Do Goats Do Better As Indoor Pets?


Do Goats Do Better As Indoor Pets?

I just had a conversation with my neighbor, who came to me, asking if goats did better as indoors. When the word ‘Goat’ is mentioned, our minds most likely think Dairy products, meat or stuff like that.  Or maybe that stubborn domestic animal that eats almost everything without thinking twice. I know, right? But some people like to raise goats as pets. That’s not a bad idea at all so long as they are not raised indoors.

Goats don’t do well generally as indoor pets. But as aforementioned, they can serve as pets. The small sized ones are the most popular breeds of goats that could serve the purpose of pets, even though other breeds can also make awesome pals.

Goats can doubtlessly be raised for meat or dairy purposes, but do not turn blind eye to their potential as companions. Goats can make wonderful buddies for people and animals.  Goats have fascinating qualities, and due to this they can make good buddies for people as well as pals for other animals. One of the most prominent occupations for goats these days is simply being companions. More people, including many city residents, are finding out the satisfaction of keeping goats exclusively as pets.

Just about any breed of goat can make a good pet, though the smaller breeds are more popular as backyard companion goats as we have earlier hinted. Pygmy goats and Kinder goats make excellent choices for companion goat breeds.

If you too want to have small-sized goats or even bigger ones as pets, then you should try to learn more about these types of goat breeds.

Best Goat Breed for Indoor Pets

Pygmy Goats

Pygmy Goats

Pygmy goats are one of the most prominent breeds of goat—no doubt because they are so portable and cute. Someone once described them as cute dwarfs. An adult doe or wether grows to be 16 to 23 inches at the withers. Pygmy goats breed all year-round, which means kids are available at any time of year. One of the reasons why Pygmy goats would make awesome house pets is because of their small size as earlier mentioned in this post. As such, they require only a small space in the house.

In general, Pygmy goats are smaller in size and their weight would be around 55 to 75 pounds (25-34.09kg). Other pets like dogs even weigh more than 75 pounds.

Probably by now, you are speculating that, it is OK to bring the goats inside the house without any issues. But the concern is that, would it not be a problem for Pygmy goats to live inside like other pets? In a word the answer is a big YES. It would be.

To raise Pygmy goats as pets is a good idea, but letting them live inside is not excellent. For keeping animals as pets inside your house consider your other choices of pets. Pygmy goats just cannot live inside as pets.

Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Keep Pygmy Goats As Indoor Pets

Devastation

Remember that there are no phlegmatic goats. A calm goat is either sickly or too weak and tired. They are always active and destructive. Goats can destroy the things inside your house. They can vandalize things by taste-testing items or by clambering on top of things and items.

A goat that is given a chance to live inside, can eat everything – and everything here means everything, from your books or homework to the stereo, couch, and counter. Goats are smart enough and would always love to test things out. They can climb, so you can also see them on your kitchen table and counters. That is definitely not cool.

Eating Requirements

Pygmy goats are browsers just like every other goat. They love to graze on the field and prefer the outdoors where they can browse and eat as they need to. Goats spend most of their time eating and drinking. They always search for more new foods.

As a result of this nature, they can taste almost everything whatever they find inside the house, including your kitchen countertop, couch, books etc. So it will be very difficult for you to feed your pet goat inside the house. And they also spread the food elements (such as hay, grass or grain) throughout your house and you will need to clean the floor frequently.

Housebreaking

It is no point of argument that housebreaking a goat is no easy thing. Usually the routine for a goat is a repeated cycle of eating and drinking throughout the day. And because of this, they urinate and defecate throughout the day. Your goat’s poop comes out at any time by default. Although it’s possible to train a goat to urinate in a specific place, your friends or relatives may not take so kindly to having a goat stay inside the house. They are likely to think otherwise.

Goats often expect companion. Although they are friendly with humans, they are herd animals and need a company of their own kind. Dog, cat or any other pet don’t make a good goat companion. You can’t spend all the time with your goats, so they need company, at least another goat. That means, if you want to keep your goats inside like other pets, you have to keep at least two. And two goats inside your house can make your daily life quite hellish.

Kinder Goats

Kinder Goats

These are the words of Pat Showalter, president of the Kinder Goat Breeders Association, as she insists that there are a number of factors that qualify the Kinder goat as a good prospect for a companion goat.

They are a nice size, so even children are able to handle them if they are bottle-raised and friendly, and they transport in a dog kennel if need be. They are intelligent and affectionate and are easy to train, whether it’s for milking or something like cart-pulling. They love to be with their owners, so they make great companions for walking, hiking or even camping. They are natural comics and are great entertainment.

Pat Showalter

This goes a long way to ascertain that goat breeds normally utilized for milk or meat can serve as incredible pets. Goat owners can kill the stress and enjoy leisure when they are with their goats.

Nonetheless, there can be downsides to keeping goats as pets, as have earlier been said. Pet goats can be chaotic and picky eaters. They like to climb, and, if allowed, can be destructive. The solution to restraining bad goat behavior is effective management.

A number of pet goats have the simple task of plainly providing companionship to another animal, like a dog, for instance. There is something about goats that makes them great to be around, even for other four-legged animals.

Although many pet goats do not do so much but to lounge around, fascinate their owners with their alluring characters and graze to their heart’s content, some companion goats are implored to accomplish part-time jobs.

Some of these pet goats aid their owners give back to the community by working as therapy goats. These goats accompany their humans to schools, assisted-living facilities and community centers.

The Delta Society, an organization that tests and registers pets for therapy work, includes goats in their list of animals eligible for registration. To become a registered Delta Society pet therapist, a goat must pass a test that shows it to be controllable, reliable and predictable. The goat must have good manners in public places, and have the social skills to seek out and visit with strangers. Isn’t that amazing?

Nigerian Dwarf Goat

Nigerian Dwarf Goat

The Nigerian Dwarf goat is an American breed of dwarf goat. Like the American Pygmy Goat, it derives from the West African Dwarf group of breeds of West Africa. It was at first reared as a show breed and companion animal; selection was for appearance and for docility. It was later found to be suitable for small-scale dairy production, and some breeding was directed towards dairy qualities.

Requirements for Keeping Goats As Pets

Space

Ideally, one requires a minimum 20 square metres (200 sq ft) or more for every goat.

Enclosure

Although goats are relatively hardy animals, domestic goats benefit from being provided with shelter from wind and rain.

Another important consideration is to ensure that their enclosure has robust fencing, as goats rub up against things in order to scratch themselves and can destroy bad-quality fencing, only to then escape through the small gaps that they create.

Food & Water

Regular feeding is fundamental, as is the provision of clean water. Hay is a vital food source and a manger keeps it off the ground where they might urinate and defecate upon it. Providing a salt lick is also a wise adjunct so as to provide them with essential minerals.

Health Checks

Being cloven-hoofed animals, they also need their feet to be examined from time to time and to be trimmed if necessary, since some breeds evolved in areas where hard rocky surfaces continually wear down their hoofs, whereas on soft land pasture their hoofs may overgrow. Such overgrowth can lead to problems requiring veterinary visits.

Goats are carriers for several diseases that can pass to humans such as Leptospirosis, Q fever, Brucellosis, and Toxoplasmosis.

For owners who can provide all of these basic essentials, goats can be become very rewarding pets and companions.

Please note that there are countries, states, cities, towns that have strict regulations against petting a goat. You will have to check out the legislation of the place where you are before you start investing time in bringing up your goats at home as pet. It is because goats are intended for livestock. And this requires that you comply with the standards on space, fences, satisfactory sanitation and other criteria involved in goat-rearing. It is not as easy as simply sticking a goat into your home or your backyard. You need to make sure that you are legally permitted to own them.

Special Diet Requirements for Your Pet Goats

Majority of pet goats, especially the males, are castrated. They are called wethers. A quality and fresh pasture fodder can nourish their body and provide them with the vital nutrients they require. Just be certain that the hay you feed them is not that of the Alfalfa class, as it can cause them some urinary complications. You can also give them treats from time to time to add variety to their food and to boost their appetite. Also, goats usually chew on things they get attracted to. This means that having a goat at home puts your lawn and garden at the risk of getting destroyed.

Number of Goats

Goats are friendly and social animals. When allowed to live alone they can get depressed and will lose their appetite for food and will not be proactive. It is often recommended to get at least a pair of goats whether it is livestock, farming or house pets. There are some occurrences where a goat can live strongly and determined, all by themselves. But this is rare. You would frequently see this at home or with goat pets. They somehow shared a bond with humans that could compensate with the absence of a partner.

Play Style of Goats

Also to put to consideration is the play style of goats.

One of the most comic and amusing animals of the barnyard are goats. They are playful, flexible, funny and interactive with other animals. Some even deem them to be clowns in the farm. They are recognized for how they can play with just about anything. That is presumably one of the cutest and lovely qualities of goats. This is why they are now a trend as house pets. They might have some aggravating and unruly behaviors that need to be trained out, but most times, they can pull off some entertainment that could keep you laughing hard for a long time.

Conclusion

Goats have so much to offer their human companions. It’s no surprise that more urbanites are choosing to share their lives with pet goats.

Despite their reputation for being a bit adamant, goats are sometimes kept as pets due to their ability to develop close bonds with their owners. Goats are herd animals by nature and typically prefer the company of other goats, but because of their herd mentality, they will follow their owner and form close bonds with them, hence their continuing popularity.

However, in the end, allowing pygmy goats live inside your house is not ideal. Raising goats as pets is absolutely OK, but allowing them inside the house is disgusting. If you need pets and want to keep them inside, consider other animals.


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