They’re a necessary part of farm life, but your dog doesn’t exactly see your goats that way. Why do dogs bark at goats? Is it a non-issue or can barking dogs affect the health of a goat? And why does your dog chase goats, are they trying to play or are they antagonizing them?

Today, we’re going to answer all of the questions you have about this concerning issue between your two animals. And we’ll of course get to what’s really on your mind: how to stop your dog from barking at your goats. Soon, this will all be behind you for good. Keep reading below for our article “How to Stop Dog Barking at Goats.”

Why Do Dogs Bark at Goats?

Dogs bark at goats because they don’t quite understand them and feel the need to protect both you and what they perceive as their territory. They’re likely also seeing the goats as prey, and that will especially be true if the goats run from them, because it’s in a dog’s natural instincts to perceive anything that runs from them in this way.

If your dog is used to the goats and has a mild temperament, then it’s possible that they’re just excited and looking to play with the goat. If this is the case, you’ll see other signs of a desire to play from your dog such as wagging their tail and doing play bows in the goat’s direction.

Make sure that your dog is getting plenty of attention, playtime, exercise, and walks. A tired dog is generally a quiet one. Also be sure that within the home they have something to keep their mind occupied, like a chew toy.

But if your dog is barking at goats and refusing your commands to stop, then you have a definitive dominance and disobedience problem on your hands. If not addressed right away, their problem will only grow and escalate, and you may soon find your dog barking uncontrollably at other animals too.

You’ll find that your dog is barking at sheep, barking at horses, barking at cows, barking at deer… you get the idea. But they could even escalate into attacks on these animals, so it’s important that you take this issue seriously and don’t just brush it off as “something dogs all do.”

To stop your dog barking at goats and other animals before their problems escalate, skip to the last section now and we’ll give you the exact steps to follow.

Can Barking Dogs Affect the Health of a Goat?

Barking dogs shouldn’t affect the health of a goat. It may cause the goats to be a bit nervous at first, but they should quickly learn to ignore it after a week or so.

You do, however, need to address your dog’s misbehavior if they’re refusing your commands to stop barking at your goats. Skip to the last section now where we’ll tell you how.

Why Does My Dog Chase Goats?

Your dog chases goats because they see them as prey, and when your goats run from them, your dog’s natural instinct to chase becomes even stronger. Your dog gets a boost of adrenaline when they chase after something they see as prey, such as your goat, so this is an enjoyable activity for them.

How to Stop Your Dog Barking at Goats

To stop your dog barking at goats, teach them the “quiet” command. Take them to where you keep your goats with plenty of small treats. When your dog barks at the goats, immediately say “quiet.” If they do, give them a small treat and positive praise right away.

But if they start barking at the goats again (or continue to), place a treat in your fist and then hold it close to your dog’s nose. They will be able to smell it and should quit barking. Again say “quiet,” and then immediately give them the treat and positive praise. Continue repeating this process if they start barking at the goats again.

Be sure not to give them praise or a treat until they’ve stopped barking. This will help them to form a positive connection with not barking and remaining calm whenever you give the command. But when they do respond to your command, be sure to give them the treats and praise right away, especially when they’re still learning.

With time, consistency, and practice, your dog will learn to stop barking at goats and other things simply by you speaking the “quiet” command without placing your hand by their mouth. When they’re responding well to just the verbal command, slowly lengthen the amount of time before you give them the treats and praise. Start with just 2 seconds, then 5, and so on.

Before long, the praise and food rewards will no longer be necessary and your dog will stop barking at your goats and anything else as soon as you give the command. You’ll still, however, need to address the underlying issue of dominance that was causing this disrespect and misbehavior in the first place.

And to do that, we should quickly first talk about what makes dogs tick deep down. You’ve likely heard before that dogs are pack animals and that in every pack there is a pack leader. But when your dog barks at goats and refuses to stop, or engages in other types of disobedience, they are clearly showing that they don’t respect you in this role.

If they did, they wouldn’t bark at your goats. They would not engage in any other types of dominance-related misbehavior. And they would obey all of your commands at all times, and they would do so immediately and happily.

Prove to your dog that you are not just their pack leader, but a capable one worthy and deserving of their respect, and you’ll be able to make all of these great things a reality.

You’ll win. Your goats will win. And even your dog wins, because you’ll have freed them of all the stress and confusion that pack leader issues are currently saddling them with 24/7.

Sounds great, doesn’t it?

“Yeah, of course, but how am I supposed to do any of this?”

You should watch an excellent free video series which is on this exact subject — how to be your dog’s pack leader — by a renowned trainer named Dan. In the series, he explains everything in ways that are very simple to understand and he gets right to the point so that you can start seeing these crucial changes in your dog before things get any worse with them.

Start watching Dan’s free training series now by clicking here. And don’t stress, because no, you’re not going to have to yell or be mean. Dan uses only 100% humane and loving teaching methods at all times. Not just because it’s the right thing to do, but also because it’s the only way to achieve permanent improvements in your dog’s behavior.

I’m sure you — and your goats — are ready for your dog to remain quiet around them, so I’ll let you begin now. Good luck with everything, and thank you for reading our article “How to Stop Dog Barking at Goats.”