Goodbye Tuba

November 8, 2022March 2, 2023 / Donkey Whisperer Farm ® / 1 Comment

Standard donkey — Tuba and Melody Johnson

We are deeply saddened to share that Tuba our rescue donkey age is estimated to be in his thirties has passed away. God in Jesus Christ precious name has brought home another precious donkey to heaven.

Tuba was healthy no signs of illness and than boom he started to have grand mal seizures. Our veterinarian came quickly and was able to administer medication to help him for a few hours. Early in the morning the grand mal seizures returned with a furry, we made the decision to have our vet humanely euthanize him. No more pain and suffering Tuba you are in heaven now.

What does donkeys are stoic mean? Donkeys unlike the horse will never show us pain until in most cases it is way too late making keeping donkeys healthy truly more challenging. We had absolutely no warning sign that Tuba was not feeling well, he ate his breakfast and dinner like normal. Tuba went out on the big paradise paddock track and proceeded to run and play with Oboe his bonded companion while the miniature donkeys grazed on the track. That evening Tuba had grand mal seizers, our vet promptly came and tried to stop the seizures within hours we made the decision to euthanize him. Tuba was truly a special donkey and the leader of Oboe his bonded companion. We miss him deeply and thank God he did not suffer.

What We Must Do When A Donkey Dies?

Donkeys are emotional beings and have excellent memories. It is vital that you put the halter/lead line on and walk the living donkeys buddies up to the body to say goodbye. This step is really important to give closure. Next it is vital that this donkey is not living alone get another donkey asap. Donkeys can die from grief and colic stress. Donkeys can go into a depression stop eating and drinking, have a glazed look in their eyes. Spend as much time as you can with your living donkey and help him/her through the grief.

tubamammoths — Tuba (3rd donkey) with the mammoth donkeys

I met Tuba and Oboe bonded pair of standard donkeys (Tuba 3rd donkey to the right Oboe butt) for the first time in 2008 as I was called asked to try and help the owners who were not able to halter or catch the donkeys. I went to the farm with the intention of teaching the owners how to tame and train Oboe & Tuba so they could stay in their forever home. Sadly they had tried horse methods on the donkeys that clearly did not work and the owners were frustrated with donkey behavior. I began working with the boys and was making great progress with them but sadly the owners did not want to learn as they had small children and a business leaving no time for the donkeys. I helped to get these two boys into a donkey sanctuary as our farm at the time was not big enough to take more equine. In 2014 we moved to our property in Sequim, WA I promptly brought Oboe and Tuba home to live with us in their forever home with Rio our Mammoth donkey on the Donkey Whisperer Farm ®. I always said God has a sense of humor as their names Oboe and Tuba fit Melody. 🙂

After Tuba passed we moved Oboe in with our miniature donkeys to help him. Luckily the miniature donkeys and our standard donkeys Oboe and Tuba have been spending lots of time together on the paradise paddock track. Please remember when a bonded pair of donkeys lose their companion it is vital to move the donkey in with another donkey quickly. Donkeys are very emotional and can stop eating, drinking and next is colic. Spend as much time with your donkey helping them move past the loss of the beloved companion. It is very important that all of the donkeys in the herd are able to smell the deceased donkey before burying the donkey. Why? Donkeys will cry out for a donkey that disappears if they do not know what happened and can stop eating and drinking. Its truly one of the hardest things to do loose a donkey, mule or horse. We thank God for his peace and strength to handle this pain and suffering. Tuba is in no more pain, we believe he is in heaven with Rio our mammoth donkey.

God bless you and your family two and four-legged!

Melody Johnson, Donkey Whisperer Farm ®

Learn Why Donkeys Are Not Horses With Long Ears

March 31, 2022March 31, 2022 / Donkey Whisperer Farm ® / 3 Comments

Donkeys evolved from the desert their gift is to survive on low sugar, low protein forage:

Equus asinus (Donkey) evolved in the desert regions of our world. Donkeys have been been given the gift to survive in the desert, a part of our world where very few other creatures can survive. Donkeys can survive and thrive on very low sugar, and protein diet. The donkey has one of the most efficient digestive systems seriously better than the horse helping the donkey metabolize low nutritional value shrubs and trees, grasses for survival. Donkeys digest foods much slower than the horse and this gift helps the donkey to absorb more nutrients from lower-quality forage. Drugs in donkeys are not the same as with a horse. Most vets must learn the hard way about giving far fewer drugs to a donkey as their bodies absorb drugs differently from the horse per weight and size.

Please remember donkeys are healthiest emotionally and physically when getting to live with another donkey. Never make a donkey live without another donkey in isolation. Can a horse work out? It depends, most donkeys prefer another donkey over a horse but will take any animal in lieu of being forced to live in isolation. If you decide to place your donkeys into a pasture environment with cows, horses, sheep, lama, etc. you will have to watch the diet of your donkeys as they cant eat foods the other animals eat without becoming obese. Obesity in donkeys is a life-threatening health concern as laminitis, hoof abscesses, insulin resistance, fat in the blood, and kidney failure are all due to a rich diet. Additionally, donkeys grab the neck in play with their pasture donkey buddy, and in battle, they can kill another small animal quickly.

How Do I Keep My Donkeys Happy and Healthy?

Tested low sugar/protein hay with portion control. Test hay at Equine Analytical Lab before purchasing enough hay for the year. Do not feed free-choice hay twenty-four hours a day or your donkey will become obese. No grain, oats, grazing full-time, eating brush as even brush can be high in sugar in the Pacific Northwest. Create a hot wire track (dry) but safe for exercise and enjoyment.

Use The Hay Pillow mesh size 1 1/4 inches works best.

Geld jacks as jacks (stallions) are never a safe option for the farm. Only experienced donkey breeders should be keeping a jack.

Provide excellent fences, gates, and locks. Donkeys are one of the most intelligent animals on the planet they are capable of opening gates and doors that are not secure.

Shelter, donkeys need to get out of the rain, snow, and sun.

Clean Water and warm clean water in the winter.

Salt with minerals, add selenium if your hay does not have it, and remove if hay has selenium.

Vet care is needed for a donkey; spring shots, fecal samples (spring and fall) health checkups, and dental exams once a year.

Farrier visits schedule every six weeks in the spring and summer and seven in the fall and winter to trim and balance the hooves preventing white line disorder, seedy toe, and more.

Check for lice and rain rot in the winter months and spring.

Watch my free youtube video Bringing Your Donkey Home

GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged!

Melody Johnson

Donkey Whisperer Farm ®

Donkey Whisperer Farm ® Spring Sale

March 11, 2022March 11, 2022 / Donkey Whisperer Farm ® / Leave a comment

Spring Sale! Spring is almost here get ready to take your donkeys out for walks this spring and summer. Donkey 101, 102, and Trailer Loading Video On Demand Sold with lifetime access. Print out my e-book located in the first video of all of my training to speed up your training time. After you get your donkeys trained move into my Link Line, walk two donkeys using one lead line.

link line donkey — Link line, walk two donkeys using one led line

Order https://donkeywhisperer.com/shop/

Training Tip! Quality exercises take 20 minutes per donkey to teach end on a good note put your donkey(s) away. Your donkey will sit and think over and over process everything about the lesson you had with him or her. Do not drill (repeat over and over) until your donkey is panicked or bored) never push or pull on your donkey to teach how to walk. Teach words, walk-on, over, foot, back-up, and whoa. Stay On Donkey Time! Tomorrow your donkey will show you how smart he or she is.

After you study and practice Donkey 101 & 102 Video On Demand if you need personal coaching sign up in my store at Donkeywhisperer.com under Donkey Trainer. I am here to support all of my students worldwide. I want you to keep your donkeys in their forever home.

Melody Johnson, Donkey Whisperer Farm ®

Donkey Has Surgery Will Not Eat

February 17, 2022October 15, 2022 / Donkey Whisperer Farm ® / Leave a comment

Tips to help your donkey recover after Surgery:

Donkeys make life better. Owning a couple donkeys is a truly wonderful blessed life but with it, we must learn as much as we can to keep our donkeys healthy and happy. Please never make a donkey live without another donkey. Donkeys have thick fur, slanted long eyes pushing back further into their head enabling the donkey to see behind them without turning their head giving the donkey peripheral vision. Donkeys have pointy hooves made to walk on rocks and dry hard ground. Donkeys are born with unique personalities, introverts, and extroverts just like humans. The extrovert donkey can sing, and bray definitely has more go than whoa, the introvert donkey will never bray or sing, never and has more whoa than go. The introvert donkey is a deep, deep thinker. Donkeys are truly the most sensitive and emotional equine as they become deeply attached to their herd buddies and are one of the most intelligent animals on the planet. Meaning a donkey will never forget any experience good or bad and has a memory that is truly comparable to the elephant.

Preparing for any form of haul into the veterinarian’s office that requires more than one afternoon or night at the vet’s office is truly as important as the surgery. Additionally, we must prepare our farm to keep the donkey healthy while recovering from surgery.

Surgery is over, the veterinarian does an outstanding job in surgery and the prognosis is high that your donkey will recover. Day two or three after surgery you will get a call from your vet telling how your donkey is not eating. Most of the time when a donkey stops eating it is directly due to depression and seriously missing his/her heard buddy. Sure sometimes it can be due to the illness and this is a matter the vet can fix but many times the vet is stumped about why the donkey is not eating. After all, the surgery went beautiful and everything looks outstanding.

What does the Donkey Whisperer Farm ® do when a donkey needs surgery that requires more than 24 hours in the vet’s hospital?

I explain to my vet that my donkey needs to go to the vet’s office with his buddy, wake up after surgery and see his donkey buddy in the stall next to his recovery stall. Why? Donkeys will go into surgery less stressed with their buddy in the stall next to them and donkeys will start eating faster and heal faster making the surgery a success. I prepare my farm to have a place for the sick donkey recovering from surgery to be able to see his herd buddies when he arrives home from the vet’s office. Why? Donkeys get depressed when they can’t see their herd buddies and have their life back to the way it was, in fact, they will stop eating and in some cases drinking. It’s truly a form of suicide for the donkey as they simply do not want to live their life like this in insolation. I always put my donkey back into the herd asap as isolation is truly depression for donkeys.

Please feel free to browse in my store Donkey Whisperer Farm ® I sell premium adjustable soft yacht rope halters made to fit a miniature or standard/burro size donkey with a matching lead line, brass, or stainless steel twist-on snap, and a real black leather end. I teach the owner or caretaker worldwide how to tame and train donkeys using words, timing, voice, energy, never pain via my donkey exercises videos and E-book.

Resources:

Donkey 101 Video On Demand

Donkey 102 Video On Demand

Donkey Trailer Loading Video On Demand

Donkey Hoof Abscess Video On Demand

Melody Johnson,

GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged!

Melody Johnson, Trainer/Owner

Donkey Whisperer Farm ®

Are You A Treat Dispenser

November 22, 2021December 12, 2021 / Donkey Whisperer Farm ® / Leave a comment

Are you a treat dispenser? What is it about donkeys that make us want to give them treats? Maybe it is because they are so darn adorable, maybe it is because they are so interpersonal, maybe it is because we want to earn their trust and be loved by them. Maybe it is because we don’t want to put a lot of time into them, so we bribe them when we need them to do something. Whatever the reason, most donkey owners and caretakers fall into the trap of becoming treat dispensers.

Here is what you risk when you give your donkey the desert equine treats:

1. Giving treats regularly to your donkey undermines their health and can be dangerous. Apples have a high concentrate of sugar and acid making them dangerous for colic. Horse cookies and treats sold in farm stores, as well as human foods such as cookies and crackers, are made of processed wheat, sugar, salt, and other nasty additives. All of these put your donkey at risk for metabolic disorders, such as Cushing’s Disease and Laminitis. You are also putting your donkey at risk for a choke and/or colic. A donkey’s digestive system is NOT designed for these foods and feeding such treats can lead to impaction, colic, and/or peritonitis.

2. Giving treats regularly to your donkey undermines your authority. Many owners and caretakers often find themselves in a dilemma: They don’t have a lot of time to spend with their donkey but they expect their donkey to come, lead, go through the gate, get their feet trimmed, and stand for the vet. If you haven’t put in the time and training chances are your donkey is not going to listen to you! Under pressure, or in desperation, you resort to bribing your donkey with treats. This completely undermines your leadership and reduces you to a beggar! If this is happening to you, PLEASE find the time to connect with your donkey and teach him/her basic manners and training. I train the owner or caretaker worldwise how to tame and train the donkey via Donkey 101, 102 Video On Demand sold with my E-book.

3. Fear. Donkey owners and caretakers are often afraid of their donkeys; afraid to get kicked, afraid to get pushed through, afraid to get walked on. These are all signs of a donkey in need of a good leader and that leader is YOU! These are normal donkey behaviors in a herd, but not appropriate when living with humans. Bribing your donkey with treats or food to get them to behave is simply dangerous and creates a more demanding and belligerent donkey. Sooner or later you will lose and so will your donkey. REMEMBER: This is about you, not your donkey! To overcome fear you must learn donkey psychology, learn to join up with your donkey, and teach your donkey boundaries, manners, and basic skills. To learn more go to our website Donkey Whisperer Farm ®. Giving a treat during training as a reward for a job well done is encouraged. There are times it is very appropriate. Giving treats to show your donkey love, get him/her to mind you or because you are afraid of your donkey is simply dangerous. Learn healthy ways to be with your donkey. If you work all day, instead of coming home and giving your donkey a carrot, spend 15 minutes with your donkey; massage his/her ears, brush him/her or hang out and talk with your donkey. More than anything your donkey wants to be with YOU!

GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged!

Melody Johnson, Trainer/Owner

Donkey Whisperer Farm ®

Donkey Standing In The Rain

October 26, 2021October 26, 2021 / Donkey Whisperer Farm ® / Leave a comment

Melody, I have a donkey that refuses to go into the shelter and stands outside he stands out in the rain nonstop. I am worried about my donkey. I am thinking I should lock my donkeys in the shelter during the rain, Should I give him a blanket? Trixy, BC

Hi Trixy,

“Please do not lock your donkeys in the shelter or put a blanket on a donkey during the rain if your donkey is healthy and not shivering or sick as no blanket is 100% waterproof. A blanket is like a fire extinguisher we use it in an emergency”. Just because we are cold does not mean our donkey is cold. If your donkey is shivering, make sure you have followed my advice below and your donkey will go into the shelter. He may choose to stand right outside the shelter in the wind and rain but believe me eventually he will go into the shelter during heavy rain.

How Can I Help My Donkey Trust the Shelter?

Feed all meals, salt, and clean water in the shelter. Some donkeys fear the shelter. Keep the shelter clean and inviting.
Make sure your shelter is big enough for the number of donkeys you own. You may have to build another shelter if you have too many donkeys trying to use it.
Watch to see if you have a lead donkey kicking this donkey out and making the donkey stand outside.
Donkeys are intelligent they will learn to hang out in the shelter if you have addressed all areas above.
Place video cameras outside your shelter and inside so you can see 24 hours a day how often your donkey is entering the shelter.

GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged!

Melody Johnson, Trainer/Owner
Donkey Whisperer Farm ®

Donkey Trailer Loading Training

February 13, 2021October 10, 2021 / Donkey Whisperer Farm ® / Leave a comment

Learn how to train your donkeys to load in the trailer, ride in the trailer and stay safe. Learn how to load multiple donkeys and unload. Learn how to purchase the right trailer and how to have a safety plan in place. Donkey Trailer loading includes twelve teaching videos with over one hour of the training content by trainer Melody Johnson and a 10-page E-book (pdf) outlining key points to trailer loading.

Description

Donkey Trailer Loading Training Video On Demand:

Melody Johnson, introduction walking three miniature donkeys to the trailer.
Preparing the trailer for the donkeys.
Tying miniature donkeys to the outside of the trailer.
Loading three miniature donkeys.
Miniature donkeys lose in the trailer.
Unloading three miniature donkeys.
Providing miniature donkeys balance and consistency.
Tying two standard and a mammoth donkey to the outside of the trailer.
Loading a mammoth and standard donkey.
Mammoth and standard donkey lose in the trailer.
Unloading standard and mammoth donkey.
Providing big donkeys balance and consistency.
How to load the difficult donkey.
Video cameras inside the trailer.
Walking the donkeys back to the barn.

GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged!

Melody Johnson, Trainer/Owner

Donkey Whisperer Farm ®

Donkey Scratch

December 8, 2020October 12, 2021 / Donkey Whisperer Farm ® / 6 Comments

Introducing Rocket Man, a miniature donkey gelding, he just turned twenty-six years old. Rocket Man has been in our life since he was thirteen years old. When Rio our Mammoth donkey was weaned from his mom, Rio bonded to Rocket Man. Rocket Man was a jack on the breeding farm in his early years.

Rocket Man has the ability to sing when talking and he can bray. He is the only donkey on our farm that sings and he can find anything to get that special spot for a scratch. He is a super special donkey. Did you know some donkeys never bray? Yes, the introverted donkey does not bray. Rio our Mammoth donkey has never ever let out a full-bray and he is fourteen years old. If you would like to learn more about donkey behavior and donkey training please take a look at Donkey 101 & 102 Video On Demand. Sold with lifetime access. Select Donkey Whisperer Farm ® Store to browse now.

Remember to stay On Donkey Time ® when interacting with your donkey. Life is better with donkeys!

Kiang Donkeys

October 17, 2020December 12, 2021 / Donkey Whisperer Farm ® / Leave a comment

Where Do Kiang Donkeys Live?

Kiang is the common name for a wild member of the horse family Equidae, Equus kiang, the largest of the wild asses, characterized by distinctive patches of white on the neck, chest, and shoulder, as well as long legs and an erect mane. Native to the Tibetan Plateau, where it inhabits high-altitude montane and alpine grasslands, commonly from 2,700 to 5,400 meters elevation.

Select https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Kiang to read more.

GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged!

Melody Johnson, Trainer/Owner

Donkey Whisperer Farm ®

Donkey Education Made Easy

August 24, 2020December 12, 2021 / Donkey Whisperer Farm ® / 2 Comments

Donkey Whisperer Farm ® On-Line Learning Is The Leader For On-Line Education Worldwide!

Teach your donkey to have social skills and manners via Donkey 101 & 102 Video On Demand. Use our soft yacht rope donkey halters with matching lead lines to speed up your donkey’s learning time.

Teach your donkey to follow you as a fair leader, not a treat dispenser, bully or abuser. Melody Johnson trains the owner or caretaker on how to scan the donkey for stress, relaxation, and naughty behavior and get your donkey excited to learn and follow you as a leader.

Teach your donkey to have excellent manners and act like a partner for the basics while standing for the vet, farrier, and traveling to new places. Call your donkey and watch your donkey run to you, stand and not leave you! Donkeys are intelligent, donkeys train the owner to do exactly what the donkey wants to do and nothing more.

GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged!

Melody Johnson, Trainer/Owner

Donkey Whisperer Farm ®

Donkey Behavior

August 19, 2020October 10, 2021 / Donkey Whisperer Farm ® / Leave a comment

GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged!

Melody Johnson, Trainer/Owner

Donkey Whisperer Farm ®

Donkeys Have Personalities

July 29, 2020December 12, 2021 / Donkey Whisperer Farm ® / 12 Comments

Did you know animals have personalities?

Donkeys are born with their unique personality, extroverts are more go than whoa. Introvert more whoa than go. Did you know introvert donkeys do not bray? Yes, it’s true the true deep introvert donkey will make a little bit of noise but will never let out a full bray.

Training the introvert takes a bunch of patience and a plan. Why? Everything the introvert does new takes longer to process the information and learn to trust. The donkeys’ gift is the ability to problem-solve and think. Donkeys do not want to do anything that may or may not hurt them or worse kill them. The horse’s gift is speed. Horses when scared fart, poop, and run.

GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged!

Melody Johnson, Trainer/Owner

Donkey Whisperer Farm ®

Donkey Is Bonded To Cows

July 19, 2020October 10, 2021 / Donkey Whisperer Farm ® / 2 Comments

Donkeys usually prefer to live with their own species. Donkeys have photogenic memories, they remember good and bad memories forever. If a donkey is forced to live with just a cow or a bunch of cows in a field without another donkey and later in life, the donkey is re-homed into a herd of donkeys and cows more than likely the donkey will want to hang out more with the cow. Why? For so many years the donkey lived with the cows without a donkey companion, no doubt guarding the cows against coyotes or predators as this was his/her job. Most of these guarding donkeys have never had any hoof trims, teeth checked, fecal samples, and shots, etc., These donkeys have no idea what a halter/lead line is or what a human can do for the donkey. The donkey prefers to shadow what is familiar and safe in his her mind.

Rehabilitation for this donkey will take having a plan and being patient. I suggest Donkey 101 & 102 Video On Demand, my stick, and string and my halter/lead line. Take one of your honor donkeys into training with this donkey. Why? The honor donkey will have calm energy and this donkey will learn visually as all donkeys are visual learners. Let this donkey see you taking the honor donkey for walks, brushing, and lots of massages. Donkeys learn by watching. It is important to move into the next step of placing your hands on the donkey and training the donkey in short sessions outlined in Donkey 101 & 102 Video On Demand.

Can this donkey become a trained donkey to take a walk on the halter and lead line and get his feet trimmed? Yes! The owner will need to learn donkey behavior and how to train the donkey and become a much-needed asset to the donkey. This donkey has never had human care much about him other than throwing hay out and give water and salt.

Thank you for investing in your donkey,

GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged!

Melody Johnson, Trainer/Owner

Donkey Whisperer Farm ®

10 Things About Donkeys You Most Likely Did Not Know

June 25, 2020October 1, 2022 / Donkey Whisperer Farm ® / 2 Comments

Donkeys are livestock guardians

This is wrong! Very few donkeys make great livestock guardians. Please get a livestock guarding dog to protect your livestock. Donkeys will guard the animals they are bonded to if they are big enough. A miniature donkey is too small to guard anything. Domesticated dogs can kill a miniature donkey. Donkeys bond for life to their own species. If a donkey is placed in with a flock of sheep that it does not know, the donkey may grab the neck of the sheep and kill it. This is not a bad donkey it is simply donkey behavior. Donkeys do best when they get to live with another donkey. Donkeys will kill newborn baby cows, sheep and goats, pigs etc., so best to keep the babies away from donkeys. Donkeys grab the neck of another donkey in play and in battle, play tug with a ball, sleep, drink and eat together basically book ends. Dogs, most donkeys do not like dogs they resemble the wolf and coyote. We have hot wire fences to keep our donkeys in and the dogs out. Sadly farmers end up burying the donkey, re-sell give away a donkey who has not performed the job as livestock guarding to their satisfaction.

Donkey Diet & Care

Donkeys evolved from the desert. Donkeys need a serious diet and cannot eat all day and night on pasture or brush. Most livestock is fed an extremely rich diet full of grains and lush pasture. Donkeys who are fed rich food or overfed grass or brush will get insulin resistance, white line disease, fat deposits on the body, neck gets fat and can break over, hoof abscesses, laminitis. Hoof abscesses are common with a rich diet, the liver fails and soon the donkey dies a painfully slow death. Donkeys are stoic and will never show pain until it is too late.

Hay and all forage must be tested to come in at 10% or lower in sugar and protein along with portion control as donkeys gain weight quickly. Donkeys need shelter, clean water, warm in freezing climates and salt. Donkeys do not do well standing in the rain with no shelter due to their thick fur. Some donkeys need a blanket as they cant take the freezing temperatures and this blanket needs to be changed and checked. Donkeys need their hooves trimmed, vet care teeth, shots, fecal sample before worming spring and summer.

Donkeys need great fences and locks as donkeys can visually watch you do something and repeat the task.

Donkeys Are Intelligent, Not Stubborn

Donkeys are not flight animals like horses, most donkeys do not react to physical force to do a task. Donkeys push into pressure. Donkeys can freeze when scared or fight back. Please take the time to learn donkey behavior and personality. Extroverts bray and have more go than whoa, introverts do not bray and have more whoa than go. I teach about this in Donkey 102 video on demand. Donkeys need to see a reason for everything they do. Since donkeys evolved from the desert they learned how to survive with their mind as they do not have the speed of a horse to outrun the predator. Donkeys are deep thinkers game players. I call this ON DONKEY TIME ®. The donkey will never do anything that can hurt the donkey. Self-preservation is number one to a donkey. Donkeys ears back can mean anger, thinking, happy to see you. Learn to read the eyes of your donkey not the ears. The horse will jump off the grand canyon when scared, the donkey will not, do you see the difference? A donkeys’ gift is not sped it is a brain that can problem-solve to stay alive.

Donkeys are incredibly strong.

Donkeys have a reputation for being strong pack animals and while this is true, they are not stronger than another animal of the same size. Donkeys can only hold up to 20% of their weight. Donkeys must be full-grown and conditioned to do heavy work.

When Is A Donkey Full-Grown?

Miniature Donkeys age three

Standard or Burro age four

Mammoth Donkeys six to seven

If you would like to learn how to train your donkey go to the Donkey Whisperer Farm ® education center. Melody Johnson trains the owner or caretaker worldwide via Donkey 101 & 102 Video On Demand, use your smartphone to take Melody to the farm with you.

GOD bless you and your family two and four-legged!

Melody Johnson, Trainer/Owner

Donkey Whisperer Farm ®

Brush Donkeys, Never Body Clip

June 11, 2020October 10, 2021 / Donkey Whisperer Farm ® / Leave a comment

Donkeys evolved from the desert. The donkey’s fur protects donkeys from insects making the donkey bleed, sunburn and regulates body temperature. The only time we should clip a donkey’s fur is if the veterinarian ordered it due to a serious health issue. Living in the Pacific Northwest our donkeys are shed out by the end of July and they start growing their beautiful fur coats by the end of August in preparation for our winters.

Prepare Your Farm For Summer & Winter

Provide Shelter, make sure you have enough shelter for all of your donkeys, horses, and mules.
Fans placed up high so the donkey cant bite the electrical cord is very helpful for removing insects and cooling the donkey down.
Provide fresh clean cool water in the hot seasons and warm clean water in the winter.
Test all hay to ensure your desert equine the donkey is getting 10% or lower in sugar and protein. Overfeeding is the number one cause of death and abuse in donkeys living in the U.S.A.