THE METHOD I'M USING
I am always a little surprised at how few llama-owners teach their animals to sit; it is so easy, with males anyway..and so useful at times, especially when you're grooming a tall llama.
I am indebted
to Paul Rose of Roseland Llamas for advising me some years ago on how to
kush a llama. . The method involved two persons, one at each end of the
animal, one applying a downward pull to the head by means of a lead-rope
threaded under a gate and the other person applying downward pressure to
the rear end. Eventually the animal would fold down, usually with only a
token struggle.
This was the method I used on all five boys, successfully. (But I must add
that it would have been impossible had the boys not been fairly relaxed
with me in the first instance.) I was lavish with my praise (I hadn't a
clicker then!) and the favourite grain as I gradually got the response I
was seeking. And then many repetitions.
Gradually the boys learnt they had to kush whenever I gave a downward pull
to their heads. At first this was a struggle, with chins on ground but legs
straight, but they slowly got the message. By this time I was clicker-training
and kushing was thus rewarded with a click and a food reward. From here
I ascribed the behaviour a name: "Sit down"( though nowadays I
use the command at the start of the training.) Gradually, gradually (but
see * below!) the downward tug on the head was replaced with the command
"Sit down" and a downward finger movement.
The above
is a very abbreviated version of kush-training. If you want much fuller
details just click on this
link.
*Is this a record?! Toby, at 5 months, had never before kushed within 25 yards of me and he learnt to sit on hand signal/verbal command ( no halter)....in just under 7 minutes.
If you can add anything to my work or have any questions or comments, please e-mail me.
