There are two common types of dwarf goats, the Pygmy Goat and the Nigerian Dwarf Goat. Both of these breeds can make excellent pets. The Nigerian Dwarf is bred to be more delicate looking with leg placement that leaves plenty of room for the udders, as these goats are commonly used to produce milk. The Pygmy goats are more stout and compact.
Where to Buy
Goats can be purchased from several different types of places. All of the stockyards around us have a specific time that they auction goats, usually right before their cattle sales. Most of our local, well established flea markets have animal section where you can find goats, chickens, rabbits, and other small animals. There are always listings online, social media groups and livestock websites, where you can find goats for sale. Or you can purchase goats from a local breeder. There are pros and cons to all of these options.
Buying from a local breeder is probably the safest way to purchase your new goat. You should be selective and ask to see where they keep their goats and if they have been dewormed or had any vaccinations. This is usually a straightforward transaction where you go to their farm or homestead, pick out your goat, and complete the transaction.
Buying a goat from an online listing provides the opportunity to shop around and see pictures of the available options before making a decision to purchase. You can also see any comments that others have left and do some background on the seller, such as looking at their profile to see how long they have had their online account and if it looks legitimate. The biggest downside is that you could still get scammed. The easiest way to prevent this is by not paying out a deposit. A seller asking for a deposit before you have seen the goat or decided to purchase it, is a huge red flag. If the seller is legitimate, they should have no problem with you seeing their other goats and meeting the one you are interested in before making a decision. If you see the goat in person this week, but cannot pick it up until next week, asking for a deposit is a reasonable request. Many people say they are coming back to buy and then do not, leaving the seller to turn away potential buyers thinking they already have a buyer. If this is the case and you pay a deposit, get a receipt with the date, the amount paid, and the balance due. This protects the buyer and the seller. A receipt can be a simple handwritten note.
Local flea markets that allow vendors to sell animals are a great place to find a goat! If you do not see what you are looking for this week, it is likely there will be some different ones to choose from next time. Many of the people who sell their animals at markets like this are reputable breeders looking to market their animals in a high traffic environment. At these markets, you will find breeders as well as dealers who buy animals at livestock auctions or from other individuals to resell.
Our last place on our list of common places to buy goats is livestock markets. Unlike our other options where the seller asked a set price and you can decide to buy or not, these are actual auctions where you bid on the animals you want. You can look at them before the auction starts to decide on which ones you like and want to bid on. Before you ever place your first bid, set a firm price in your mind that you will not go over. It is easy to get excited in the middle of a bidding war and end up paying a lot more than you intended to. Try to gain as much information as you can before the auction starts by looking at the animals up for auction and asking the employees any questions you might have. More often than not, when an animal enters the ring to be sold, the gender will be announced but not much other information. The ones where I live do not even announce what breed they are. However, if you do not see anything you like or you are outbid on your favorite, go back the next time and there will be a whole new group to choose from.
Problems to Watch for in Goats
When you purchase a new animal, you also need to be prepared for any issues the animal has that you will need to address. Most of the places where animals can be purchased do not require the seller to disclose age and health issues, especially for goats. So be sure to watch for any out of the ordinary behavior. Always check any animals that you purchase for pests. For example, I bought the cutest young goat at an auction she is kind of spotted calico colored so we named her Freckles. On the way home from the auction that night, with Freckles riding on a towel in my lap, I couldn’t help but notice that she had also come with a very generous goat lice infestation!
We were driving home after the auction she where we purchased her was over at about 10:00 at night. As soon as the light in the car hit her, I could see the tiny lice crawling all over her. In a panic, I immediately pulled out my phone and began to research as I was fairly new to have goats and had not had to deal with parasites yet. To my indescribable relief, since she was still sitting in my lap, goat lice are species specific and do not transfer for other species. That led me to the completely rational conclusion that she, of course, could not go in the goat pen and spread her lice but would be perfectly fine to quarantine in the house for a few days.
As soon as we got home, I took her straight to the shower where she was covered in Apple Cider Vinegar and then shampooed with an all natural flea and tick shampoo for puppies that uses essential oils as the active ingredients. She still had lice, though fewer of them, but she did smell much better! I then wrapped her in a towel and sat on the couch with her in my lap to wait for her to dry off and relax a little bit while the boys brought the big dog crate in the house for her to sleep in. That was the beginning of Freckles being known as the puppy goat. I did also get some Ivermectin the next morning to treat the lice.
After she got settled in for a day or two, I took the tags out of her ears because she is so small and it was obvious that they were weighing her ears down and bothering her. She has mastered the art of escape from the goat pen because she has decided she does not belong with the goats. She really belongs in the house but will settle for sleeping on the back steps. That way she can keep track of all of us and follow us around the yard to help with everything! Freckles comes when you call her name wants to be in the middle of everything, and is always available to taste test any and all animal food that we are putting out.
Goats can make great pets and are useful on a homestead for many different purposes. They can be used for meat or milk or can be kept as pets and bred to sell the babies for extra money once they are weaned. And if you ever lose track of your goat and they are anything like Freckles, don’t forget to check the recliner!
