German Shepherds have a very long history as working dogs, and typically they were used as herding dogs for livestock, and in small farm animals. For a very long time, German Shepherd Dogs (GSDs) were used as guardians and are more commonly associated with protection and not so much herding. If you had to get one for your farm, you might wonder if it would get along with goats?
German Shepherds are known to get along well with goats. They possess a natural herding instinct, and when well-trained, will pose no threat to goats. German Shepherds are highly intelligent herding dogs and adapt quickly to whatever animal they need to herd or guard, and rarely need strong correction.
In some instances, German Shepherds are known to adopt baby goats and spend 24/7 defending and protecting them. They have a wonderful nurturing nature and are very gentle with small animals. Good German Shepherd bloodlines for herding will almost always originate from the working farmlands in Germany. Many breeders have opted to breed for show, and although they have an instinct to herd, it is not as prominent and refined as those from generations of working dogs. Let’s look at the relationship between German Shepherds and goats a little more.
Training Your German Shepherd To Get Along With Goats
Like all working dogs, German Shepherds love to be busy. When they work, they are happy, and nothing makes them more comfortable than herding. German Shepherds have a lot of inherent instinct, but they have no idea how to apply it correctly. You will need to guide your GSD until he masters the art of herding himself.
When your puppy is around six months old, it should learn the four basic social and herding commands. Each step will take time to teach and several years for your dog to truly become a master. The first four basic herding commands are: sit, stay, stop and come. Your vet can assist you with direction for effective herding exercise; your puppy’s skeleton has to be fully developed. Before you move the training on to actual herding, the four basic commands need to be mastered.
For the next step, you will need the following:
- An enclosed pen and a small herd of goats
- a Slip Lead
- some treats
- a fair amount of time
Getting your GSD familiar with goats is the most crucial step. Letting the dog smell the goats, see how they move and interact, and walking with him on the lead to gauge his responses will help the dog. It is also essential to get the goats used to the dog. Use the herding commands and repeat them until the dog responds without hesitation.
Do All Goats Get Along With German Shepherds?
Goats, in general, are social animals that like to be in tribes or herds. Goats will forge odd friendships if they are the only goat as they do not want to be alone. There are many different types of goats, and some tend to be more sociable and friendly than others. Some goat types can be rather aggressive and will not back down when confronted. In a situation like that, only very skilled herders and dogs will be able to handle the goat.
Below are the five top friendliest goat types that will get along with your German Shepherd very well:
- La Mancha Goats – American dairy goats that are super friendly and very pleasant.
- Nigerian Dwarf Goats – American dairy goat originally from West Africa. Lovely nature. It is among the smaller goat breeds.
- Cameroon Dwarf Goats – One of the smallest goat breeds, loves to be social, supervision always needed when dogs are around them.
- Alpine Goats – French milk goats, very calm nature and easy to handle.
- Kinder Goats – Dual purpose American goat, sturdy with a lovely temperament.
These goat types will be a great choice for your farm or smallholding if you have a German Shepherd. Due to their easy-going nature, your GSD will be able to master herding in no time. These five types of goats are more forgiving and less likely to get into a standoff with your GSD. An occasional head-butt is not off the table, but that is typical goat behavior.
The five types of goats the least likely to get along with your German Shepherd are listed below:
- Boer Goat – Native to South Africa, a meat goat with a powerful body and aggressive when provoked.
- Madurai Goat – Indian native meat goat with a massive body, medium length horns, and short temper.
- Anatolian Black – A dual-purpose Turkish goat with long twisted horns and incredible immunity to diseases. They attack without provocation.
- Dutch Landrace – A dairy goat with long hair, long horns, and a quick temper. Native to the Netherlands, these goats do not hesitate to attack.
- Spanish Goat – Hailing from Spain, these goats are known for their meat and long side winding horns. They are also known for attacking their owners and strangers alike.
With all breeds of goats, you will need to be present at all times when your German Shepherd engages them. Herding dogs should never be left alone with livestock, and most herding experts say that GSDs only reach maturity in herding at around two years of age.
Are German Shepherds Good With All Farm Animals?
In the United States, German Shepherds are mainly known as guard dogs, Police K9s, obedience, and show dogs. Using them as herding dogs in the USA is not as popular as in Europe, where they were bred to work actively as herding dogs. There they would primarily be herding goats, sheep, and cattle, and their priorities would be to keep the livestock out of crops or away from roads.
While German Shepherds are excellent herding dogs and will naturally guard the herd they are in charge of, they cannot be expected to behave with chickens, birds, or pigs if they are not livestock trained. Birds and chickens tend to heighten the prey drive in dogs when they run or flap their wings; And even though they are quite smaller, most chickens are not afraid to peck at dogs, which can provoke the dog to attack. (Read: Are German Shepherds Good With Chickens?)
Are German Shepherds Good Livestock Guardian Dogs?
Livestock Guardian Dogs are very specialized guardian breeds. They live in the field with the livestock and naturally protect them. German Shepherds are not livestock guardian dogs by nature, they are herding dogs first and foremost and then guard-dogs of their territory and homestead. (Read more: Will A German Shepherd Protect Livestock?)
What Happens If Your German Shepherd Kills A Goat?
In the unfortunate situation that your German Shepherd kills a goat, that dog will unfortunately never be able to herd again. Once a dog kills livestock, they tend to do it again.
The most humane and least traumatic course of action would be to utilize the dog for guarding entirely away from any livestock or move the dog to a suitable location where there are no animals.
It is imperative to keep an eye on your German Shepherd whenever they are near livestock, to make sure they do not display prey drive traits that the basic herding commands cannot control.
Final Thoughts
German Shepherds can live peacefully with goats, and there are many occasions where GSDs tend to adopt orphaned goats and try to raise them as their own. They can bond surprisingly quickly and, for the most part, are very gentle and considerate dogs. Goats are a little more independent and aggressive than sheep, and you will need to spend a lot more time training and refining your dogs’ herding and social skills.
It will not be long before your dog realizes precisely what is expected from it and will do whatever it can to please you. German Shepherds possess an inherent instinct for herding, socializing, and being around domestic animals like goats, but they will require lots of guidance and supervision to perfect their skills.