Rattlesnake avoidance clinic

[Ravenbird]

Our kennel club hosted a rattlesnake avoidance clinic today - good turnout - 43 dogs I think. I live & hike in a high risk area so thought it would be worthwhile. There is a live snake on the ground - no cage, defanged and safe. The dogs are fitted with an e-collar and the snake handler has the remote. Walk the dog toward the snake, it is coiled and rattling and dog gets curious, looks toward snake and the guy times the dogs interest with a high level stimulation on the collar. he then gets the snake on a long handle and offers it toward the dog. LOL, Asha went behind me, no way would she let him get close with the snake. This took maybe 1 or 2 minutes at the most. About 30 minutes later we walk up to a different area with the snake on the ground and no e-collar to proof the work. We were not allowed to video the first run because of the e-collar work, but the proofing run we could video. In the video she heard/smelled/spotted it at about 7-8 seconds, as I walked by she got further behind, then when I did an about turn to put her on the snake side, she ducked around and got on my right side. She has no interest in investigating a snake, probably for life.

Screenshot of video to show the rattlesnake is just behind that clump of grass (arrow).

 

[JanS]

Impressive! There is no way I could do that class because of my terrible phobia of even non-venomous snakes and it would pass right on to the dog.

 

[Ravenbird]

my terrible phobia of even non-venomous snakes

I didn't know you had a snake phobia! I don't mind them at all, just didn't want Asha to think she has to poke her nose in their business. They told us on the 2nd proofing run to watch how our dogs acted because it could easily alert US to avoid the snake too! So if Asha is running out in front of me on a hike and suddenly gets around my legs, I should check to make sure I'm not about to step on a snake! I have hearing loss and don't wear hearing aids on hikes so I doubt I'd hear it rattle unless we were about on top of one.

 

[JanS]

They told us on the 2nd proofing run to watch how our dogs acted because it could easily alert US to avoid the snake too! So if Asha is running out in front of me on a hike and suddenly gets around my legs, I should check to make sure I'm not about to step on a snake!

That would be very helpful.

I didn't know you had a snake phobia!

That's my only phobia and it's a bad one. I'll pick up rats or bats or spiders or any of those other things that many people are terrified of but snakes are just a no for me.

 

[Gelcoater]

I missed a class last month for Millie.

Rocky. He has no training but found one about 2-3 weeks after we brought him homw.

Was getting used to the fact he is a more verbal dog than our red girl was.

He’s on the back porch barking something fierce.

I get up and look and there’s a garden snake coiled up trying his best rattler impersonation.
He was keeping a good distance but complete focus and “alert” “tone”

 

[Two Dobes]

That is a great class! I need to do that with bee's...although we do have Timber Rattlers here and Copper Head...I have never seen either. We have alot of those red wasps and hornets, and of course these two love to snap at them. Falcon must have gotten stung yesterday...his muzzle had a big bump on it after being out. I am always out with them in the yard, and he never even squealed.
Thanks for sharing the video, your girl was great!

 

[JanS]

Falcon must have gotten stung yesterday...his muzzle had a big bump on it after being out.

Aww poor guy...

 

[Ravenbird]

We have alot of those red wasps and hornets, and of course these two love to snap at them.

Yikes! Problem with wasps and bees is that a dog may not care or notice them but the wasps come after them anyway. Snakes generally don't strike unless you provoke them, accidentally or on purpose. The red wasps I remember when living in the south were very aggressive if you got close to their nests.

 

[JanS]

The red wasps I remember when living in the south were very aggressive if you got close to their nests.

Same with the bald face hornets here. Their nests are the size of basketballs and they are aggressive with one of the most painful stings out there.

 

[Ddski5]

Great job!

 

[BG1]

Bonnie did a clinic a couple months ago. Seemed like she got it, trainers said should be persistent, come back in a year to check and refresh.

Funny story: Bonnie found parts of a dead snake and was about to snack on it...not!
Had to let her circle another time to remind her...zap!

I guess dead snake smells better...
"tastes like chicken"...