# Evil Llama! - Experience Herder needed!



## Mieya (Jun 22, 2012)

We have some hobby animals on our farm, 6 sheep and 5 goats. We started with 3 sheep and 2 goats simply to teach our first collie to herd something that wasn't going to fight back, but now they get moved to a different "wild" pasture during the summer so we got them a Llama for some protection.

The problem, now when we send our collie out to bring in the sheep and goats the Llama will literally fight her off tooth and nail. Spitting, biting, bucking, it even growls! We've resorted to using our other 2 herding dogs (Which arent herding dogs just pound puppies trained to herd larger animals like pigs and cows) I really dislike doing this, those two boys are rough and there are little babies to consider. The only way we got the sheep up on the mountain this year was by using the boys to corner the Llama on the otherside of a 40 arcre pasture and having the collie bring in the sheeps.

Is there a way to get these things to respect collies? I know its their job to keep away predatory looking canines but its easier for us to control a bull in season then it is to do anything with this crazy Llama.... If I can't figure something out Lame-a-Llama is going to be dog food.


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## Curbside Prophet (Apr 28, 2006)

I would check in with the folks at llamaforums.com.


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## Mieya (Jun 22, 2012)

Reworded question, is there something we can have the dog do that will impact the Llamas' unwillingness to respond? I'm not going to waste my time training a Llama.


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## JohnnyBandit (Sep 19, 2008)

Mieya said:


> Reworded question, is there something we can have the dog do that will impact the Llamas' unwillingness to respond? I'm not going to waste my time training a Llama.


The Llama is not going to herd...... A STRONG herding dog can probably move it. But that dog is going to have to push the llama to the point that it decides if it does not move it will get eaten. Not easy...


The thing is.... Llamas are good at predator protection because they will stand up and fight a predator. 

A herding dog is a predator....


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## Pawzk9 (Jan 3, 2011)

You're likely to get your dog hurt trying to herd a llama. The fact is, they are quite bright and very trainable. Sue Ailsby clicker trains hers. http://dragonflyllama.com/page14/page25/ I would teach the llama to come to a target, put it up and THEN let your dog work the sheep. Thing is, if a llama can take on a coyote, a collie would be toast.


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