Aggression or normal?

Hi there! We are brand new to goat ownership and may have a problem. We've just adopted a 3 yo nubian female and a 5 MO nubian alpine cross male. The female came from a not so nice place where she was tethered all the time. She's sweet with people but HATES the dog, who is now terrified of her. He avoids her like the plague but she still stalks him and will butt him every chance she gets. Even if he is sitting across the lawn minding his own business.
She's also just started this silly behvaior-she wrestles with the male and it seems to be playful they butt and she jumps around and runs in circles.
We just laid her down and made her submit. As soon as we let her up and tried to put her in her pen she fussed and fought but soon submitted and went in.
We aren't sure if she's going to settle and eventually accept the dog or if this will continue and we'll have to get rid of her. What do you all think? Thoughts? Advice? Experiences?

Welcome from NW Mississippi!...
I'm not familiar enough about your nubian doe as far as her cycling goes, but the possibility could exist that she is coming into estrus and your 5 mnth old buck will certainly breed her is she does come into estrus. Also, with every goat herd, even with 2 or more, hierachy is very important and it is there nature to be the on the "Higher Rung" of the ladder. As far as the dog is concerned, she may eventually accept it, but then again she may not. Being a prey animal they will defend against certain things, ours do not like cats and they will chase them and pen them to the ground, or butt them every chance they get. We have had the voats for a yr and a half, and the cats were here when they arrived. It is just one of those thiings that ya need to be aware of and never force a confrontation hoping they will be one big happy "Family". You'll create yourself more difficulties and problems than ya will care to deal with. Sure hope things settle down for ya, but ya may want to check on the rear of your female to see if she is swollen and/or pinkish. If she is fanning her tail, chances are good she is in estrus....it is called "Flagging".
Again....

Greetings and welcome to BYH from NE Texas. Glad you joined us and Grats on your new goats! Sounds like "normal" goat behavior to me... Hopefully once she realizes that the dog is no threat, she'll calm down. It's going to take some time. There's a lot of info and experience in the various goat threads here. If you browse around you'll pick up a lot and also get to "meet" our awesome goat folks Make yourself at home and please consider sharing some picks of your goats... We're a bunch of pic addicts here.

Thanks, cross posting seems to have garnered similar responses...this is goat normal, to be expected and we need to get a wiggle on that fenced in pen!

Nellie is pictured left, Ripple, my no trouble so far boy is attached!

Nice looking young buck there.

Thanks. I think he's pretty handsome myself!

I had this situation with an Alpine doe. I tried a lot of ways to fix it but eventually as per her original owners advice I used a large stick that made a loud "crack!" noise (more noise than anything) and would sternly say her name while making that noise with the stick (Usually on her rump). Eventually she associated the stern name calling with the stick and all I had to do was say her name in that way to get her to stop..... She killed my rabbits and was dead set on killing the dogs and cat. It worked great and Eventually she stopped altogether but started again but this time not only towards the dog and cat but the other goats as well and she had to go.

novamom said:

Hi there! We are brand new to goat ownership and may have a problem. We've just adopted a 3 yo nubian female and a 5 MO nubian alpine cross male. The female came from a not so nice place where she was tethered all the time. She's sweet with people but HATES the dog, who is now terrified of her. He avoids her like the plague but she still stalks him and will butt him every chance she gets. Even if he is sitting across the lawn minding his own business.
She's also just started this silly behvaior-she wrestles with the male and it seems to be playful they butt and she jumps around and runs in circles.
We just laid her down and made her submit. As soon as we let her up and tried to put her in her pen she fussed and fought but soon submitted and went in.
We aren't sure if she's going to settle and eventually accept the dog or if this will continue and we'll have to get rid of her. What do you all think? Thoughts? Advice? Experiences?

Click to expand...

Well, As far as getting her to go into their pen, My pygmy goats won't go in unless i have some Purina Goat chow in my hands. I take them in, set the chow on their bench (Any bowl or flat surface will do) and as they eat, i sneak out and lock the gate, and by the time their finished i am inside. And, As far as the goats being aggressive towards your dog, i have the same problem with Cas. (One of my pygmies), My dog, Rudy, Has never hurt a soul, and is in old age now and has hip problems, and my little Cas will run to him and head-butt Rudy's Rear, for No reason!
Rudy has learned to stay away from the goats, but sometimes they accidentlly run into each other and Cas head-butts him....
I always step in and open the door for Rudy so he can go inside, then i put my goats back in their pen. Goats are intelligent animals and with some training, they may deal with one another, without causing me to have to step in. After a few months of this behavior, all the sudden Cas just started to simply ignore Rudy. I don't know what flipped the switch, but something clicked, and Rudy and Cas can be right beside one another and have no problems.
I suggest you wait and train.
Since your goats are new, your goats will probably go threw the same steps as mine did.
phase 1- Both Goat And Dog will be terrified of one another.
phase 2- Goat will likely be interest in dog.
phase 3- Goat will head-butt dog at any given chance.
phase 4- Goat will learn that head-butting the dog will cause him to go into his pen.
phase 5- Goat will practically completely ignore dog, and dog will continue to hide from goat.
pase 6- Both Dog and Goat will get along fine.

-I hope your dog and your goat's relationship turn out like ours did!!!!
Good Luck!

Our female will go after our dog at any given time, this hasn't changed in five years. Our dog has just learned to keep a distance when they are out. Food works for getting ours back in the pen as well.

You got some good advice but I wanted to add my welcome.