The African Pygmy Goat makes an excellent pet, and doesn't get larger than a medium sized dog. The bucks (males) can be quite smelly, but females, and fixed males make amazing pets. When I was a little girl I was in 4-H and I had a herd of pygmy goats. They are very smart, and also quite sweet and affectionate. They are considered companion animals and not milk goats. They are also very cute. If you look up African Pygmy Goats on-line you will be able to find a lot of pictures.
I bottle fed my babies, and they bonded with me much more than a cat would, but somewhat less than the average dog. I bathed them often from the time they were little, and trimmed their hooves, so when they got bigger they never minded. They eat hay, and can actually be quite picky about their food. You would never see one nibbling on a tin can, but when I tried to do my homework in their pen I did have to turn in one half eaten paper to a teacher. They do need space to run and play. They are very playful animals. They like to have some sort of structure than they can jump on and off of. If you're thinking of a goat companion a pygmy goat may be ideal. Do your research and make sure that a goat fits into your lifestyle. They can be very fun pets, but do have some special needs.
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