They’ve put some serious thinking into what they want from a goat, whether a future milker or just a pet. They are able to tell you what they expect from their goats and that makes it much easier for us. Yes, we ask the buyer tons of questions…..that’s offended one or two people in the past….but here is the reason. Not all goats are the same……and wanting a goat without truly knowing what you want will lead to heartbreak down the road. Every goat has their own personalities, just like people….do you get along with everyone? Neither do goats….without asking all those annoying questions, we can’t pick out which goat would be best suited for you. And yes, we’ve even lost a sale or two when we were honest with someone and told them we didn’t have what they were looking for.
We’ve heard the stories and seen the ads in the newspaper or other means….that goat someone got is not wanted anymore, can’t milk them, their too rough, too expensive, or just not what your goat ownership dreams/visions were. You know that free goat on Craigslist? We’ve even seen people willing to pay someone just to take that goat.
Not only have we gotten emails from desperate people with goats that can’t walk, just to find out that they didn’t know they had to trim hooves or goats that didn’t give milk, because someone didn’t understand they needed more than just a pasture.
First hand, we’ve seen the buckling with a broken leg because someone thought a goat would be a great companion for a horse…..or someone crying because their favorite dog was gored by Billy Jean. Do goats make great companions for horses? Some do. Do free goats work out? Some do….but you’d be surprised how many just don’t work out. Understand, not all goats make the ‘perfect for you’ goat, regardless of what you are wanting…..instead of getting offended when a seller asks 100 questions, know that the buyer is trying to make sure you’ll be happy for the next 10-15 years with your goat. And who knows, you may find that you still want goats, but just aren’t ready quite yet.
So getting the third degree from a seller? Be happy!
They’re trying to make sure you stay that way…..
blessings
Brenda Lee