We were very blessed to be given one of the best goat dogs. Maya is a Great Pyrenees and she manages to keep the goats in and everything else out. We had a huge ice storm last year with lots of fencing down and she kept them all inside. She's worth every bit of dog food her 90lbs consumes!

IF A FENCE CANT HOLD WATER IT CANT HOLD A GOAT. THERE IS GOAT FENCING RELATIVELY NEW, THAT COMES IN PANELS THAT DOES WORK. ITS MADE OF VERY STRONG WELDED WIRE. WE CURRENTLY HAVE CYCLONE FENCING 6 FT HIGH WITH 2X4'S RUNNING 3 FT HIGH ALONG THE BOTTOM SO THEY CAN NO LONGER RIP THE FENCING APART WITH THEIR HORNS. I GROWN MY OWN HERBS AND VEGGIES FOR THEM, GIVE THEM GRAIN AND HORSE HAY. EVERYTHING IS FRESH AND THE BEST I CAN AFFORD, BUT GOD MADE THEM TO BROWSE. THEY JUST CANT HELP THEMSELVES. WHATEVER THEY CANNOT MANUEVER THEY HAVE THE HORSES READY TO HELP. YOU EVENTUALLY ACCEPT THEM FOR THEMSELVES AND GET USED TO REPAIRING WHAT THEY DESTROY. IVE HAD GOATS FOR OVER 20 YRS, AND THEY ALWAYS COME UP WITH SOMETHING NEW.

Electric is good. We used 3 strands with Alpines and once they are "hit" they respect it. Even when we would move the fence line they would walk up to where it had been and really inspect the area before they would cross the "line". Had a really bad experience with electronet and a sheep. Got his horns caught, pulled fence down and got tangled in it. Was there several hours before he was found. Had to cut up $100 in fencing to get him out. I would not use electronet with any horned animal tho I do use it with chickens.

I cured one of my goats who loved to jump the fence to eat the neighbor's shrubs. I gave her a nice dog collar from which dangled an empty plastic one-gallon milk jug. The jug's bouncing off her knees discouraged her from jumping.

I cured one of my goats who loved to jump the fence to eat the neighbor's shrubs. I gave her a nice dog collar from which dangled an empty plastic one-gallon milk jug. The jug's bouncing off her knees discouraged her from jumping.

I cured one of my goats who loved to jump the fence to eat the neighbor's shrubs. I gave her a nice dog collar from which dangled an empty plastic one-gallon milk jug. The jug's bouncing off her knees discouraged her from jumping.

Ditto PamV. Goats like to walk along fencing and lean hard into it. Babies will just go through horse and hog wire. Livestock grade electric wire worked best for us on the existing horse wire fence on the place we moved to. We had 6" posts 2' in the ground. Much harder to push over. A stand on the bottom outside will discourage preditors from digging in. 2 or more strands on the inside will discourage the goats from pushing their way out. Latch gates with a chain with a closed hook and keep it tight enough they can not squeeze through. They can figure out standard gate latches. You would be surprised how small a goat can squeeze when they want to get to what ever is on the other side. Test the wire everytime you visit to feed etc. Twigs and branches can ground out the fence. You have to be able to walk the fence line to find and fix gruonds. Its a lot of work. But well worth it to not loose an animal to a dog or coyote because it got out.

I had huge issues with my two pygmy goats getting out and joining my alpacas this summer! After weeks of "being sure they'll stay in" to seeing them munching my petunias the next morning, I put 2 X 6 boards around the bottom of the fencing. Goats like to push against the fencing, eventually bending the fencing and even disconnecting the wire. The boards were installed one month ago and they have never "busted loose" since.

When goats get out, there is usually a reason. Mine will force open the gate to get to fresh pasture, seek a cool spot on a hot summer's day or go visit the buck's barn to check out his hay supply, etc. Electric fence, electo-net fencing or a tight wire fence will slow them down. I have had success with the heavy wire combination panels, but these are expensive and need strong posts or the goats (enough of them, anyway) can push steel posts over and walk over the panels. The late Harvey Considine would say to build your fence a foot taller than necessary. Goats that have no experience with getting out usually won't try, but adding an 'escape artist' will soon have most of the herd experimenting. They have all day to test fence, gate and shed, so be sure to check for potential escape points at least once a week.

Best bet is to fence them in as best you can, and put fences around anything you need to keep the goats away from.