[1] An old friend is Marty McGee Bennett. She and I happened to be roommates in 1987 at the International Llama Association conference where Linda Tellington-Jones demonstrated her groundbreaking TTEAM methods to the llama community. Marty became deeply involved in this work, and Kelly and I made a video with her and Linda — long out of print now, as Marty has refined the methods tremendously since those early days. We went on to make videos with Linda about the Tellington Touch with dogs and the TTouch with cats.

After Marty studied intensively with Linda Tellington-Jones, she developed Camelidynamics, which is derived from Linda’s work but adds Marty’s own profound understanding of camelids (that is, llamas, alpacas, and their wild relatives guancos and vicunas) to the process. Her website is http://www.camelidynamics.com and it too is well worth exploring. Her workshop schedule and the training information products she has created are there too.

[2] Our friend Cathy Spalding teaches a lot of workshops with llamas and alpacas, and she and her husband Craig have a herd themselves — it was all llamas when we lived near them in Olympia, WA, and used to go out to their place sometimes. Her site http://www.gentlespiritllamas.com is well worth browsing around — and here is a page that lists many of the useful articles on the site:  http://www.gentlespiritllamas.com/html/articles/articles_index.htm Cathy also studied with Linda Tellington-Jones.

When I was at the site recently, the workshop schedule ended with a workshop that was already over.  You will find a lot of llama websites that tend to be a bit behind, because the people tend to be out with the animals; I suspect that’s the case here. It’s easy to contact the Spaldings from the site. Oh, and the “Questions from Readers” section has some interesting things too.

[3] Terry Crowfoot and her husband live in the south of England and have seven llamas. Her website is  http://www.llama-training.co.uk/ and it’s a lot of fun.  I mean, really a lot! Kelly and I have just been howling with laughter as llama Dillon takes Terry’s hat off over and over again and as other llamas play soccer. (She thinks they can’t see the ball, but Kelly commented that he thinks they can, as llamas’ eyes stick out way more than you might imagine.)

There is text commentary too.  This site is a work in progress, with short videos and comments going up regularly.  Terry explains how her training approaches descend from the pioneering work of dolphin trainer Karen Pryor, who is now famous in the dog world (and other places)  for clicker training. That figured, I thought, as I use methods of Pryor’s in dog training and know how effective they are.

Of course, Google and the other search engines will take you to more good llama training sites. Whatever you do, if you have llamas, do get into the joys of training these highly intelligent and curious animals!

You can benefit from Bobra’s years of llama driving experience. Topics include preparing the llama for driving, fitting the harness, the first driving lesson, the touch of the reins, ground driving, introducing the llama to the llama cart, riding in the llama cart, and safety. This program is rich in details.

We had no idea what the market would be when we made it, but it has sold very well. Bobra’s enthusiasm for llama driving is infectious!  It was originally made as a video but is not available in that format any more.

This DVD retails for $39.95 but if you type in (or cut and paste) 82R2625S in the box for Discount Code, you get our internet price of $29.95.

“As a training video, it is unparalleled. As a teacher, Ms Goldsmith is supreme.”-Llamas Magazine

Contents of the DVD

Times are in hours and minutes.

0:01 Introduction: goals in training and factors in choosing a llama.

0:08 PREPARING THE LLAMA FOR DRIVING
Catching routine and leading along the expected route.

0:11 FITTING THE HARNESS FOR THE FIRST TIME
Function and nomenclature, while showing the proper fit on a llama.
0:28 Removing the harness.
0:29 Proper fit of girth in relation to the llama’s legs.

0:31 THE FIRST DRIVING LESSON: LEARNING “WALK” AND “WHOA”
The helper’s role, and that of the driver, in ground driving.
0:32 Choosing a route.

0:35 A TECHNIQUE FOR LEARNING THE “TOUCH” OF THE REINS
0:37 Signals for control: reins, voice, and whip.
0:39 Example of initial ground driving to teach commands.
0:42 Length of lesson, and initial turning lesson

0:43 GROUND DRIVING ALONE: DEVELOPING FLEXIBILITY & OBEDIENCE
0:44 Training the llama to jog.
0:46 Developing the light touch on the reins.
0:48 How to hold the reins and whip.
0:51 Use of tugs or rings to keep reins low on a naughty llama.
0:54 Use of safety line. Practicing diagonals and circles.
0:55 Jester gets naughty and needs discipline.
0:58 Three commands: Stand, Easy, No.

1:01 INTRODUCING THE LLAMA TO THE CART FOR THE FIRST TIME
Attributes of various carts.
1:05 Hitching a cart to the llama: order of events.
1:10 Procedure for unhitching.
1:13 Example of initial introduction of llama to cart.
1:21 Using pole with a llama who is afraid of, or naughty about, the cart.
1:24 Using “fifth wheel” device for llamas who want to avoid the cart.

1:27 RIDING IN THE CART THE FIRST TIME
1:29 Walking behind the cart, with an assistant.
1:30 Getting into the cart the first time, with assistance.
1:32 Assistant joins driver in the cart.

DRIVING ALONE AND WITH OTHER LLAMAS
1:33 Where to drive: arena or parking lot.
1:35 Using a safety line and ground driving behind the cart.
1:36 Getting into the cart, still with the safety line.
1:37 Practicing the commands, speeds of travel, and praising the llama.
1:40 Practicing backing by standing in front of the llama.
1:42 Working around other llamas. Attributes of 4-wheel carts.
1:46 Balance of discipline and fun for the llama.

INTRODUCING THE LLAMA TO A NEW CART
1:48 Proper angle of the shafts; meeting horses.

1:49 DRIVING COMPETITION AT THE DENVER STOCK SHOW

1:56 FINAL COMMENTS
1:57 Credits

This DVD retails for $39.95 but if you type in (or cut and paste) 82R2625S in the box for Discount Code, you get our internet price of $29.95.

Bobra’s profound understanding of llamas is evident throughout this program. She and other people have also used these methods for alpaca training.

Here is a list of what you get. There’s atw0-minute  llama training video excerpt from this DVD  on the homepage of our site.

INTRODUCTION
1 min: What every llama should know
INITIAL CONTACT AND HALTERING
5 min: Initial contact with a young llama
7 min: Slow-motion haltering technique
9 min: Contact with and haltering a second young llama
12 min: How to hold the halter before putting it on
17 min: Contact with and haltering a third young llama
22 min: Desensitizing
LEADING
23 min: First leading lessons
AN UNTRAINED ADULT
36 min: Haltering and leading an adult for the first time
MORE ON HALTERING AND LEADING
43 min: How to adjust a halter
44 min: Second leading lesson, the three young llamas
50 min: Short-tying a llama for the first time
CATCHING RITUAL
52 min: The catching ritual with an adult male llama
LOADING IN VEHICLES
54 min: Preparing the vehicle
57 min: An adult male learns to load in a trailer and in a van.
KUSH TRAINING
1 hr, 2 min: Kushing (lying down) and getting up
GROOMING
1 hr, 5 min: Blowing with a leaf blower
1 hr, 6 min: Brushing
1 hr, 8 mins: Patting for desensitization
SOME ADULT LLAMAS DIFFICULT TO HALTER
1 hr 8 mins: A female puts her head down.
1 hr 10 mins: A tall male stretches up.
LEADING TIPS
1 hr, 13 mins: Getting a llama to run with you
1 hr, 14 mins: Lead rope under your elbow for pokey llamas
SOME USEFUL KNOTS
1 hr, 14 mins: Neck rope, clove hitch on post, Bobra’s bowline, quick-release knot
A COMPLETE TRAINING SEQUENCE WITH A YOUNG LLAMA
1 hr 18 mins: Catching, handling, haltering, first leading lesson
1 hr, 24 mins: A young male resists quite vigorously.
1 hr, 31 mins: Second lesson in leading
1 hr, 38 mins: Walking around obstacles
1 hr, 49 mins: Loading in a vehicle
CONCLUDING REMARKS

This DVD retails for $39.95 but if you type in (or cut and paste) 82R2625S in the box for Discount Code, you get our internet price of $29.95. (The discount box code is in the shopping cart, after you click on “buy now.”)