My Alpines are CAH-RAZY!!

[StoneWallFarmer]

I've got two Apline girls, Silly Lilly(very appropriately named!) and Olive. These two girls are totally nuts! Very hyper, very...umm, athletic. Think goat gymnastics!
They were bottle babies, not raised by me and thy very "hands on" ... Or "hoofs on"? Lol
This behavior is starting to get a little old now that they are growing bigger. I have NDs and a Pygmy and they are pretty calm. Thy love to play an be loved, but nothing like those crazy Alpines!
Is this an Alpine thing? Or are they just overly happy goats? I secretly feel like they have goat crack hidden somewhere!

They do make good goat TV though! Lol

 

[Southern by choice]

Unfortunately you get that with a lot of bottle fed babies.

NOT downing anyone who bottle feeds, some people really want them to be all over them. It is cute when they are little but personally I think it can be (not saying it always is) a nightmare when they are full grown.

You will really have to work with them to correct undesirable behaviors.

A needy goat can really be wearing on a person! Sorry... :/

 

[StoneWallFarmer]

I'm ok with it, I don't give in to the neediness and am pretty good at handling them, but my daughters get quite frustrated and within the last two days they haven't wanted to go to the barn alone
That could definitely become a problem!

 

[Southern by choice]

Wise momma! Wise children! Goats of any size can knock a kid down as you know and even though they may not be doing it to be mean a large goat can seriously hurt a child.

Have you tried the "squirt bottle" for behavior adjustment? Since Children can't "knee" them if they are jumping up they might be able to squirt them. Probably don't have to tell you this but I wouldn't let the children go in alone with them anymore. Give them treats only with good behavior, they jump...you give them the knee, and no treat. When they behave..treat.

We had a time when our ND's were jumping up on us when we brought the feed in, they WERE NOT bottle babies but started developing this terrible behavior. One day I had 3 dwarfs all jumping up on me, it really was terrible. I can't imagine this for a child,and these were little goats. I had bruises on the front of my legs and it was really hard getting out from between them. I was REALLY angry.

Hopefully some one else will chime in and give you ideas.

Oh yeah... smooches to that big lovey baby Pyr! just tell him it's from Auntie Southern. He reminds me so much of one of my babies.
But I bet Emmett isn't ...well...as "bad" as "D". (i think it's Emmett..right)?

 

[Pearce Pastures]

All goats can be that way, not just Alpines and even a dam raised kid can learn to stand or jump on people, though is is probably more likely with bottle kids since they are so hands on. We bottle all of ours but we have to be really firm with them from the day they are born. No standing on us, biting clothes, and what not.

It is not too late though

When they start to jump up on you or your daughter, loudly tell them NO and push them down. If they do not seem to get the message, tell them NO and thump their ear/nose by flicking your finger and thumb--enough to annoy them but not really hurt. For your daughter, if she is small and not as able to push them down or ear thump, get her a spray bottle of water and tell her to say NO loudly and spritz them in the face once. You might need to go with her and help her to be firm (sorry, not sure how old she is). If can, spend a half hour to an hour out with them for a few days and continue to reinforce that you do not like that behavior (feel free to pet and praise them when they are standing calmly too). They will get it.

 

[StoneWallFarmer]

Thanks for the advice. We've already started taking some of those steps. The knee thing comes pretty naturally, lol. I like the squirt bottle idea too, that will work better for the kids. My daughters are 8 and 10 so with some help they should be able to help nip this in the bud too.

While the goats run around like maniacs Emmett just looks at me, with those eyes, and says " look what I have to put up with mom, I should probably get a big bone for this, don't you think?"
Ill be sure to tell him hello from Auntie Southern

 

[Jenski]

A water spray bottle is like MAGIC.....and most of the time they have no idea it is you doing the disciplining. If you catch the behavior just right, they quickly make the association between the *terrible* water stream and whatever it is they were doing. I hang a bottle on the outside of the fence, and I should probably keep another one in the barn.

Good luck!