[Saltlick]

I am having the same problem now with my new goat who has become incredibly too co-dependent, when I have him high-lined next to my other wether and I walk away he flips out, screams and bolts to the end of the lead and tries to follow, he even broke a collar! And now his behavior has rubbed off on my mellow Saanen. I don't know what to do, I am up visiting my family in Oregon and I literally have to sleep outside with them so they don't keep the neighborhood up. He's fine the moment I walk out the door. I wonder if I should just leave them until they stop crying, like for hours and hours? We just got back from camping for 5 days and they loved it, they were mostly not tied and had lots of meadows, We hiked to the top of a mountain and they did great.

 

[Saltlick]

He's doing a little better tonight actually, they both are. He gets mad and head-butts the water bucket and knocks it over the moment I walk away though, a total tantrum! It's kind of funny... I have done more walk by's today without interacting with them and making my time away from them longer, plus they got a lot more walk time and off lead blackberry bush snacking time. When camping mostly I just left them loose and they nestled down near my tent, high-lined them one night just to keep them out of stuff and they were fine because I was right there next to them. Here unfortunately we can't leave them loose at all in my parents' neighborhood, otherwise it would be easy! But I think he just needs more time and experience and a little tough love (hard to leave them when they're flipping out like that, but he especially has to learn I can leave, but I'll come back). Yep, guess I turned him into a mama's boy a little too quickly! I will say he is going to make a great packer, he kicked ass on the trail and we really did a hard climb to the top of a mountain, he's so deer-like and agile and alert (I love that and if that's an Alpine trait, then I'm already sold on them), whereas my Saanen plows along like a slow but deliberate tank. And he's better at water crossings too (thanks to his time with you). Still working on the sneaking up and butting the dog thing, but he's learning. Here are a couple of photos