06/15/2026
One of the things I hope people take away from CAMELIDynamics is that there is rarely just one right way to do something.
Julia Nash, from Norfolk, UK, told me that after reading The Camelid Companion book, what she took away was, "Do what works for you."
Exactly, Julia!
One of her llamas wasn't especially enthusiastic about being shorn. But she loved willow leaves. So Julia took her to a willow tree and let her browse while the shearing was done. Problem solved.
Another llama was nervous about toenail trimming. Fortunately, she was also quite impressed with her own beauty. Julia set up a pen in front of a window so she could admire herself while her toenails were clipped. Again, problem solved.
The point isn't that everyone should shear under willow trees or install mirrors in their handling facilities. The point is that camelids are individuals. When we pay attention to what matters to them, we often discover solutions that are far easier than force, wrestling, or "just getting it done."
Thank you, Julia, for sharing this wonderful photo of your llamas, Smokey, Gwinny, Sienna, Purdy, and Noodles.
I'd love to hear your stories, too. What's the most creative solution you've found for a llama or alpaca who had a different opinion about how something should be done?
