Why not goats? They're smart, low maintenance, hearty, vegetarian, useful, and they don't bark, bite, or chase other animals. You can teach them tricks such as 'hoof,' 'spin,' 'up,' 'walk around me,' 'in the car,' and much more. They have individual personalities and make you work to get them to do what you want them to do. Goats don't have the bad side effects purebred dogs and other common pets have. They also have minimal bad genes passed onto the next generation; as sad as it is, people are rarely willing to pay large vet bills for a sick goat, like most dog owners will do. Therefore, only the fittest survive. They don't eat meat. Not only is that good for your wallet, it's great for the environment! (It also means their poo doesn't smell rank like a dog or cat's). They eat everything from grass and leaves to twigs and bark. They eat a large variety of foods, including some invasive plants! For example, my boys forage on bird vetch (Vicia cracca), a wide spread invasive throughout Alaska. Don't forget, they're useful. Lachlan, the Angora, is constantly growing his silky locks that I shear twice a year to felt and spin into yarn. That means clothing, accessories, and decoration. Bergsteiger, the Alpine, is a sturdy working machine. He can carry up to 70 pounds of gear, greatly extending a backpacking trip. He pulls us on skis (skijouring), on a dog sled, and on skateboards. They both have excellent eyesight and hearing and have spotted bears, moose, and other wildlife when I did not. They also snuggle to keep warm while camping, so that's another bonus! So, I'll ask again, why not goats? :)

Sometimes! They sleep in the back of my van (Edsie) when we're out on adventures. This is if we're going on a multi day trip or if we're stuck living in the van in between jobs or during the covid shutdown of summer 2020. I also occasionally pick them up and let them sleep in the van for the night if we're going on an early adventure in the morning or if the weather is nasty (cold temperatures, wind storm, etc.) and I want them to have some extra safe shelter. Other than that, I always find a place to board them where they can stretch their legs, play, and hangout outside all day when I can't be with them. They usually are boarded at a barn with horses (like they are now) but have been at other goat farms, near a bunch of sled dogs, cattle and donkeys, sheep, or even with alpacas one time! They're quite comfortable with just about any animal that appears on a farm. So no, they do not live full time in my van. That would be inhumane. When they do sleep in my van, it's just SLEEP, with lots of walks and potty breaks in between!

Lachlan, the curly, long haired white one, is an Angora goat. He is considered a 'fiber' goat, meaning the fur he grows is used for fiber arts (such as making clothing or blankets). Despite the name Angora, his fiber is called Mohair. It is highly regarded for it it warm, light, and silky so you don't get that itchy feeling you do with some wool (from sheep). Historically, the breed was established in Eastern Europe and were left to roam the mountains, only rounded up twice a year to shear them for their fiber. Bergsteiger, the long leggged, multi colored one, is an Alpine goat. He is considered a 'dairy' goat, meaning that his breed (one of several) has been selectively bred to produce large amounts of quality milk. Only the females produce milk once pregnant. The males, on the other hand, are usually sold for meat or immediately disposed of, and sometimes sold as breeding bucks. Think of roosters in the egg- laying world. A smaller niche of people started packing with them, like me! Bergsteiger is strong and sturdy with great stature for being athletic. Historically, the breed was established in the Alps and were constantly around humans. They were taken out to graze by a herder, and the does were milked twice a day.

Everything! JK, far from that. They're actually quite picky. And they are vegetarians. That means they do not consume other animals or invertebrates. Although Lachlan did eat a muscle off the beach one time. Hay- Because of how their stomachs take a little bit of nutrition out of a lot of food mass (eat lots of high fiber grass, leaves, etc., and work to break down all the tough fibers) they are constantly eating. They need constant access to hay or similar browse. Grain- When they are growing, working or producing milk, an extra boost in nutrition goes a long way. There are special feeds made for goats. I feed my boys Scratch and Peck organic goat feed and add in extra grains and supplelments to give them more variation. Now that my boys are mostly grown, I only give them grain if they just worked hard (skijoured, pulled the sled, hiked, etc.) or if it is really cold outside. And for holidays and special occasions, of course. Minerals- Like all organisms, our every day food doesn't provide all the elements we need to live as healthily as we can. Goats can tell when their body is craving something, so I have free- choice minerals and supplements available at all times. This way, when they get a craving for, say, salt, it will be there at their disposal. Table scraps- This does not mean moldy bread or rotten veggies. They get things that are technically edible to humans but we choose not to eat them. This is like carrot greens, beet skins, the ends of cucumbers, and so on. I will admit I usually cut off a bit extra just so the boys can have more of a snack :) Treats- Essential for training! They are not a fan of goat treats, those are too tasteless. They like the fancier horse treats and human treats. I do not feed my boys sugary things because I want them to live long, healthy lives. They do enjoy crackers, tortilla chips, and most of all, peanut butter pretzles.

Like most things, there is an exception with one special breed of goat. However, the vast majority of goats do, naturally have horns. Why then, do a lot of goats not have horns? This is taken care of an early age. If a goat owner or breeder finds horns undesireable (harder to manage if they are aggressive, potentially more prone to get stuck in fences, doesn't like the look, etc.) then they can 'disbud' them. This is a nice way of saying that they cauterize the spots on their heads where their horns WOULD grow to kill the cells and therefore prevent or mangle horn growth. This is a very painful process that leaves scalded marks on their heads for several weeks. It can lead to infection if not cared for properly. Furthermore, it could cause the horns to grow in an deformed way, sometimes causing them to grow slowly into the skull. The one positive is that young goats are resilient and forget the pain fairly quickly. If someone changes their mind about horns on an adult goat (highly not recommended and, frankly, inhumane) some vets will remove the horns once they have already established. This is extrememly painful, takes a long time to heal, and is prone to infection which is very concerning due to the proximity to the brain. Do not EVER consider this. Consider training your goat if there is an issue. Continue to the next question if you'd like to learn why my boys have horns and the many benefits of them.

Horns can most definitely be an issue. Just as a bad driver given a vehicle can be an issue. If you are an experienced or careful goat owner, you can train a goat how to be respectful of their horns. Of course, goats are mischievous and tricky, but if your goat respects you, you are safe. Start teaching what is good and bad at an early age. It will be harder to teach an older goat to not mis-use their horns, but it is possible Horns can also get caught in fences or feeders. This just means you need to get slightly crafty with what you choose. There are copious horn- friendly options out there. The last reason people find them to be an issue is that some think they look bad. Beat's me. I think goats aren't living their best goat lives if they don't have horns! For the positives, horns provide protection if a predator were to get into their cage or a dog were to go after them. They help cool the goats in hot weather, for their blood releases heat as it flows through their horns, similar to an elephant's ears. It allows them to really play with eachother, and not get scabs on their head like disbudded goats do. As you can tell, I am bias. But everyone can make the choice for themselves.

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I got Bergsteiger when he was about 2.5 weeks old, and Lachlan exactly a week later. They were both born within 24 hours of eachother but on different farms. I bottle fed them several times a day. I heated up their milk on my pocket rocket stove and kept their milk chilled in a cooler with ice I had to keep replacing. They only got unpasturized goat's milk. They grew up cuddling in the bed in my van with me until they got too big. My next van will be constructed so we can all cuddle again <3

Nope! They're both boys and they're both fixed. Only females who have been bred produce milk.

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For reals.

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Bergsteiger, an alpine goat, is a breed that was developed in the Alps. I gave him a Swiss- German name. Since he is a pack goat and is very skilled climber, he was dubbed 'mountaineer' or 'mountain climber.' Roughly, 'Berg' translates to 'mountain,' and 'steiger' to 'climber.' Lachlan, an angora goat, is a breed that was developed around the general area that is now called Turkey. I thought he looked so much like a fuzzy Scottish coo that I named him a Scottish- Gaelic name. I had been stuck between Lachlan and Finlay. Lachlan translates to 'From the land of the lakes.' I thought this fit Lachlan because he has glacier blue eyes and doesn't mind water (most goats hate it as much as your average cat). Finlay is officially his middle name. It means 'white haired warrior' which he is; fighting his way through every obstacle! Bergsteiger is yet to get a middle name that calls to him.