We determined very early in our experience with llamas that we would train them to be handled by humans with the least amount of stress possible for both ourselves and the llama. We live in the southeastern part of the country amongst a heavy white-tail deer population, so it is imperative that we handle our llamas on a monthly basis to vaccinate with Ivomectin or Dectomax for protection against the meningeal worm. We also weigh and body score each animal once a month and trim toenails every other month, and give yearly vaccinations, so we must handle our llamas regularly and with a minimum of stress.

We begin our training by desensitizing our crias for 15-20 minutes the first and second days after they are born. We use the method developed by Dr. Robert Miller for horses and later adapted by John Mallon for llamas. We lay the cria on a quilt or blanket and touch each part of the body, moving the legs back and forth until there is no resistance. We’ll even put a baby halter on and take it off approximately twenty times.

This is all accomplished in a professional, businesslike manner with no baby talk or cooing. We want the cria bonded with its mother, not with us. We are trying to accomplish a lack of fear of the human touch not trying to make a pet out of the cria. As they grow we continue to lift their legs and feet and touch them.

We start injections with our cria at two months. It is at that time that we begin the haltering process. We will put them on an inner tube for 15-20 minutes while we’re readying their vaccination and attending to other chores around the barn. By “putting them on an inner tube” we mean that we attach a bicycle inner tube to a panel or post by looping it around. On the end of the inner tube we attach a quick release snap.

Then we attach the snap to the bottom ring of the halter. This teaches the llama that the harder he pulls back the more pressure from the inner tube. He quickly learns not to pull against the pressure. Both the inner tube and a carabineer snap can be purchased at a sporting goods store and are very inexpensive. We never leave a cria alone while he’s on the inner tube. We do the inner tube training 3-4 times before we start lead training. Once their shot has been administered and we’ve desensitized a little more, we let them go. They’ll run right back to their mom for a drink of milk and a security check.

We usually begin lead training at around 3-4 months of age. We will bring them in the house, lead them around the yard through the flower garden, just 15 or 20 minutes as an introduction to life outside the barn and paddock area. At 5-6 months we will begin more intensive halter training, going for longer walks around the outside perimeter of the pasture areas in full view of the herd. We take two animals at the time as we have found that they do much better together than apart. If we have a very timid guy/girl, we’ll put a more adventuresome llama in the lead. We’re constantly amazed at how much they will learn from one another.

The minimum age for showing on the ALSA show circuit it seven months. Our llamas are trained and ready by that time. What a joy to walk in the ring with a well-trained llama who trusts us and enjoys this new experience.