat out on a tether in the yard and moved it around where they needed brush or grass mowed down that was hard to get a mower into. Never heard of any horror stories about it. My uncle had a big ol' billy goat he tethered out for years around his pond....and he didn't have dogs running loose to guard it from harm or any fencing around his land either. It could take care of itself just fine.

Those miniature goats wouldn't be as successful at that, but with your dog guarding them, I don't see where there would be a problem.
 
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