Snake Avoidance Training worked

[ronmcq]

We took our 19 month Buddy through Rattlesnake Avoidance Training early February hoping to get through this year without a bite incident.
While on our afternoon walk yesterday playing with a Chuckit I noticed a 3' California Rosy Boa in the weeds. While harmless and docile, I wanted to see how he would react to the sight of a snake. Tossing his ball far, I picked up the snake placing it between Buddy and myself. Running back with his ball he caught sight of the snake and stopped about 30' away. No amount of coaxing could get him to approach. Picking up the snake and walking toward him caused him to retreat. Success!!! The avoidance training had imprinted and even though it wasn't a Rattlesnake, he wanted no part of it. On the other hand Max our cat that had joined us on the walk showed lots of interest walking up and batting at it. ARGGG!
For anyone living or working their dogs where a Rattlesnake might be encountered, I highly recommend having them trained in snake avoidance. It could save you a lot of grief and money and pain or worse for your pups.

[sparky]

Living in Ohio we don't see any rattle snakes. Watching TV one day there was a closeup of a rattlesnake. Our cat Duchess fuzzed up and went into full hiss mode. I asked our vet about this and he said 1/2 the cats he's seen have the fear reflex the other 1/2 don't survive the bite.

[POPTOP]

Have not had to have the dogs do snake avoidance training but sounds like it absolutely needed in snaky areas. Good job Buddy!

[Bamps]

Here's a little patch nose that I came across out camping. Opie avoids all snakes like the plague including these nonvenomous ones.

But while pulling out one day I saw this guy stretched out on my driveway and he IS very venomous, a Mohave (Mojave) Rattlesnake.

[ronmcq]

Awesome pictures! Thanks for sharing.
I hope Buddy will avoid them all both venomous and the harmless ones just like Opie.

[Bamps]

Thanks, sounds like he is. Old Stupid would attack them.

[ronmcq]

It worked again today!!!
We had a 12 man Fire Work Crew working on the railroad tracks behind the house today. I had allowed them access through my yard rather than make them transport everyone along the tracks in carts. Upon leaving the CDF Fire Captain came up to the door and knowing I had dogs, notified me that there was a large Western Red Diamondback near my truck with possibly up to 14 rattles. Sure enough when he showed me, there was a big ass snake coiled up next to a walking trail. I thanked him for his concern for my pets.
I took the head off with a digging bar since I was close to the garage and placed it in a secure container in the trash. The rest of the snake was still moving and rattling quite a bit so I brought it up next to the porch to see what the dogs would do. Since they had all been through snake avoidance training I had high hopes. Sure enough it was extremely hard to coax any of them out of the house thru the doggy door until I removed the snake I'll definitely say the avoidance training is a huge success!
Later, I walked them past the rock where the snake had been dispatched and they were acting very warily, picking up the scent of the snake!!

[amandalmw]

Good to know!

I planned on getting Stig snake aversion trained but I completely forgot about it. Thanks for reminding me!

[ronmcq]

My brother brought up his 8 y/o yellow lab Chase this past weekend for a visit. He's been through snake avoidance training with us twice already.
We brought the big snake out of the trash setting it on the driveway. Again my dogs would have nothing to do with it but unfortunately Chase walked right up to smell it. Poor Chase, had that snake been alive, he would have been bitten. My brother called me today saying he had Chase enrolled for a refresher course in snake avoidance this Friday hoping to get through this year without a snake bitten dog. They've all had the Rattlesnake Vaccine this year just in case but staying away from them is the best!

[Bamps]

Opie sure avoided this bull snake too the other day.