POOCH SAYS
Wolly, Soft & FriendlyAnd what might that be you ask? A puppy? A teddy bear? No, it's your neighborhood alpaca! (In this picture, a Suri alpaca.)
On a beautiful fall morning I visited an alpaca farm just down the road from my home. I went with some trepidation because I'd been up close and personal to a couple of camels in my life and those animals do stink. Alpacas, though cousins to camels, surprised me by having no discernible odor, at least outdoors. The alpaca breeder (who raises Suri alpacas) was joined by another nearby breeder who brought over half dozen of his Huacaya alpacas. Those two kinds of alpacas have different types of fleece – one for warmth, one for warmth and fabulous softness akin to silk.
Here I am having a heart-to-heart with a young Huacaya baby. I had already gently taken a handful of cloud-soft fur on its mother's back and crunched it in my hand and marveled at the texture. No wonder you can wear garments woven of that fleece with never an itch. The young alpacas bounced around like baby lambs. The white young one partially hidden is beside its brown/white mother. The father was black. No wonder fleece comes in so many colors and shades!
Herding and protecting alpacas must be tiring work for a dog. This friendly fellow was taking a rest inside the barn in a feeding trough. A young lad told me the dog's name was "Canine." ( I wondered if the dog's name was really "K-9", aka police dog! I decided not to ask him if they had a cat named "Feline" because few youngsters should be exposed to wry adult humor!)
Since a good alpaca can cost an arm, leg, and the family home, I decided to buy only a long, soft muffler. If you’re stumped for gift ideas, there are plenty of alpaca products sold online. I could have bought some skeins of alpaca yarn but, if I decide to knit, I have a good supply of dog hair to spin into yarn. (Would I have to wear a flea collar?) No matter where you may live, there is an alpaca ranch/farm not far away. I strongly suggest a visit. Wonderful animals!
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