I AM A NEW ALPACA OWNER and this was my first shearing experience at my farm. I had just completed Marty's 2-Day Basics Clinic the day before shearing so I was armed with information and ready to tackle our shearing event. Marty, aware that I had an upcoming shearing event, cautioned me, if all else fails at shearing, keep the alpaca's airway clear and don't use a sock to cover the mouth or a towel over the head during spitting episodes. About two-hours before the shearers arrived, I successfully herded my alpacas into their respective catch pens using the herding wands. They all enjoyed hay and water. Once they were finished I used the catch rope and wand to halter my two adult females while they were in their catch pen. I made sure I used the correct body positioning and allowed them to use the required escape route to make them feel less threatened. Then I used TTouch on their heads before feeling very confident (thanks to the hands-on practice at the clinic) that I had placed the harness on them correctly. There was no fighting or anxiety and it all went so smoothly. I was especially happy with the process for one of my females because she has never acted comfortable being next to me. She didn't fight the harnass and really enjoyed the TTouch on her head and near her mouth. This is the first time I have successfully harnassed her. I decided to use the Handler Helper and the Bracelet Method for the rest of my herd along with TTouch. This preparation and sensitivity to THEIR anxiety reduced spitting to nearly zero during shearing. Once each animal was shorn they were guided back to their stall unrestrained and they all looked as though the incident had never happened! They were VERY happy and calm. Thank you Marty for your words of wisdom to NEVER put a sock or towel over their head during shearing. Although it wasn't necessary anyway, I could only imagine how this would cause even more anxiety to the poor animal to have it's airway and life support compromised. The information I gained from the clinic made ME feel more organized and confident that I was doing things correctly with the greatest sensitivity to the animals' needs.
