[Kenny Battistelli]

I've been working on leash training my goats for a few months now and I think my goats understand what the leash means. From now on, I will just keep pushing our distances and spacing out treats more until the walk becomes something well known by goats and hopefully something exercising, relaxing, and fun for them. The next command I would like to teach them is come, I plan on using a whistle. How do I teach them this command. What are the steps for this command, and what are your experiences with it?

 

[ksalvagno]

I bet Damfino would know.

 

[Damfino]

To train to whistle, call their names, whistle, and when they come to you give them each a treat. Do it every day and before you know it they'll come any time they hear that whistle. Just make sure to whistle the same way each time. I give a series of three short toots to call goats. When I whistle for the dogs I use a longer single toot with two pitches. I'm not sure they all know the difference since they all tend to come together no matter which pattern I use, but I try to be consistent on my end.

 

[Emrcornerranch]

I take my goats for walks a lot. At first I used food to get them to come to me. I said “come” and used the sound of the food jar rattling to get them over to me. Sunflower seeds, grain, a bit of shredded beet pulp or just pick what you think they’d like (even crackers) and put it in a small container like a plastic container that held some kind of human snacks you can shake to get their attention. I think it took a few days-a week, and they learned “come” without me needing to rattle the jar. I still gave the treat. Now I don’t need to even bring treats because they USUALLY come when called. Treats certainly help. I walk my goats around with my dog and Tom turkey. The bucks and the doelings will follow me anywhere. The does are hesitant to cross the creek, but like walking in the woods and fields.

 

[Kenny Battistelli]

@Damfino I've been working on whistle training every now and then for a few minutes and it didn't seem like they were getting it...until all of a sudden they did! I've only been really working with them in their pen, so yesterday I left them out and tried. The first time I blew the whistle out their, one didn't come. Sometimes, I blew the whistle and one of them would come, and only when the other one realized that one was running toward me did it follow. Should I be happy that they both came, or worried that only one came to the whistle? I'm having a hard time getting them to come when they are eating.

 

[Damfino]

It's nearly always hard to get goats to come when they're eating!

I wouldn't be too worried that only one goat comes right now. Be happy for the progress and keep working at it. Soon they'll both learn to respond enthusiastically. Make sure that whatever you reward them with is better than what they're already eating. If you whistle, reward, then let them go back to their forage they will learn to come running to the whistle. If you catch them and take them away from their "free time" every time, they'll learn to be suspicious. We whistle for our goats when we want to catch them and pen them up for the night, but we also whistle for them to come for treats and come for off-leash walks. Since they don't know what our plans are until after they come over, they always come.

 

[Kenny Battistelli]

Today I had about the same experience. Except, one goat was focused on something this time and didn't come. My one goat knows the whistle so well and will stop eating and come to me and I love him for that!

What do you use for treats? I always use animal crackers but I want them to have variety!

Thanks! I love training my goats!

 

[Damfino]

I go to the bulk cereal aisle in Walmart and select a different flavor each time. I've rarely struck out! And if the goats don't like a particular flavor, I can eat it for breakfast.