| Whether you are a farmer with many acres of land | | | | and therefore can be quite difficult to live with. |
| or just a small land owner, if you are looking for an | | | | Pygmy goats come in three main color categories - |
| easy, fun and hardy pet for your yard, consider the | | | | caramel, agouti and black. Caramel shades range from |
| pygmy goat. They make great pets! | | | | white to buff to dark tan undercoats. Agouti shades |
| First found in Africa and originally known as | | | | include grey, brown or black colors intermingled, or |
| Cameroon dwarf goats, they were imported into the | | | | grizzled, with white hairs. Blacks are pretty |
| United States in the early 1950s to be displayed in | | | | self-explanatory, with a solid black body pattern. |
| zoos and used in research facilities. Because of their | | | | Sometimes pygmies also have white markings on |
| friendly personalities and ease of care, they quickly | | | | their belly or legs. Many of these white marks are |
| became popular with private breeders. In fact, pet | | | | considered mismarks by the breed standard, but pet |
| pygmies have been likened to having dogs as pets | | | | owners find them interesting and actually prefer |
| since they can be affectionate and will bond with | | | | these out of the ordinary marks for their pets. |
| their human companions. Some people have even | | | | Keeping your pet goat is fairly easy. All that they |
| house-trained them! | | | | require is a small shelter to protect them from |
| They are smaller than most goats, growing to be | | | | inclement weather conditions, preferably with a ledge |
| between 35 and 80 pounds, not unlike many other | | | | or shelf which they like to jump and sleep on. Make |
| pets. Females, called does, and castrated males, called | | | | sure to have fresh water available for them at all |
| wethers, make the best pets. Males that are not | | | | times and feed them a diet of hay and grain. |
| castrated, called bucks, are not typically found to be | | | | As with any pet, keeping one is a commitment not |
| pets. While likable enough, they have an odor that | | | | to be taken lightly. However, if you are looking to |
| many people find offensive and unpleasant. Bucks are | | | | add a pet to your family, consider a pygmy goat. |
| also quite strong, often have biological urges to mate | | | | You will not be disappointed! |