Pygmy Goat Hilariously 'Plays Dead' To Get Out of Walk with Mom

Goats are many things—useful for lawn maintenance, cute in their own unusual way, and of course—extremely stubborn. The pygmy goat in this video is not having his mom’s attempts at gaining time. In protest, he even lays down and plays dead on the ground, much to everyone’s dismay…but also—let’s be honest—amusement.

In this video, you see a little black and white goat named Zeke being led across the grass on a short leash. He lets out a bleat of complaint and then goes stiff, falling over on his side and allowing his tongue to loll out of his mouth.

Related: Goat Dad Is Stealing Hearts for the Tender Way He Cares for His Family

“He is fine,” his human writes in the caption. “Zeke is dramatic just like his daddy. Believe it or not, he actually sets his feet nicely! Walking is a different story.”

Pygmy Goat Behavior

But these kind of shenanigans are normal if you have a pygmy goat. They are fond of outlandish behavioral displays, from screaming to falling over to entire little pygmy goat temper tantrums, which can be cute—or annoying, depending on the situation.

Hey, guess it’s better than fainting, because some goats do that too.

Pygmy goats are said to be active, friendly, and love performance and social interaction. They make great animals in petting zoos due to their behavior and adorable appearance, and have even been included in human activities like “goat yoga.”

The Care and Feeding of the Pygmy Goat

Pygmy goats are originally from Africa where they were kept for meat stock and were prized for their adaptability to sometimes harsh environments as well as their resistance to parasites and other disease. These same traits make them desirable as livestock and pets all over the country, and their appearance makes them popular show animals, like the one in the video.

Pygmy goats require a rich living environment with plenty of opportunities for enrichment. Food should be given to them in a foraging style, such as grass or hay, and human scraps should be avoided, while pellets or grain given only sparingly, as it could cause weight gain and even bladder stones in the diminutive animals. In addition, pygmy goats require a shelter to sleep in away from the elements, and their habitat should be carefully screened for toxic plants or other materials, because—well, they are goats, and they’ll eat just about anything they can.

Due to their size and their gentle nature, they are an especially popular breed for children and 4H clubs to raise and even learn to show in the ring.

Pygmy Goat Shows

This little goat is being trained to display himself in a pygmy goat show, which requires both patience and precision on the part of the goat and the showman in charge of the animal while in the ring.

If you plan to show your goat, it is best to start with training them very young, especially if they show as much spunk and attitude as this little guy does.

As for Zeke, we hope that he soon learns to take his lessons with better humor—or at least to tolerate them.

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