![]() ![]() ![]() The noble, hardy Lhasa Apso may be far removed from the mountain wolves we descend from. It used to be you could only gain a Lhasa Apso if you were gifted one by the Dalai Lama, but we now make common companion animals – the 27th most popular breed of 2018 in the UK… Surely that should be 1 st?! It was believed that the souls of monks who didn’t make it to spiritual nirvana would pass into a Lhasa Apso. Their alertness, intelligence and ability to recognise unusual sounds and respond with an assertive bark earned them their place besides nobility and the divine residents of the sacred buildings. My ancestors were entrusted with the great honour of guarding the monasteries and palaces from within as well as providing loyal companionship to Tibetan Buddhists. The Lhasa Apso is a positively magical dog! The tale of our mystical origins begins way back in 800 BC in the sacred city of Lhasa, Tibet, known locally as “the place of the gods.” Lhasa boasts holy Buddhist pilgrimage sites nestled in some of the highest mountain peaks in the world, over 3.6km above sea level. Coyotes have been injured and even killed by llamas.If you’d like to find out more about the Lhasa Apso breed, or are trying to determine if a Lhasa might make the right companion for you, this handy guide, by Smudge herself, might help.Īfter a grooming pamper session, a nice walk and a tasty lunch (Scrumbles of course!), Smudge sat down with us to answer some questions about her breed. In other studies, over half of guard llamas completely eliminated losses due to predators. The study found average rates of loss to predators fell from 21% to 7% after the introduction of a guard llama. A 1990 study reported that 80% of sheep producers with guard llamas rated them as effective or very effective. Most research on the effectiveness of guard llamas has been done with sheep. Many sheep and goat producers indicate a special bond quickly develops between lambs and their guard llama and the llama is particularly protective of the lambs. Some llamas appear to bond more quickly to sheep or goats if they are introduced just prior to lambing. A gelded male of two years of age instinctively bonds with its new charges and is very effective in preventing predation. Multiple males tend to bond with one another, rather than with the livestock, and may ignore the flock. Research suggests the use of multiple guard llamas is not as effective as one. Not every llama will guard, however, and it should not be assumed that because it is a llama it will guard. ![]() Guard llamas have been most common on ranches located in the Western United States, where larger predators, such as the coyote, have been more prevalent. They are generally effective against single intruders only, not packs. Although llamas have been known to kill predators (such as coyotes), they should not be considered attack-animals. Others may stand apart from the group and watch the intruder. They may walk or run toward an intruder, and chase or kick or spit at it. Llamas are instinctively alert and aware of their surroundings, and may draw attention to an intruder by making a startling alarm call that sounds like a rusty hinge. Guard llamas may defend against predators in many ways. In more recent years, it has been discovered that single, unbred females make better and safer guardians. In the past, a single gelded (castrated) male was recommended. Camelids used to protect livestock A guard llama protecting a flock of sheepĪ guard llama is a llama that is used in farming to protect sheep, goats, hens or other livestock from canidae such as coyotes, dingos, dogs, foxes and other predators. ![]()
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