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CAMELIDynamics 2004 Summer Newsletter

HELLO Camelidynamics Enthusiasts,
I hope this summer newsletter finds you and your critters cool, calm, collected and healthy. Happy Summer! I feel an urgency to get the summer newsletter into your hands because even though officially there is another month of summer it feels as if summer is over here in Bend, Oregon. Hot days have given way to the sixties and the nights are not only cool but cold. Come on Indian Summer!

September is always a busy month and extra exciting because of the advanced training here in Bend. Because of the overwhelming interest in this first advanced training I will be offering a spring advanced training in May of 05 as well as another in the fall. There is a prerequisite of a two day clinic for these longer trainings. If you are interested in these advanced trainings or in the practitioner/clinician program (see below) perhaps you can plan to attend a 2-day clinic before the year is over.

On an administrative note- I have a new cell phone (541) 788-2277.

Happy Handling,

Marty

This quarter's newsletter features:

2004 CLINICS STILL TO COME...

I am already planning for 05 but there are still quite a few clinics left this year...

September 4-5 Central Pennsylvania (location to be determined) Two day clinic for alpaca and llama enthusiasts. Contact Debbie Zulli debbie@alpacaholic-acres.com or (717) 528-4170

September 11-12 Woodland, Utah 2-day clinic for alpaca and llama enthusiasts. Contact Linda Gardner linda@bluemoonranch.net or (435) 783-4428

September 18-19 Bellingham, Washington 2-day clinic for alpaca and llama enthusiasts. Contact Linda Bylsma LRAlpacas@aol.com or (360) 966-5763

September 25-28 Bend, Oregon FULL
Advanced Training open only to those people who have attended a 2-day clinic. This clinic is for both llama and alpacas handlers who are interested in a high level of skill. Limited class size. Contact Marty McGee Bennett marty@camelidynamics.comor (541) 318-5026

October 2-3 Mansfield, Ohio 2-day clinic for alpaca and llama enthusiasts. Contact Julie Petty julianacpetty@prodigy.net or (419) 529-8152

October 16-17 Santa Ynez, California Three-day clinic for alpaca and llama enthusiasts. Contact Joan Speirs alpaca@silcom.com or phone (805) 688-2821

November 6-21 Varying locations in Australia Plans are in place for a November tour of Australia. The following days and locations are now firm:

Nov 6-7 2-day clinic Hawkesbury NSW
Nov 8-9 Advanced clinic Hawksbury NSW
Nov 13-14 2-day clinic Tylden Victoria
Nov 15-16 Advanced clinic Tylden Victoria
Nov 20-21 2-day clinic Armindale Northern NSW

Australian clinic fees: 2 days: $430 plus 10% GST (Early bird price before September 5 is $380 plus GST) 4 days: $830 plus 10% GST (earlybird price before 5 Sept is $730 plus GST) For more information contact Nerida Aldred (Daylesoford, Victoria) crear@netconnect.com.au or phone 001 3 53 487 739

1-DAY REFRESHER December 28, Navasota, Texas
I will be visiting Texas for the holidays and Robin Roberts has offered to host a 1-day refresher for people who have attended a 2-day clinic. This will be an opportunity to work hands-on to refine your handling skills. Prerequisite: Completed 2-day Camelidynamics Clinic For more information contact Robin Roberts robin.roberts@americanaalpacas.com or (936) 870-3887

2005 CLINIC SCHEDULE
I am truly road weary and will be cutting back on my travel in 2005...leading only ten clinics in the U.S. next year. I will be teaching in Europe (England and France are on the proposed agenda). I have begun to work on a schedule for next year and will finalize and post my schedule in December of this year. If you are interested in hosting a clinic and can gather 20 participants, contact me for a hosting packet. marty@camelidynamics.com

PACK WITH US! AUGUST 2005 WYOMING TRIP
Llama packing is the best! If you have an appreciation for camelids (llamas or alpacas) and the wilderness, a llama pack trip is the perfect vacation. Brad and I are planning a llama pack trip with Jill Aanonsen and Dave Hodge of Jackson Hole Llamas. This trip will be into the Gros Ventre wilderness in August 2005 and will feature great food, incredible scenery, fly fishing and an opportunity to learn more about camelids. For more information about Jackson Hole Llamas visit jhllamas.com. Only five slots available. If you are interested contact me now and I will keep you posted on specifics as the trip evolves.

PRACTITIONER/CLINICIAN PROGRAM
Begins in September with Advanced Training in Bend, Oregon The demand for training is far exceeding my ability to keep up. Next year I will officially begin a Practitioner/Clinician Program. For more detailed information about this new program email me: marty@camelidynamics.com. This year's 4-day advanced training filled up immediately. Interest is very keen and I will be scheduling two 4-day clinics in 2005 (May and September in Bend). To be eligible to attend these clinics you must have completed at least one 2-day clinic. The 4-day clinics are intended for those people who:

THE LATEST INNOVATIONS... It is hard to believe my last book The Camelid Companion debuted in May of 2001. The book has been selling like hot-cakes and I am already making notes for the revision. The philosophy of kindness, respect, efficiency and FUN remains consistent, but I am always learning and refining the techniques. To keep up with the latest techniques and innovations:

TIP OF THE QUARTER: "THE BRACELET"

Working with alpacas is often a two person affair. Unfortunately one person is often asked to restrain the animal as the other person trims toenails, gives a shot, looks into an eye, etc. Alternatively untrained alpacas are not haltered but must be moved a short distance are grabbed by the neck and dragged by the head. Alpacas hate to be restrained and too often the act of catching and holding provokes a fight before the chore is even attempted.

The human grabs and holds the alpaca and the animal has no choice but self defense. Dragging an alpaca by the head teaches him to fight humans and gives the animal the mechanical advantage. The animal can both drop his weight and throw it to the rear legs making it near impossible to move him.

The next time you work with your alpaca, try using "the bracelet" as a way of getting around the need to "hold" the alpaca still. The bracelet is combined with the mid-line catch as a way of catching and then balancing your alpaca rather than trying to physically hold the animal still. If you have read my book or been to a clinic, you know how important balance is to gaining the cooperation of your animal.

To use the bracelet technique begin in a small pen (9 x 9 feet) ideally with several animals. Approach the alpaca you intend to work with from behind the eye, walk deliberately up to the animal. Place the hand closest to the alpaca up high on the midline of the neck just behind and below the ears. Be very careful NOT to put your hand on the opposite side of the neck. The palm of the hand is never past the midline of the neck.

Immediately after you make contact with the hand on the midline, bring your other hand up under the jaw. As soon as both hands are on the animal slightly re-position your hands so that only the index finger and thumb are making contact with the alpaca. The index finger and thumb make contact with the alpaca's neck just behind the ears the index fingers of the other hand make contact with the head just behind the bottom lip. There is a groove here that gives the handler a good connection with the head without having to grip.

The connection you have with both hands is light and your fingers are pointing at each other forming a bracelet around the very top of the head. Your elbows are up. This technique gives you an amazing ability to steer the alpaca. The object of using this technique is NOT to stop movement but to channel it.

Combine the bracelet technique with your racheting signals and you can move an alpaca from the holding pen to the shearer or down the hall to a different pen without a halter and without a fight. Make sure not to grip with your hands. You are balancing not restraining. Focus on keeping the head in line with the body the body over the feet. You can use the bracelet to move animals around, to help with trimming toenail, or giving injections. Happy handling.

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