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Monday, April 8, 2013
Well, I have been working with the little guys two or three times per week now for two weeks. We started with a "midline catch" and then a "bracelet" hold...a few select head and mouth works, introduction of the halter and then introduction of the lead. Tonite was the first time I took each of them outside the catch pen and into the "real world"...several were pretty obstinate and several were fairly accepting...I just love this part because they catch on so fast...
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Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Started training our little weanling "show string" this past weekend...this is the best part of raising alpacas...hands on training with the littlest ones...they are real troupers. Here's the schedule I will use:
Catch and Release - I start out on the first day herding them into a catch pen...then I walk around a lot to get them used to having someone in the pen with them. I will just stand there until they are quiet and stop milling around...I do this for a couple of days and then let them go.
Introduce the Midline Catch - Now I begin teaching them to accept my touch...I use the Camelidynamics approach called the "Midline Catch" and when I have them still, I will approach one of them from behind the eye and use my right hand to grasp their neck while calmly using my left hand to come up under their muzzle. Just stand there for a few seconds and gently begin massaging their head and sometimes their mouth. I do this for a couple of days and then let them go.
Introduce the halter - Once they are accepting of my touch, I will use the midline catch and when they are still, I bring the halter to just in front of them where they can see it...if they balk a bit, I wait and do it again...until they are used to seeing something in front of their eyes. They I bring it closer to their noses and let them touch it...eventually putting it over their nose a couple of times...then release!
Put the halter on - Once they are used to having the halter up close on their nose, the next step is to fasten the halter on their head and then step away. I leave the halter on for a few minutes and then I approach in the same way and remove the halter...and beautiful release!
Finally, once they have had a couple of times in the halter, I will introduce the lead and use it while they are still in the pen...then stand at the opposite end of the pen so that they can move freely...and then release!
Coming Up ... Leading!
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Friday, March 15, 2013
Felt Artists know that one of the most tedious parts of the process is the rolling of the project once it has been created...Sandollar Alpacas is excited to announce that it has purchased a rolling machine from Pedro's Pride to take away that tedious task and open up time to do more actual projects...delivery is expected the second week of January's, 2013...stop by for a demonstration, won't you?
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Thursday, January 17, 2013
Well, I made a commitment on January 1st...and that was to knit at least one hat per day so that at the end of the year I would have made 365 hats...I have become addicted...I LOVE knitting these hats...yesterday my dear friend Donna Anderson from Double D Alpacas came over and I taught her how to make them as well...
I have experimented with different yarn weights and different colors; some have plain tops and some have decorative florets on the top; I have made them in three weights, light, mid and heavy duty for extremely cold weather...and today, I opened a store on ETSY...check us out tomorrow, it should be up by then...The Felted Alpaca! And tonite, Collins and I will be attending the vendor's meeting at The HUB, our community's "buy local" store, which sells the most wonderful things...I am taking some of my hats...
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Saturday, December 29, 2012
Do you believe this? Collins made a pattern for an old lampshade we had hanging around, and then created a piece of felt using the Feltloom and cut it out to the pattern...then he hand felted the scene...isn't it cool? Think he plans to put it in his den...
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Tuesday, December 25, 2012
And it turned out to be a white Christmas... The first of the season...we had a roaring fire going all day in the wood stove... The wood was provided courtesy of Melissa and Jim Nicklaus, Collins sister and brother-in-law's apple orchard... They just live in walking distance two farms away...In fact they walked over that afternoon to say hello...
All of our local family helped us celebrate the day... Doug and Jenna and Travis spent the day... And as a special treat... Our good friends, Donna Anderson and Dave Carney of Double D Alpacas drove up from their brand new farm in Touchet... They just moved in on December 14th... And now are only a half hour away instead of several hours...we ate way too much good food... And this after we spent Christmas Everyone over at Jenna and Travis house preparing and then gorging on cabbage rolls, our traditional Christmas food...
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Monday, December 24, 2012
I have had so much fun this year knitting hats for my family and friends...I can't wait to see their responses...here are pix of a solid color cream 100% huacaya; a solid color farm blend gray, 100% huacaya; and a 2-strand 100% suri...they are SO SOFT...I can't wait to see their eyes...maybe I will put some of these in the store for sale...would you want one?
100% suri, 2 strands of 2-ply, Front and Side View
Rear View
Side View, 100% huacaya, farm blend gray
100% huacaya, solid farm blend gray, 2-ply
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Sunday, December 16, 2012
Many of our friends and customers know that we lost our beautiful purebred Great Pyr LSG this summer, Jackson, due to a rare illness. He was only two years old, but a beloved friend. It was quite a few months before we could begin to think about replacing him.
Well, we are excited to announce that we have just taken delivery of BOTH a beautiful purebred Great Pyr male puppy (whom we have named Gabriel), AND a gorgeous unrelated 4-year old purebred Great Pyr female named Maddie as well. Do you think we might do some breeding when Gabe grows up?? In the meantime, Maddie is teaching Gabe the ropes of what it means to guard the alpacas.
The two GPs are the results of the breeding efforts of Randy and Barbara Coleman from Wings and a Prayer Alpacas in the McMinnville, OR area. They have been breeding Great Pyrs for eight years now, and the results are outstanding. We are SO grateful to them for their support and encouragement and we embark on this new adventure. Stay tuned for further photos as Gabe grows up!
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Sunday, December 9, 2012
WOW, thanks to all our existing and new friends who came out to support this first annual event. About a dozen vendors shared space with Collins' train and decorations; it was just unbelievably hectic all day long. Good to see some old friends! There is still plenty of time to come out and shop for those wonderful Christmas gifts!
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Saturday, November 10, 2012
Sandollar Alpacas was pleased to again host the Alpaca Breeder's Co-op of the Tri-Cities Annual Holiday Bazaar. We had our largest crowds to date; approximately 400 persons visited us in our new location. Thanks to all the new and existing customers who came out to support us!
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