1. He's playing dominance games.
2. Don't let Herc kick you - crowd him instead. It helps to be standing too close to get kicked (back legs).
3. If the brush is pulling his hair, he will get mean about it. Go buy "No More Tangles" (not kidding!) and try again.
4. If he insists on sidling around, park him between two fence posts and tie him to a third ("three-point somethingorother").
CK had to get on a conference call, and left me outside with Herc. I spent about an hour with the llama, walking him around and talking to him... and eventually trying to brush him. I think I've diagnosed some of his brushing issues. What I've figured out so far:
1. Don't use anything that smells like a dog on a llama. (duh!)
2. Don't brush a llama that hasn't been brushed in over a week like you might brush your own hair, because it pulls and hurts (see #3 above). Pick out the hay by hand first and separate the hairs that are sticking by hand first.
3. Train him not to hate the brush by brushing the back of your own hand while you run the flat of your hand down his hair - See? It doesn't hurt! It feels like pettings!
4. Take it slow.
5. Plan to do it again tomorrow.
