Llamas are a very versatile creature, here are some of the things they can help you with in ever day life:
Guard Llama
Llamas have a natural guarding instinct. A llama is a fight animal versus a horse, which is a flight animal by nature. A llama will stand ground and chase a strange canine or feline that is trying to attack their herd. The great thing about a llama is they will accept their herd to be sheep, cows, chickens, even horses. A llama makes an impressive alarm call when it sees something out of the ordinary. They will know a friendly canine (AKA a pet dog) if they are introduced properly. My friend, Marla, uses llamas to guard her fainting goats. You can visit her website here.
Packing Llama
Llamas are great pack animals. They can carry up to 100 pounds if conditioned and have a correct llama pack on. A llama's back is structured differently from a traditional riding animal, therefor they need a pack that takes pressure off of their spine and are not usually ridden for that reason. They will follow dutifully in a pack string or just along a trial and they are a great companion for the outdoors.
Therapy Llama
A llama is a great therapy animal because they are a versatile animal that will go into nursing homes and schools. A llama will defecate in certain places in the pen, and therefore if they do not see other llama's feces they will usually not use hallways as a bathroom. I've been bringing my llamas inside since they were six months old and we've never had an accident!
Driving Llamas?
That's right! Llamas can be taught to drive - pull a cart that is. They don't wear a bit like a horse, but respond to voice and nose pressure. There are many great competitions you can enter with a llama and a cart and there is nothing more rewarding then traveling the country side back roads with your llama or being pulled on cross country skis across fields after a good snow!
Show Llamas
Like any animal llamas are great fun in the show ring. They can do obstacle courses, and there are also many competitions involving their fiber and conformation.
Llama Wool
Llama wool is a fine fiber that is also warm at the same time. It contains little or no lanolin so it is not itchy. People who are allergic to wool can be allergic to the lanolin, and llamas have none - so you can wear llama wool! Llama wool is a pleasure to spin and you can felt it as well. Weavers, knitters, and crocheters will always have fun with a wide array of llama colors!
Family Pet
A llama that is treated correctly makes a great pet for the family. A llama always needs a buddy (usually another llama, but can be other large animal) so you need to buy in pairs! Having a llama for home spinning, or for walks is always a pleasure. They are an economically feasible large animal to own because they do not need as much food as a larger animal like a horse. My two full grown llamas eat about 120 bales per winter as apposed to 300 per one horse.
