Pet Goat Headbutts Little Boy Taunting Him

Let’s get this out of the way up at the top before you scroll down to the video. Do NOT taunt a goat unless you are prepared to deal with consequences. The little boy in this video was not prepared and he goes down hard. Goats can be surprisingly aggressive to people who do not know these animals and their behaviors. For goats, depending on the situation, their aggression can be stemmed from a number of different places across a wide spectrum.

Many people think of goats headbutting each other and other animals as either a dominance thing between two male goats or as a protection against predators or perceived enemies. But actually, the headbutt, depending on the strength, can be an expression of any number of emotions. Soft, almost nudge-like, headbutts are used to get attention. This can lead to play or affection. The soft headbutt can also be used to show affection toward humans or other goats that the headbutter likes to be around. This is especially true of goats lower in the herd pecking order showing deference to goats with higher standing.

Headbutting can also be a form of play. You can see with the goat in this video that when the little boy taunts him the goat is viewing it as play challenge. That’s why when he knocks the boy down he does not go after the boy. Of course, the boy crawls quickly away from the goat, but that’s what he gets for taunting a goat and not being prepared for it. Goats occasionally headbutt each other the same way dogs or cats chase and wrestle one another. We don’t recommend goats for everyone but they can be great pets.