Therapy goat baby
How does it start…..well careful breeding is the beginning. Choosing our herd sire is based on a few key qualities.
Personality and temperament come first. Then size. Our herd consists mainly of mini lamancha goats.
We chose this breed for it’s consistent quietness and willingness to learn and help.
To breed Mini lamanchas we use Nigerian dwarf goats as well. They can be feisty and loud at times so we choose the quietest ones.
Our does are double duty so milk production matters too.
We need their milk to make our beautiful soaps and to feed their babies.
Our goal is to produce an animal that can function well in all areas that a goat should function but with an exceptional temeperment
That’s where we begin and then the fun starts!
THE PROCESS
How do we start the training process? It starts the day they are born. We partner with our does for this process.
The babies are always dam raised. Always. This is so important to making this whole thing work. Why?
Because we are not goats….there are some very important therapy goat qualities that can only be taught to the babies by their Mamas and the herd. Our Mamas know that we are going to be part of the kids lives from day one.
They are held and touched and talked to every single day starting on day one.
They learn that the sound and touch of a human is calming and soothing. That they can trust and lean into humans for comfort and love.
They learn that food comes from Mama.
Bottle fed babies are cute but they look at humans for their first foods which changes the relationship dramatically. We do occasionally have to bottle feed. When we do we keep the babies with the herd. Try to bottle feed from the ground not from our arms. First and foremost though we do everything possible to keep them with their Mamas.
Training takes 12 weeks. When they go home with their families they have been handled for hours and hours. they crave the love that a human gives and can’t wait to be with you!
They have learned some basic manners, although they are still baby goats so mischievous is their middle name!
They are fully vet checked and have their shots for the first year when you pick them up.