Maybe we're just lucky but all the kids we've had that stood on us when they were little stopped doing so on their own as they got older.
Empty coffee can (metal, not plastic), bang em on the top of the head and say "NO!" as I do it. I use the same method to stop the bottle kids from trying to grab each other's bottles. After a few times, one that finishes first will back away and behave instead of climbing all over her sister and trying to steal. You can't reason with a goat, you have to use their language and train them.
Like DPW, I have noticed that they do seem to outgrow it somewhat. With young kids I don't do anything because I don't want to make them afraid of me but after a couple months I'll start to push them off, turn my back on them, and ignore them if they get obnoxious. When they come up next to me and don't jump I will kneel down and pet them. If one gets really pushy or an older goat that knows better jumps I will smack it on the nose and say "NO!" or "DOWN!".
Mine do outgrow it also. :leap: It is a good thing because we have a couple that are just so darn cute that we let them jump on us. One will walk behind you and jump on you. If you ignore her she will put her head down and butt at you. It is cute as ever at 2 months old. :greengrin:
I have twin bottle babies that at 4 months are still very "hooves on". From the get go (7 weeks), I taught them manners beginning with four on the "floor". As soon as all four of their hooves were planted firmly on the ground, I'd click and treat, or "C/T". If they started to jump up, I'd turn away and walk in the opposite direction. Consequently, they now offer that and other learned behaviors (tricks) when they're seeking my attention, as opposed to jumping on me. I have a metabolic muscle disease plus a collagen defect so cannot let the goats jump up on me. In addition to "four", I taught the twins to "dance" as an alternative to jumping up and resting their hooves against my upper legs. To train them to do this, I used a peanut to lure them up onto their back legs making sure they were facing any direction as long as they were NOT facing me - "C/T". I also learned not to keep the treat bag on me or any goaties treats in my pockets, as they would jump up and try to help themselves. I taught my other goats, Angoras, to do various tricks for treats. So when they or the babies want my attention or a treat, they offer a learned behavior or trick instead of jumping up on me. Katie, herd queen and onery one, usually "counts" or "bows"when she sees me. Allison, meek and mild, has never jumped up on me but loves to target so will "touch" my hand with her sweet lil' nose. Trinity offers a "shake" or a "High ho!" which is similiar to "dance". And the twins default behavior is still "dance" although they have learned other tricks as well. Hope this gives you some ideas. Deb Mc
Mine grew out of it. If they get too happy at supper time I will open hand swat the nose and say 'Down'. That's kinda' cool that everyone's goats stopped doing it as they got older. But they will still steal your chair when you get up.... :doh: Gina
Gahh, you all are lucky! 14 mo buck just started, so I changed the way I fed them.. Do you have a cattle prod, or a horse lunge whip? Get one (horse whip), and smack the ground with it. I do, and my goats HATE the sticks. It keeps my aggressive buck back, too.
I step on their back feet when they jump on me and say "eeeh off" I had a bottle baby doe that always jumped on me NOT FUN.... stepping on her back hooves made her stop REALLY quick. She learned that behavior didn't feel good. She still runs right up to me every day and she likes to lean on me and wraps her body around me like a cat! LOL I'm just glad the jumping stopped.
Carry a small bottle of water in spray container and when they jump spray them with the water and stern voice 'NO' very quickly will stop and they also get to know the NO word! ....
My girl waits until I'm bent over before making a jump for my back-- the other day she put her hoof through my hair and hung there by a rear leg. uch: I started throwing her off me, knocking the wind out of her, and she is slowly stopping.... Like Sarah said, they train like dogs, if not better.
