A Nigerian Dwarf goat is a miniature dairy breed with an outsized talent for escape, and the sitter questions that matter are the ones shaped by that small, clever, productive animal. A Nigerian Dwarf stands barely knee-high, squeezes through openings other goats cannot use, climbs structures for fun, produces rich milk if she is a doe in production, and pines loudly when left without goat company. A sitter whose experience is with large livestock, or with dogs, needs to understand all of that before you hand over the keys.
Can the sitter keep a very small goat contained?
Ask the sitter to walk the pen and find the gaps the way a Nigerian Dwarf would: at ground level, under gates, between fence and post, and anywhere a small head fits, because where the head goes, this breed's body follows. Ask whether they will check latches daily, since Nigerian Dwarfs work at gates with lips and horns and learn simple mechanisms quickly. Ask about climbing structures too; play equipment is good enrichment, but anything climbable near a fence becomes a launch pad over it. Confirm the sitter knows never to tether the goat as a shortcut, and ask what their recapture plan is if the goat does slip out: calm herding toward feed works, while chasing scatters a small goat fast.
Can the sitter handle the dairy side of the breed?
Ask whether your goat is simply a pet wether or a doe in milk, because the sitter's job changes completely. A Nigerian Dwarf doe in milk needs milking on a consistent schedule, and a sitter who cannot milk, or who skips sessions, leaves her uncomfortable and at risk of udder problems. Ask the sitter to describe clean milking practice: washed hands and udder, a clean pail, and milk handled and stored the way you specify. If your goat is not in milk, ask instead about the daily udder and body check, loose minerals kept available and dry, clean water in a bucket a short goat can actually reach, and hay offered in a feeder that keeps it off the ground. Ask the sitter to repeat back the measured feed amount, since this breed gains condition quickly and well-meaning extra handfuls add up.
Who keeps the goat company, and what must it not eat?
Ask who the goat will live with during your absence. Nigerian Dwarfs are herd animals; a single goat left alone will call, pace, and try to escape toward company, so a companion goat should stay in place or the sitter should plan frequent, unhurried visits. Ask whether dogs will have access to the pen, and insist the answer is no unless the dog is a known, goat-safe guardian. Walk the sitter past every plant inside and overhanging the pen and ask them to name the ones you have flagged as unsafe; common garden and ornamental plants can poison a browsing goat, and a Nigerian Dwarf samples everything within reach of its climbing.
What signs should trigger a call to you or the vet?
Ask the sitter what they will watch for each day: a goat off its feed, standing hunched or apart, grinding its teeth, bloated on the left side, scouring, or a doe whose udder feels hot or uneven. Any of those in a Nigerian Dwarf means a prompt call to you, and a goat that is bloated, straining, or clearly uncomfortable needs your veterinarian contacted without waiting. Confirm the sitter has the vet's number and knows the goat's normal personality, since a normally bold little goat going quiet is an early warning. KinsLe's Care Pass puts the whole checklist in your Nigerian Dwarf's sitter's hands before you leave, from fence-gap rounds to the hour the doe expects the pail.