I have a dwarf goat. She is a sweetheart BUT.....she doesnt like cats and will head butt them hard, she killed a sleeping kitten that way. Doesnt like small dogs either, same treatment. She does like the large dog and will hang with him as long as he will put up with her, if she gets too bouncy around him, he will give her an annoyed bark and walk away. She 'flocks' with the chickens and turkeys during the day. What i absolutely hate is that she will eat some of my plants (bananas) unless I spray them with a habanero pepper solution. Other plants, like my brugmansias she will 'fight' with. Basically if it's not edible she will break by rubbing her horns or body against it.
She is a pet, so she gets the run of the 2 acre backyard, but breakfast time she is by the kitchen door waiting for a slice of bread. She is cooperative in the hoof trimming. I find they are absolutely smart, she observed the dog use the doggy door a couple of times and that night I woke up to a goat sleeping in the living room coffee table ( after snacking on ALL my house plants). I guess it would be a better situation if she has her own fenced area separated from MY plants and the smaller furries.
I love it that she enjoys sitting with me outside so I can scratch her. she greets me when I come home from work and is a sweet pet. If I need some weeds trimmed, all I need to do is start shaking them around a bit, and she assumes I'm eating, so she starts eating it. That same behavior gets her in trouble with my garden plants, we are working on it, thou. Make sure you learn what is toxic in your area and either remove it or fence it from the goat.
Enjoy

The best thing about goats ,besides all the really great manure for my garden,and milk of course, would be they can be very sweet.2 of my goats just love attention.I find that they are almost dog like with differant personalities.They even seem to enjoy just standing there and being petted.I knew I would love having goats but never knew I'd like them as much as I do.
Ann.

Hi Sheila!
The best thing I like about the goats is that they are always happy to see you. They are smart and fun to be around.
The thing that gets them into trouble and makes them annoying is that they are food driven. To the point of obsession and not satisfied with the food in front of them.
If you have chickens you can count on them getting into the chicken food. I have had goats that could jump a 6" gate from a standstill. Boing...straight in the air and over the fence.
Just when you think that you are a step ahead in outwitting them they prove you wrong and have destroyed or eaten whatever it was that you were trying to protect.
Having said all of that...their personalities make it worth it to keep a couple of them around. If raised with people they do enjoy your company and will follow you around or nap nearby you. In your lap, if you have let them get away with it....lol.
Personally I prefer the nigerian dwarfs over the pygmies. But that has just been my experience.
They will keep you and your family on their toes keeping them out of trouble! But are well worth the hassle.
Carrie

It may be different up in MA, but down here, while you could join the 4-H goat club with a dwarf or pygmy(or even no goat at all!), all the 4-H goat shows here are for meat-type goats, so your kids would kind of be on the fringe, and out of the center of interest & activity.

Sheila,

We love to just sit & hold the babies
" " when we go for a walk, (us, dog, then goat(s))
we love to be greeted at the gate to the pasure-no fail
we love to watch them playing-together or with the dog
"" love the fact that they actually ENJOY being with us
"" the fact they eat weeds nothing else will touch
"" the fact they help keep the lawn mowed
"" the fact they are easy keepers, kidders
"" the fact they stay near home when they get loose
"" the fact that we are expecting babies within 2 weeks!!

We dislike the fact that they always try to nibble any green plants in the middle of winter (i.e. rhododentron which is poisonous)

We dislike the fact that they wittled their way into our hearts that we go out to check on them in the middle of the night if we beleive there is reason. We lose a LOT of sleep!

we dislike the fact that their new fencing cost so much money to ensure they don't get out again!!!

I'm sure there's more if I thought about it longer.
By far IMO "loves" outweight the "dislikes".

Thanks to you all for your input, I really enjoyed reading your posts.

Enid, your coffee table story is hilarious!
Ann, it's good to know the manure will be useful, I haven't been able to use my chicken manure like I thought I would because we use wood shavings in the coop and they do not break down well. But they do absorb the odors well.
Carrie, I think we are leaning toward the nigerians, I believe they are better milkers right?
Lucky, thanks for the tip, I believe the bulk of goats at the local fairs are milkers but I am not sure, I will find out in the coming months.
BrendaSue, congrats on the babies to be, it must be so exciting! what kind of goats are they?

We are leaning toward a dwarf variety as we think they will be easier to handle and bring to a vet etc. The fence issue will have to be resolved before we take the plunge. My dear chickens have done enough damage to my garden, I have found the only thing that protects my plants is a fence.

As far as shows go, our 4h leader told us that the local shows do not include dwarf varieties. All the members of our club have full size and most of them are milking types. But she also said if enough people had dwarfs they would include them in the shows. I think it's more important to get a good fit for our family than to be able to put the goat in a show.

Also she said my son could enter some of our chickens in the shows so that might be a little trade off as far as he is concerned.

Thanks again,
Sheila

I love goats for being goats, they are fun, they give us milk, and they help around the farm. They help us get wood for the wood stove, and they also pull me in parades, and for fun. I like the babies( they are sooo cute!)
They always meet me at the gate, and wait for the pets, and the treats.
I have alpines, and obies.
littlereo

I have three Nigerian wethers. They are a delight and are the only goats that I know that do real tricks. They shake hands, can count to four, rear-up & bow. We go for a walk every morning on the trail on my property.

My goats live in the goat fort. It has chainlink walls and a metal roof. My first five goats lived in the pasteur and were all kill one night by a Mt. Lion.

Janice
in the Sierra