Hanging out

I am interested in discussing what people do to be "reinforcing" for their animals to be around. What do you do or NOT do that makes your animals want to hang around you BESIDES feeding them.
Here is what i wrote in a recent tip about what I have tried. What do the rest of you do?


I am entertaining. I might wear a funny hat, blow soap bubbles, play music, sing, crawl on the ground or even dance around (at a respectful distance). These are grazing animals mostly interested in eating I know, but they are also very interested in their environment and I do think they appreciate a good show. I have certainly observed them being reinforced by small animals in the pasture, horses riding by, children on bikes, joggers and the odd piece of litter blowing around.
Once I sit down out in the pasture and relax, I do a lot of deep breathing. I can create a sense of serenity around myself (I hear many of you laughing about this claim as I type--but on a good day I can do it!)
I am benign... And this one is perhaps the most important. Usually I don't reach out and try to touch an animal even if they seem ok about it. There is one exception and that is llamas (usually) that very obviously solicit a back scratch. Bottom line I don't do anything that might be threatening. When I come into their pasture for a "hang out" the animals are completely in control-- and because I usually am the one with all athe power, these opportunities are special and reinforcing. I don't combine these "hang out" visits with other things. For example I would avoid going out to the pasture and "hanging out" then getting up and herding the animals into the working area for weighing. With "hanging out" there is never an agenda. The animals can come to visit me or not. I think that this giving over control is very reinforcing.