Asistance dogs are becoming more common. There are dogs that aid the deaf by listening for doors, kettles, oxygen monitor alarms etc. There are dogs that aid the wheel chair bound by opening doors, carrying books and bags and retreiving dropped objects.

One interesting application of assistance dogs I saw recently was a Saint Bernard trained to just stand there, as a solid support, while a very arthritic old lady struggled from a sitting to a standing position.

This last application would be better performed by house llamas. A cinch strap, suitably padded, could be attached to the llama and large handles similar to those on a pommel horse could be affixed to the strap. Even without the handles, the thick woolly fur of a llama would provide a solid grip to enable someone with weak legs or hips to rise out of a chair.

House llamas would also keep your grass low and could be trained to wash your windows with llama spit.
-- ConsulFlaminicus, Dec 04 2005

monkey helpers http://www.helpinghandsmonkeys.org/
[po, Dec 04 2005]

The Llama Song http://www.albinobl...com/flash/llama.php
[wagster, Dec 04 2005]

Can we strap bags to their buttholes?
-- daseva, Dec 04 2005


if they came around to visit every day, bringing calmness and wisdom, would they be called the daily llama?
-- xenzag, Dec 04 2005


Damn, [wagster] beat me to link the Llama Song. :-)
-- froglet, Dec 04 2005


Make the service available by phone - the Dial-A-LLama.
-- lostdog, Dec 04 2005


You might eventually dispense with its services - fire a llama.
-- angel, Dec 04 2005


"Who does your windows?"
[sound of spit hitting glass]
"Eew." [+]
-- Letsbuildafort, Dec 04 2005


Does your llama need any clothes? Ok, alpaca suitcase...
-- wagster, Dec 04 2005


I will hug it and pet it and call it Dolly.
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Dec 05 2005


What if you had a lame llama assistant?
-- DrCurry, Dec 05 2005


Most llama assistants would be lame at some point - with an animal that useful you shouldn't eat it all at once, just one leg at a time.
-- ConsulFlaminicus, Dec 06 2005


Mmmm, llama.
-- MikeOxbig, Dec 07 2005



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