No Kidding Miniature goats make really great pets.

Hold your horses and dogs – it seems miniature goats are the new pet du jour, writes Roger Crosthwaite.

When does an animal stop being livestock and become a pet? Any animal that you have a connection with, one that returns affection, can be a pet, whether it has paws, wings or hooves. Of course, there’s always the problem of its adaptability. Not all animals, however well you get along with them, will fit into every domestic situation.

While miniature goats may not be on everyone’s radar as a possible pet, their size (or lack of it), intelligence and affectionate, playful nature could win you over if you give them a chance.

There are exotic varieties, such as the pygmy goat and Nigerian dwarf goat, but the Australian miniature goat was developed locally and bred specifically for its small stature. Standing just over 60cm at the shoulder as adults, they’re robust animals. While they’re used to being outdoors, they do need shelter, a well-fenced enclosure and company. Yes, company.

If a kid is, as recommended, bottle-fed from the earliest possible age, it will bond very closely with its human owners. You will become the herd they never had.

“They’re very sociable and can be quite attention-seeking,” says Peter Willott of Sapphire Park Miniature Goat Stud in Glen Innes, on the Northern Tablelands of NSW.

“Once they’ve been bottle-fed, they become very affectionate with you,” Peter explains. “They’ll follow you around everywhere. They may also bond with your other pets – and with chooks, I’ve discovered. I often sell kids in pairs and that way they keep each other company.”

Kids are usually sold within a couple of weeks of birth and hand-reared by their new owners. Desexed males, or wethers, are less troublesome and, let’s be honest, less malodorous than intact males. Adult females can produce milk, a litre or so a day, so that could influence your choice.

Goats can be trained from an early age, much like a dogs. Some have even been known to walk on a leash.

The grazing habits of goats are legendary, and just because miniature ones are smaller doesn’t mean they’ll be any less destructive in a prized garden. Hence the need for a separate enclosure and secure fence.

Their grazing habits can be supplemented with hay, grain, fruit and vegetables. They also require yearly vaccinations, plus regular worming and hoof-trimming.

As an adult, even a miniature goat is a robust animal (like a medium-sized dog) and pretty lively. Toddlers and grown-up goats could be a volatile mix. But if you have the space, time and lifestyle to accommodate a miniature goat, you could have a very loving animal companion, just with hooves instead of paws.