Yes..stop it now! Use a hard spray or alot of water to take his breath away and make him step back. He is dominating you and will hurt you. Please stop this bad behavior. You can also flip him and hold his head down. Not a long time. But a few seconds to get his attention. You have to teach him..you are dominate.

 

Thank you for your advice, I will do what you suggest, and let you know how Iam getting on.

 

Please let us know how things are going! We all like to know what works and any things that you may learn! Good luck with your little guy!

 

Will do and many thanks

 

Also watch for other dominating behavior. Cutting in front of you while walking, beating you to the food, hackles raised on approach, and using you as a scratching post between his horns.

When a herd queen walks through a herd, the other goats get the heck out of the way. A reminder with a knee bump/push on your way somewhere can help change the dynamic.

 

Yes, definitely nip this in the bud! After you discipline (I recommend a water bottle/squirt gun), don't go after him to make friends. Just let him run off and think about his sins for a while and let him approach you. Make sure when he comes back that he has a soft eye and submissive posture. No stiff walking, no head tilting, no raised hair. Let him know that when he is friendly, you are friendly, but if he isn't nice then neither are you. Don't let him clack heads or beat up on other goats when you are there. You are the boss and nobody fights in your vicinity! Spray bottles work well, but so does a sudden arm-waving, shout-clap-stomp in his direction to scare the pants off him. I'm not such a fan of flipping goats because it's a good way for you to accidentally get hurt, and it only leaves an impression on some of them. Others it just makes them mad. Spraying water (or in the absence of water throwing pinecones, sticks, other non-injurious projectiles) works very well on most. Good luck! This is the age where many of them go through a testing phase and if you can train them past it you usually won't have trouble when they get older.

 

Hi,
Thanks for your advice, I have today starting with water squirt, and given him a nub with my knee when walked past him, things defo seem better, I did cuddle bit after the water squirt, but now understand what I should be doing now, many thanks

 

Sometimes a couple of squirts and few bumps with the knee to knock them out of your way is enough to let them know who rules the roost, and some will never challenge that again. Others you really have to keep on top of. Watching their body language is very important. A stiff posture, a hairy eyeball, cocked head, sideways stance, and raised hackles are all signs that your goat, while technically not even touching you, is in fact challenging your status. I don't let my goats walk next to me with their hair raised, even if they're just raising it at each other. I shoo them away to start their fights somewhere else so I don't end up in the middle of an altercation.

I have big, horned boys so good manners are essential to prevent accidents and injury. When our boys walk past us, they actively tilt their horns away from people to avoid even brushing anyone with the tips. There's no such thing as an "accidental" horn poke. Even if a goat gets shoved into me by another goat and it is truly an accident, I do like my dominant goats and I "butt" the goat that bumped into me with my knee or foot. Even though it was an accident, I want my boys to know that they should not put themselves between me and a dominant buddy. They need to pay attention and walk all the way around both of us so if they get hit, it won't be into my knees. I don't fancy getting knocked down even by mistake!

 

Not only will he not hold it against you, having a clear herd queen actually makes goats more comfortable! Without an adult goat in the picture, you are that herd queen. Goats thrive and feel most relaxed when there is clear hierarchy.

 

Thank you for making me feel better now, is it normal for my wether to boss my deoling, he is boss of her, but Iam going to be boss of him, should I just let them sort themselves out, or tell him off when he is dominant with my sweet doeling? Thank you

 

With the exception it dominance near you, I would let them work out their own hierarchy. But like Damfino said, not as it pertains to your attention or right near you.

 

Thank you all

 

All really good advice.