Building trust with the animals we're working with

Back in Winter 2025 I started transitioning to a CameliDynamics approach with our herd at Hideaway Wood Farm.

The standard approach to alpaca handling is similar to the handling or sheep only they’re bigger and stronger and require more restraint. It’s corner, grab and restrain. Their lovely long necks make it very tempting to use as a way of restraining them but this does nothing for our relationship with them and their trust in us.

CameliDynamics is a gentle, respectful handling and training approach devised by Marty McGee Bennett and it’s changed the way we work and the way our animals see us for the better. Read more about this technique here:

https://www.hideawaywood.co.uk/camelidynamics

I kept handling notes after each session to see what progress I was making.

The intention of my handling sessions was to reduce handling stress by making handling a positive (or at least not hugely stressful) event.

I have to handle the alpacas for their wellbeing and stress has a huge impact on their health (and isn’t very fun for me) so finding ways for them to tolerate and even enjoy our contact is crucial.

It’s been slow work but I saw some little benefits almost immediately and have persevered. Now a year on and I am really reaping the rewards.

I wanted to share a couple of breakthroughs and surprising events from recent weeks:

Morgana

When I first began working with Morgana (from what we refer to as our ‘middle girls’ group) she was incredibly head shy. I couldn’t get my hands anywhere near her face or head.

So I was very surprised to find Morgana pushing her head past her paddock mate Nefertiti to get to me. I had no idea what she was doing or wanting at first but she was persistent. Eventually I stopped trying to give Nefertiti her vitamins and gave Morgana the attention she was clearly seeking.

It became clear that she wanted a chin scratch. This is not something any alpaca I know has ever wanted or asked for but her request was obvious. So I started scratching her chin and she leant into me heavily and if I moved away she sought me out for more.

This video is not from that session sadly but during this session she once more leant into me heavily when I began to stroke her neck. You can see that her ears are back so she’s slightly wary but whenever I moved away she leant in again.

So I try for a chin scratch to see if she’s still wanting that and she pushes her head into me again!

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Biscuit

Biscuit is one of our most nervous (and most intuitive and sensitive) girls.

When I took my CameliDynamics training course I brought her case with me as a question. I wanted to know what to do to get anywhere near her without her dropping to the floor and screaming when I approached.

The answer: time, space and trust building.

So far I have given her a year of minimal contact and safe interactions, only touching her when I absolutely must (and of course her toenails grow faster than anyone else’s!). She even shows me her mucous membranes so that I don’t have to touch her head to check them each time which is so special.

And then last month when I gave her her vitamins - she stayed standing! This might not seem like a big deal but I could have cried. She even let me hold her head without dropping it down. I never, ever thought we’d get here and we did. And it took a year or persistent trust building and gentleness.

It has been the most wonderful reminder that I am not in charge of the timeline. Each alpaca will begin to trust me and feel safe with me at their own pace and in their own way. And other than continually assessing my behaviour, body language and techniques there is precious little I can do to change this.

So if you’re starting to use these techniques with your alpacas and not seeing anything change. Please stay with it! It’s the most magically rewarding work.

HUGE gratitude to Marty for her work and Victoria of Simply Alpacas for showing me the way.

Carly x

Originally shared on my Substack.

Herd health checks and vitamins using a CameliDynamics approach