We got the llamas sheared, finally. It is always a daunting task cause it’s dirty and tiring work. It takes up about 1 ½ hours per llama to blow, brush and style and we have 8 llamas. It has been a strange spring. Early March we had 80 degree days, so we scheduled our first shearing day for the first weekend in April. That week the temps plummeted to below freezing at night, and we were afraid some of the lighter coated boys would get chilly. So we did four of the heavy wool guys first, and yesterday, finished up with the other four. Here are a couple of before and after shots of the llamas.
I think they look pretty good, if I do say so myself.
We counted up the years, and were astounded that we have now sheared the llamas for the 10th year. Hard to believe how the years zoom by. The llamas get an annual body cut to cool them down in the summer. I cut them with Fiskers spring loaded scissors. I’ve never used an electric clipper as I don’t like the close cut and the furrowed look. The scissors take longer, but give me more control and finesse.
You’d think that with all the hours I have under my belt shearing llamas, I would have more confidence to jump in and start shearing my new goldendoodle puppy, Bayley. Bayley has just turned 5 months. I’m not sure when to start the clipping. So far, she is brushing out with no mats, and her hair is about 3 inches. I’m thinking I’ll wait until she becomes too difficult to brush and just let it grow in the meantime. It’s gotten cooler here in the last couple of weeks, back to more normal temps in the 50s and 60s. If she looks like she’s too hot, I’ll have to jump on in.
I’d like to do the clipping myself, rather than risk being totally dissatisfied with what the groomer may do. But I know nothing of electric shears, and I’m planning to do her with scissors. I just start to hyperventilate whenever I think about putting scissors to her hair. But, I’ve always heard that the difference between a bad haircut and a good haircut is about 2 weeks.
LOVE the goldendoodle… so sweet!
Poor llamas 😦 Please tell me you clipped a word-outline into the brown one before you shaved it all off?
I wonder who will be more cooperative when being sheared; Bayley or the llamas.
The llamas have grown to be much more tolerant of the shearing. The first few years, you’d think they were being killed. Now they seem to enjoy it. Bayley, on the otherhand…. We’ll just have to wait and see. Thanks for the comment.
I have tried trimming my Bichon, but she always looks like she was hit with the weed whacker. I have never tried a scissors. I will let you know if I give it a whirl!
Congrats on being Freshly Pressed!
Thanks, I will be interested in hearing about your success with scissors.
The llamas look great 🙂
I’d vote that you leave your pup’s coat for now – she looks adorable. I’ve also heard quite a few people complain that once they cut their doodle’s coat, they have much more trouble with mats/tangles if they do try letting it grow out much past two inches or so.
Thanks lexy. Is that a doodle in your photo? The coloring is awesome.
Llamas are so quirky and adorable — but not as endearing as that goldendoodle! 🙂
Thanks. We love our doodle.
what beautiful llamas! i have a llama obsession…i think they are such regal creatures. keep up the great work and writing!
This is great. Why does it take so long to shear them? Are they so big or are they difficult? I have heard a lot of stuff about llamas. Do they keep foxes away? I’ve heard farmers buy their poo in the lambing season for this. Sorry. I must sound like a 5 year old .
Cause we’re anal. It doesn’t need to take that long, but we take the opportunity to get the tangles out of their manes and tails while we’re at it. Yes, they make great guard animals for sheep, goats, and even cows. The poop is wonderful fertilizer. I’ve never heard about it scaring away foxes though.
They are sooooo cute! 🙂
yes, I agree with you, so nice ^_^
Funny but that is how I feel about my hair. I can deal with a short term bad cut since it grows out so quickly. The llamas are beautiful.
Thanks so much.
You Lamas look great in the after. You would do fine on your dog. On using electric sheers, just put on the long attachment and start shaving. The long attachement leaves it about an inch long.
Glad I have a short haired dog (half pitbull/half Australian cattledog) but we have a long haired cat and whenever she gets sick we have to trim the hair around her backside. She looks ridiculous once we are done but I’d like to think she would prefer absurdity to a stinky rear.
Very cool, original post!
1 1/2 hours for the complete shearing? That’s intense. I can’t even stand the 15 minutes it takes to cut my hair at the barbers. 😛
That’s the whole process. First I have to blow all the dirt from their wool. They like to take dust baths, and the grit will dull the shears in no time. That takes about 15 minutes. Then they get brushed. So the cut can take anywhere from 45 min to an hour. But many people can do it much faster than we do. Our llamas are extremely patient.
Aw, what good llamas. 🙂
I once worked at a park with an alpaca who got sheared every other year. It was amazing to watch his bravado and attitude grow with the wool. It seemed like he had just enough time to forget about the shearing. Then the groomer would tie him down and buzz him again, and he’d whine and squeal like a baby.
Then he’s be all meek and humble and naked before building up to being a wooly jerk again. So like people.
How funny. Thanks.
Oh God, I don’t often comment on the FP posts, but I do so love llamas… I couldn’t resist it! You might just have gained another follower 😀
Thanks. We are crazy about the llamas. They are so calming. After a rough day, I like to walk down to the barn and just hang out with the boys. They are so non judgmental.
I absolutely adore llamas. A couple of years ago my boyfriend and I ‘adopted’ some llamas down near Brighton and went to visit them over a weekend. It was just fantastic! We have some brilliant photos. People often laugh when I tell them that if I ever won the lottery I would buy a llama farm, but I mean it! I’d love to work on a farm, and yours looks absolutely beautiful. I’m so glad you’ve been FP’d- there often aren’t many blogs as unique as yours 🙂
Congrats on being Freshly Pressed! Grooming the livestock has never been a skill I’d like to acquire so I’d like to offer you kudos on tackling that 12-hour detail.
ohh, the llamas are so lovely!
Thanks for sharing your Llamas. I love llamas. Very sweet creatures. Connie
http://7thandvine.wordpress.com/
Llamas! We have a farm of about 20-some alpacas, and yes, it’s a lot of work! But the outcome is so worth it when we see them leaping around for joy with all that hot excess fleece off!
Congrats on being Freshly Pressed! 🙂
I agree. You’d think that they would remember from one year to the next how great it feels to get all that hot wool off of them, yet they are always reluctant to get started. I think once the cool air starts to hit the skin, they get the idea.
Hahahahahha te beaty contest of ilama hihihihi ^_^
Sheer maddness! 😉
Congratulations on being freshly pressed! Your llamas look great. It must be hard work shearing such large animals. (I have done sheep and it takes me over an hour!) Are your hand shears like scissors or do they look like electric shears, but without the electricity?
They are actually fabric cutting scissors. They have a spring action so they spring back to the open position and saves you half the effort. You can buy them at any fabric or craft store
This is very nice. congratulations.
Wow, so cute, I have never seen before.
Ah, Bayley is adorable. I have a softspot for dogs. Like llamas too, but can’t imagine giving one a haircut.
I can remember thinking the same thing about 10 years ago. I can remember my sense of accomplishment after shearing the first llama and he actually looked pretty awesome.
there are no llama at Indonesia, i love to know about llama daily activity
Bayley is cute and adorable.. i have a maltese and i’m the one giving her a haircut.. so far so good, i guess practice makes perfect.. by the way, your llamas are looking good..
I bet Bayley just blends in with the IIamas pre-shave. So cute!
She’s getting big, but thankfully,not THAT big!
Oh I love to cut hair, I should come and help you. 🙂 No training.
Great, when can we expect you?
great pics…wht about the dog???do u shave them tooo?
The goldendoodle puppy will need to be trimmed. She is half poodle but we won’t give her a poodle clip. We’ll just give her a puppy trim to keep her looking pretty much like she does now. I’m just so afraid of messing her up.
llamas! so cute i want to hug them!
Your Llamas are beautiful. Shearing is a chore, no doubt about that. Your story brings back memories of when we had to shear our Newfoundland just to keep her cool for the summer.
Your place is beautiful 🙂 Love it!
Hahahaha, super cute!
yes you are right..they look pretty good…
Thanks
OMG LLamas are my favorite, too cutes!!
That’s really cool–they look somewhat like giant poodles! I’ve seen a llama farm in South Alabama–I loved looking at them–and petting them!
neva seen llamas b4 🙂
When we sheared our sheep many years ago we used something that looked like a deck chair. It hooked onto the bar of the gate and then we backed each sheep into it and then up ended them. When they were in that position, on their spine, they sort of went all floppy and relaxed so we could cut nails and dag them. Obviously you can’t shear the back in this position but the rest was much easier particularly if trying to do it on your own. I have no idea if that would work for llamas.
Love the pictures of llamas and congratulations on being freshly pressed.
We just walk them into a restraining Shute and they stand there for the whole process. They are really compliant.
and so pretty too.
Loving all the pictures of the animals! Too cute! 😀 And it’s especially hard to catch a glimpse of llamas shearing in the city. 🙂
I love llamas, and alpacas! I live near a place where they rear them for wool. I love going to visit them 🙂
You’ll do fine on the puppy, I clipped my to dogs two weeks ago for the first time and they looked okay. Plus after two weeks they look great. I worry more about toe nail clipping. We have a snoodle and a cairn terrier/dachshund mix. The llamas look great!
Thanks Karl. I, too, am afraid to clip the nails. My beardie has clear nails and I can see the quick, but the doodle has brown nails and I have nicked her already. I have ordered a nail grinder from Oster. It’s kinda like a dremel tool and is supposed to be safer than the clippers. We’ll see.
Wow I had never even thought about what a big job shearing must be! I hope one day I get to experience that on a farm of my own. Good luck with Bayley!
Thanks. It’s a lot of fun though. I hope you get your farm someday. I’ll be sure to post the photos of Bayley’s first trim, good or bad.
Hi,nice to be reading an unusual post. Also brought back memories of John Denver’s Country Roads – Virginia, Blue Ridge Mountains,Shenandoah River 🙂 sounds like an awesome part of planet Earth. Almost heaven eh???
Thanks Kavi, We absolutely love it here in the Valley. It IS the most beautiful spot in the world.
Your farm is beautiful years ago when we first brought our Mammoth donkey and mini home my husband and I clipped them rhis is hard work. Great job on the clipping:-)
Thanks. I’ve always wanted a mini donkey. They are too cute. My other dream would be a pair of Scottish Highland Cows. There is just something about cows with bangs.
Brilliant – I thoroughly enjoyed reading your post – thank you for sharing!
I have cut my dogs hair several times and my sons get really cross at me. I stand him on my ironing board and snip away with scissors – I’m thinking of taking him to a professional as I’m sure they could make him look more stylish!!
I don’t think I’d want to tackle an llama – besides, it would probably break my ironing board! 🙂
Love it. I can just visualize a llama standing on an ironing board. Thanks for my first laugh of the day.
welcome 🙂
Bayley is adorable! We took our goldendoodle to a groomer in January because he could barely see out his eyes – I was not satisfied at all with the cut (way too short). I think doodles look much cuter with long fur or what I call the puppy ‘fro.
Toby is adorable. How old is he? I’m in agreement with you on the length of the cut. And I don’t think electric shears can leave the hair as long as I would like it. I have discovered a wonderful site: http://www.doodlekisses.com.
I’ve found some wonderful information and photos on the site.
Toby is almost 10 months old and 55 pounds – hopefully he will stop growing soon.
Thanks for the website! Some great information on there!
We had the same problem last year with the weather! We sheared in mid-May, and ended up getting snow out of the blue a few days later. The alpacas were miserable, even with the heat lamps and the big diesel heater we bought in a hurry.
My Dad helped shear a friend’s guard llamas last year, and said it was a challenge. Your babes look great, though. I think you’re right on about the scissors leaving a nicer look.
How many alpacas do you have. We were commenting as we were shearing the llamas that we were thankful we have only 8. Most llama people I know have 30+.
Only 10, thank goodness! We’re only a year into this adventure, and trying to take it slow. I spin all our fleece myself, too. I’d fall way behind if we got too many more.
It’s the same with our alpaca friends, though. It’s much more common to have over 40 than it is to have 10. I think it’s because they’re breeders, and we’re more into the fiber end of it.Sounds like your babes have jobs too! Well-trained llamas are a joy, unlike the guard llamas we know.
I have two Llamas. You simply cannot shear one and his hair is in rivulets, (snarls), hence the name Ziggy.
Your llamas are stunning. I grew up with llamas all over the countryside in Argentina, in Cordoba, Mendoza to be exact. Lovely creatures! – rita
http://shapingthepoem.wordpress.com/
Wow, how interesting. Visiting South America is on my bucket list. I would love to see llamas grazing the countryside.
You must go then, they’re everywhere – in Peru, Argentina, even Mexico. And the blankets, sweaters and other artifacts from their wool are impressive too. – rita
We (meaning my husband) cut our shelter with scissors. She always looks a little choppy until I brush her out, and after about a week she looks fantastic. Good luck with your dog grooming experiment!
Lovely llamas! Do you show them?
The first year we had them, in 2002, we took them to shows, mainly for the experience. Now that we have a hiking business, our weekends are taken up with the llama treks. But the llamas are always in the public eye, so we like them to look their best. Thanks
Awesome!
I trim my Australian Shepherd with scissors every summer, and she sleeps through the entire thing. Electric clippers though? Oh no, she is not having ANY of that strange, buzzing nonsense. Good luck with Bailey, Im sure with treats and tons of attention, she’ll adore being groomed for the summer!
She sleeps? How wonderful. I think Bayley will handle it ok. She’s pretty good for the brushing. I’m just afraid that I’ll really screw her up. But it grows back, thankfully.
Quick question from someone who dreams of own llamas and sheep one day: do you spin the wool?
I don’t know how to spin, but I have taken the fiber (wool) to a mill and had them spin it into yarn. It makes fabulous yarn. Llamas don’t have lanolin like sheep, so the wool is very clean. Soft and warm and not itchy like wool. Are you a spinner? I have this years clippings, if you are interested in trying it out.
Oh, I wish. My dream includes me learning how to spin first, then owning the llamas and sheep to provide my own stash of fiber. 🙂 Thanks though!
So cute! I love llama’s! I remember my parents almost started a llama farm when I was little… or maybe it was alpacas… either way interesting post!
Saw this on WP front page. My favorite part about those photos is the black llama photobomb in the upper left-hand picture.
why do you shear your Llamas – we have 2 but don’t shear them just the 2 Alpacas…my understanding is the Llamas coat stops at a certain length…Fernando our boy is very dirty at the moment as he loves to roll in the old bonfire…and after it rains it really really is black!! But others have told us not to shear so I’m intrigued…
Interesting. I can’t imagine why one would not shear a llama unless the climate was always chilly. But if the alpacas are being sheared, then the llamas could as well. I think the length of the fiber depends on the individual llama. We have some short wool boys that have a lot of guard hair, and they don’t tend to grow hair past a certain length. We generally don’t shear the necks, for appearance sake, and the hair on the necks continues to grow. On our alpha llama, Santiago, I think his neck hair is about 12 inches long. Over time, if the llamas aren’t continually groomed, the hair will mat down to the skin. Then it pulls on the skin and becomes uncomfortable. Here in the U.S. it is pretty much mandatory for the health of the llama to shear them in the summer. Llamas are extremely sensitive to heat stress. The guideline here is called the llama heat index. The Heat Index can be estimated by adding the temperature (F) and percent humidity (%). Typically, a heat index of less than 120 is safe, 120 to one 180 creates possible problems, and greater than 180 is the range where animals are in the most danger. In the summer, it is not unusual to have temps in the 90s with 90-100% humidity. All of our barns are equipped with fans to help keep the llamas cool.
I take it you are in the States…we are in Europe but all the advice here is only do it if you want the wool or if you really have to…I am feeling Fernando should be done so I’m going to see if the shearer who is booked for the Alpacas will do him…Esme really doesn’t look like she needs it…she looks like your photo as after! Plus she is so tall…
I love llamas, especially after they’ve had a haircut, they look like baby llamas all over again!
The llamas look great, and so does your pup! Definitely let him be for now- I’ve seen far too any shaved to the skin doodles, and they look so much better with the longer fur so long as you have the time to handle the upkeep!
Yep, I completely agree about the shaved doodles. I’m holding out as long as I can. But I think with the scissors, I can leave it as long as I want it.
love this animals
Llamas are so awesome. Those before and after pictures are the best!
BTW, congrats on Fresh Press. It was the llama pictures that drew me in!
Thanks, Kate