Things You'll Need
- Goat halter or collar
- Soft pack
- Rope
- Treats
Instructions
Start out with a soft cloth pack. Cinch it tightly (although not too tightly), acclimatizing your goat to having stuff on its back. Fasten the breast collar and the rump strap. The type of pack will vary depending on how comfortable your goat is with packs -- and how far you're planning to walk together. Long trips will require padding and heavier equipment.
Practice the "stay" and "follow" commands with the pack on your goat's back. Over time, it will become more comfortable with the pack, responding to the commands as readily as it does without a pack.
Begin adding weight evenly in the pack. Make sure no sharp objects are close to your goat's skin. Typically, a healthy goat can carry up to one fourth of its body weight, although you should be careful not to put on much weight at first, especially with young goats, whose bones are still growing. Watch things closely. If you err, err on the side of packing too lightly.
Reward generously. Pet your goat or give it treats if it follows or stays as asked while wearing a pack. Praise your goat for doing well, thus shaping the behavior you wish to see.