[Alpacasite] Re: Misbehaving Alpacas at Shows

Hi Susan,
Disclaimer- I love llamas!!
I am interested in your comments regarding alpaca smarts... I respectively disagree. A llama is very comfortable, and they behave differently - sometimes, not as an absolute rule - because of their size. I don't think it is because they are "smarter" than alpacas. Their size, larger than us, makes them less spooky and feel more in control. This also gives credence to that old "Do alpacas spit like llamas?" question one hears over and over at fairs and other events. I tell people, llamas spit at people because their owners let them, mine don't spit. They use their size to intimidate and threaten. I have not had near the amount of problems with my alpacas challenging me and spitting at me like I have on numerous occasions with the llamas that have come through our ranch. The exception being Al, our rescue paca. He was not properly socialized with people, or for that matter, other alpacas so he doesn't know how to behave with them. Defensively he lashes out at everything, even when he really doesn't want to, because he knows nothing else.

It isn't to say that llamas are bad! I love my llamas and wouldn't be without them, but they *are* much more comfortable in life, IMHO of course, because their size helps them to be.

An alpaca who is perfectly trained on a lead, then taken to a show and exposed to open females, or intact males, whatever the case may be, crowds, noise and confusion will react differently than most llamas in my experience.

Looking at everything I wrote, I really believe the results totally depend on the amount of training and preparation that you put into your alpacas- but I have seen the best trained alpaca totally freak at a show or other stressful event.
Just my thoughts,
Rachelle

Wyatt & Rachelle Black
Black Magic Alpaca Ranch
Honesty, Integrity, Quality
6500 Digier Road
P.O. Box 457
Lebec, CA
93243
http://www.blackmagicalpacaranch.com
wyattblack@earthlink.net
661-248-6568

As a generalization, alpacas don't seem to have the same level of
"smarts" that llamas have, but that doesn't excuse alpaca owners from
neglecting to train them. In fact, my alpaca boys tend to be more
tractable in performance classes because they are not trying to figure
out the obstacles--they just know to follow me.

A lot of first-time buyers really are looking for alpacas that they
can handle (if not hug). An alpaca trained to lead, to have his feet
picked up for toenail trimming, and that will stand to be vaccinated
will have a distinct selling advantage over one that has to be chased
down, cornered and hog-tied to have anything done to it.

Susan

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