Herding Goats Hands-Free: Positional Strategies

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Herding goats requires a deep understanding of their nature and behavior and a careful balance of the different methods.

Moving a large herd of goats from one location to another, such as from pasture to shelter or trailer, requires hands-free herding strategies due to the impracticality of halter and leash training over 400 animals. At Kopf Canyon Ranch, we use a combination of positional movement and structural strategies to move our herd. In this first part of a two-part series, we’ll cover positional movement.

Goats Prefer to be Led

Goats are intelligent and sentient prey animals. Recognizing their ability to discern and build trust is crucial for successful management. However, their prey nature means they also have real fears that must be considered to avoid unnecessary stress. Aligning with goats’ ability to form trusted relationships is our preferred handling strategy.

Our favorite approach is to call the goats and have them come running — and they do. This response didn’t develop overnight but through incremental training steps. It’s a simple behavior/reward strategy: if they came when called, they were rewarded. The fastest way to a goat’s heart is through its stomach.

Treats and Habits When Herding Goats

We filled a coffee can halfway with alfalfa pellets — enough to rattle when we shook it — and doled out some treats along the way. We went to the goats, calling them and rattling the can, coaxing them with pellets as we moved where we wanted them to go. Those who followed got nibbles along the way. When the herd arrived at the target area, more pellets awaited.

Then we stopped going to them, shook the can, and waited. The first to return enjoyed the most pellets. The other goats learned by observing — and out of fear of missing out or being left behind. Before long, the entire herd understood the process. We then substituted readily available rocks for rattles, instead of pellets, still calling. Rewards were random. Our goal was to condition them to respond to a call alone. Goats, like people, are gamblers and will continue to play if the payoff is frequent enough.

When the herd responded reliably, the can and reward disappeared, and now it’s simply a call. Well over a decade later, none of the goats we have now know about the rattle can or reward. Answering the call has become part of their herd culture — it’s what they do. One generation teaches the next.

If The Goat Won’t Follow, Then Make it Move Away

Trust and relationships can be powerful motivators when herding goats, but they aren’t always reliable. When trust and relationships are absent, we lean on the strategy of Ray Hunt, a renowned horse trainer, who advises making the wrong thing difficult and the right thing easy.

If goats don’t respond to rewards and won’t follow, as prey animals, they’ll respond to pressure. Pressure can be used in conjunction with calling to help reinforce the desire to follow. Depending on the herd size and terrain, pressure can be as easy as having a person come from behind the herd. Prey animals don’t like to have something behind them. Most will avoid the pressure, but some will face it head-on, turning away from the call and directly toward the person pressuring. At this point, it’s necessary to escalate to commotion by clapping, stomping, and shouting to drive them toward the caller.

Confused or panicked goats (due to lack of leadership, a threat, or a weather emergency) will scatter. We see this when we separate our buckling herd after weaning, although part of it can be attributed to youth and hormones.

The Sorting Flag

Goats that don’t respond to human pressure learn the sorting flag. We call it “the Green Dog” on the ranch. The flag makes us larger and louder. It extends our arms by six feet, visually flaps, and makes loud, snapping sounds. It brings the threat up a notch, adding fear to simple avoidance. We can also make contact — tapping their sides and hocks. It’s not our preference. We don’t want our goats to operate in fear, so we offer choices — follow for reward (trusted relationship), escape the commotion (avoidance), or flee the flag (fear). They quickly learn to respond to the call and avoid the flag. The few that don’t learn to respond to the call are examples that reinforce learning to the rest.

The Dog

Our goats free-range a steep, rugged canyon, and we simply aren’t as fit and agile as they are. In difficult terrain where other methods fail, a herding dog can be used as a last resort. This method should be used carefully to avoid injury and reduce stress when herding goats. The dog uses positional pressure and commotion, and, if necessary, nips and bites to move the goats. Unlike other forms of pressure, a dog as a predator poses a real threat. Sometimes, just seeing that we have the dog is enough to make the goats comply.  Avoiding pain is the greatest motivator and will move them when all else fails. A good herding dog won’t allow the herd — or any individual — to resist. Goats are difficult for herders. They don’t “flock” the way sheep do and will readily face a challenge. Unlike sheep and cattle, goats have very thin skin and are easily injured. Herding goats takes an aggressive dog, but one with enough restraint not to cause undue harm.

A Method to the Madness

Moving a large herd of goats requires a deep understanding of their nature and behavior. By leveraging their intelligence and ability to form trusted relationships, we can use positive reinforcement and incremental training to create a culture of responsiveness. When trust and relationships aren’t enough, applying pressure and using tools like the sorting flag or herding dogs can help guide the herd effectively. Each method has its place, and the key is balancing reward and pressure to ensure the well-being and cooperation of the goats.

In the next installment in this series, we’ll discuss structural strategies that can aid hands-off herding.

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Karen Kopf and her husband Dale own Kopf Canyon Ranch in Troy, Idaho. They raise Kiko goats, enjoy “goating” together, and helping others goat. You can learn more about them at Kopf Canyon Ranch on Facebook or www.kikogoats.org 

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Originally published in the May 1, 2025 digital issue of Goat Journal