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Training Llamas - Step One
This article was contributed by Lars Garrison, West Mountain Farm, Inc.
If you do what you always did, you’ll get what you always got. This is more accurate regarding animal training than anything else. Since we are smarter than animals, we can easily get them to do our bidding…? We forget that llamas know more about being llamas than we ever will! We must learn to work with their idiosyncrasies.
Every species has its’ own way of being – their nature. Llamas are not different. Training methods can be adapted from one species to another, but must be changed to suit the personality of llamas. The first goal is to teach them that learning can be fun.
Llamas are sufficiently curious to truly want to do your bidding. It is your responsibility to learn how use their curiosity in a manner that is attractive and interesting to them, creating the desire to learn and experiment on their part. The precursor to the desire to cooperate and learn is trust. This I have found to be true in all endeavors, with two or four legged animals - probably one of the most important lessons of my life!
Extremely wary animals are a challenge not to be approached lightly or by the novice. They are usually the result of petting zoos (over-handling and/or mis-handling) or occasionally mal-treatment. They often arrive at the home of the unsuspecting via auctions and the like. For this space, let it suffice to say that these animals should be avoided.
How to persuade a llama to trust you? Start, and stay, within the animal’s capabilities. If it is afraid of you, teach that you will do no harm or cause pain. If it wants to be with the herd instead of cooperating with you, work in an area where the herd is. Figure out what it is that makes the animal comfortable, and act accordingly. There must be a comfort zone in force for the llama to work well. Very often it is necessary to begin within an enclosure that is itself within the llama pen. We use an area where we normally give them grain – an area that they like and accept without fear or trepidation.
Begin training by simply stepping toward the animal, and then back. If this creates fear, turn your back to the animal, and step backward toward it, and then away. Your objective is to show that you mean no harm. When you can approach the animal within a couple of feet, always backing away, hold out your hand. Touch if reasonably possible, and back away. If you have a llama that has serious problems, this stage may last for several sessions of ten to fifteen minutes.
Once you can touch the animal without causing fear, it is time to teach the llama to halter easily. While standing alongside the left of the llama facing forward, hold the halter in front of its face a foot or more away. If it avoids you, restrain it lightly with your right hand over the neck. Hold the halter still until the llama calms itself. Remember, you are training the llama to control itself. When it is still, slowly move the halter toward the face. When fear is expressed, be still until the llama becomes calm. You can stop any time that the llama is still. If the llama turns its’ head, move the halter away and in front of its’ face. When it is still, resume the very slow movement toward the face.
This lesson may take one or more sessions of ten to fifteen minutes. Most will learn quickly. When we finish a training session, we leave a bit of grain in the stall for the llama and a few buddies. The session ends on a pleasurable note, and without bribery.
Next time we’ll work with teaching a llama to lead well, and
approach obstacles comfortably. Enjoy your animals. If you need help, call us at
802 694 1417 or llamawmf@sover.net.
Lars Garrison, West Mountain Farm, Inc. Stamford Vermont
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