The Nigerian Dwarf is an American breed of dwarf goat. Like the American Pygmy Goat, it derives from the West African Dwarf group of breeds of West Africa.
Its conformation is similar to that of the larger dairy goat breeds. The parts of the body are in balanced proportion. The nose is straight. The ears are upright. The coat is soft, with short to medium hair.
Although Dwarf goats may come in many colors,the main colors are black, chocolate and gold. Random white markings are common, as are spots and other color combinations such as red, white, gold and black. Any color or combination of colors is acceptable, though silver agouti (roan) is considered a moderate fault.
Dwarf goats are similar in origin to Pygmy goats, but they are two different distinct breeds. Pygmies are bred to be “cobby” and heavy boned. The best pygmies look like beer kegs with legs. Dwarfs are bred to have the length of body and structure in proportion to a dairy goat.