PLAY DEAD!
..or "the statue game"

THE METHOD I'M USING

This is really just a fun thing! Llamas have such long necks that it's great to see them stretched along the ground with the chin hard down and the eyes looking heavenward hoping for a treat. The public love it too. But I dont keep them in that position for more than a few seconds. Training-wise, it's really just an extension of the kush (sit). From kushing, I trained my boys to lie simply by pushing them into the elongated position, clicking and rewarding. I added the cue "Play Dead" and very soon they were all doing it on verbal request. But they wouldn't stay like that long!!

 

 

 

If you can add anything to my work or have any questions or comments, please e-mail me.

HOW WE'RE DOING

The story so far: Oscar has got this off to a tee. Actually, all sx boys (5 llamas and one alpaca) "play dead" to hand signal and seem quite relaxed for at least several seconds. I'm working on duration with Toby, Oscar and Banksy, the 'paca.

RECENT NOTES ON PROGRESS

July 17th 2010

I've been working with the alpaca this week at this exercise. I've got the duration up to about five seconds, but I do find that I need to repeat "Wait" over and over, else he goes into an off-cue roll. ( The roll is always preceded by this neck-down position.) Obviously, from the "play dead" position, the camelid is unable to see any hand signals, so it has to be verbal only.

 


Dillon playing dead for me