Llamas and Alpacas

[Dex BC]

I'm just asking this out of curiosity as we have a large number of Alpaca and Llama herds in my area and I've always wondered if anyone uses stock dogs to heard these types of animals?

 

How would they react to a stockdog?...more agressive than sheep. Would they be likely to chase, kick or jump at a dog?

 

They seem to be popular and I know someone who actually quit his day job to raise Alpacas.

[sjones]

Llamas and alpacas are not meant to be worked by a dog. I have friends that raise llamas and they keep their two cockers away from them as they don't want them hurt or killed. They were just telling me about a skunk story that happened a few years back. A skunk made its way into the llama pasture and when the owners went out to feed in the morning they found a trampled skunk in the snow, with some very proud llamas standing by. Amazingly enough no llamas got sprayed, but there was plenty of it coloring the snow.

Llamas are used as a guard animals, not sure about alpacas, I've heard they aren't as good at the job. If you want to work with fiber they might be for you, but working your dog stick to sheep, cattle or goats.

 

Samantha

[Sue R]

Llamas function, with sheep, as livestock guardians. They are not (I am sure) a species that one would want to manage with a dog. They bite, strike, and kick in defense of their flock.

[Gloria Atwater]

What Sue and Samantha said. Llamas, at least, are guardian animals. There's a pair of them who've been guarding a flock of Suffolks down near town, for years. They'll go right after a coyote and probably would do the same with a dog. There is really no point in asking a dog to work them, as all they would do is fight back - and could really hurt a dog.

 

~ Gloria

[bcnewe2]

I owned a guard llama for many years. He was not workable. Infact, if he was with his sheep the sheep were virtually unworkable. If he wasn't leading them into the woods to hide from the dogs, he was fighting whatever dog was trying to work them. I don't know about alpaca's never been around them but think they would be nonworkable too.

[Dex BC]

Thanks for the responses...this is pretty much what I assumed from my limited knowledge of these animals. I think Alpacas are a little more subdued than Llamas from what I have heard but they would probably still be aggressive towards a dog as I'm sure they would perceive a dog as a predator.

 

They were just telling me about a skunk story that happened a few years back. A skunk made its way into the llama pasture and when the owners went out to feed in the morning they found a trampled skunk in the snow, with some very proud llamas standing by. Amazingly enough no llamas got sprayed, but there was plenty of it coloring the snow.

 

Samantha

 

I have a very big, problem skunk on my property...Dex has barely missed being sprayed a few times. Maybe I should borrow a couple of Llamas for a day or two. . I've crossed paths with him at night and luckily he doesn't see me as a threat.

[Cynthia P]

Our llamas could be worked by dogs as can a friends llamas. although many a dog will not work a llama, very imtimidating; Plus sheep learn they can hide with the Llama and won't move for a dog. a flock of llamas would be very challenging.

 

they are still prey animals and although will put up a fuss, will run in the end. Alpaca's don't guard the same way Llama's do.

 

Not an animal in general I would want to routinely work with a dog. it takes the "guard" out of them if they know how to move for a dog. Just my opinion