An old topic, but pertinent to me. As I was putting my yearling in her stall, my big doe bit me on the head. She was standing up in the stall with her hooves on the front, so when I was holding Dash's collar I was just at mouth height for Dot. It didn't really hurt, but it was disconcerting. I automatically reacted as I would to any undesirable behavior in a dog - I said "No" sharply and locked eyes until she looked away. I immediately went to chuck her under the chin as well - again, automatically trying to "nip it in the bud", but I realized I had hoof shears in my hand and stopped myself before I made contact. Then I bent over again to put Dash in her stall, and Dot bit me on the head AGAIN. So I smacked her just behind the ear and yelled "No, you don't bite me!" or something equally intelligent and intimidating. She jumped down from the stall wall and watched me warily for a minute, then tried to get her nose into Dash's stall through the slats while I tried to trim Dash's hoof. When I would let her sniff my hand through the slats she would lick but not bite.
I'm just wondering what was going on there. I'm not that good at reading goats yet. Did my head smell salty because I was sweating profusely today, so she wanted a taste? Was she trying to protect Dash (who she headbutts and ear-bites all day long) from big mean Julie who had been holding Dash's leg? Was it just in the same friendly vein as the face-sniffing and finger-nibbling (it was harder than a nibble, I think, but heads are pretty sensitive, so I might be wrong)? Was she, in fact, just testing me to see which of us is the "herd matriarch" (she hasn't ever shown any inclination to butt me)? Just wondering if anyone can shed a bit of light. I've owned dogs for all my life, and cats too, and chickens are pretty straightforward, but goats are another kettle of fish. I've been watching them for at least an hour, usually two, each day, trying to learn to read them. I think it's sensible, as I can then tell when they're in heat, or if they're feeling unwell. Also, it's a ton of fun. Their interactions together are straightforward - Dot is the bully and Dash is the wuss. Dot regularly chases Dash off of random bits of the pasture, and Dash runs straight to me (if I'm there). If I had seen Dot do this to Dash, I would have been sure she was trying to exert dominance, but she also butts Dash constantly.
Hmm. I'm not exactly the queen of the concise post, am I?
