We’re currently by the creek paddocks with the alpacas, and we’ve just heard a dog barking. This video captures the alpacas on alert, all looking in the direction of the barking. They stay close together, attentive, waiting to see what will happen next.
You can observe how erect their ears are and the intensity etched on their faces. Once the threat passes—since the dog isn't going to cross the creek—they relax, and you can notice a change in their demeanour.
We don’t have dogs, nor do we allow dogs on our property, as part of our strict bio-security policy. It’s great to see that the potential threat is gone, and they are already back to relaxing.
If you have dogs and alpacas, you can introduce them slowly, and hopefully, they will become great companions. Many of our clients have successfully facilitated this friendship.
We have also addressed the relationship between dogs and alpacas, including the issues posed by wild and roaming domestic dogs, on our blog and in our videos.
Yes, you can keep your (trained) pet dogs with the alpacas or separate them using appropriate fencing and paddocks. However, I’m always concerned about dog attacks on livestock in our valley, especially in the Hunter Valley. These attacks can involve goats, sheep, and other alpacas, primarily due to wild dogs or stray domestic dogs. This is a significant issue for me, and I would like to stress that a pack of dogs is no match for alpacas, and the alpacas will be severely injured or, worse, killed. I am the alpacas guard. More about this at our alpaca workshops in the Hunter Valley.