Rattlesnake Avoidance Class

Rattlesnakes are an important part of the ecosystem in the West, keeping vermin from running amok. (Gosh, that's a fun phrase to type, Running Amok). Los Angeles and our community is surrounded by the Santa Monica and Santa Susana Mountain ranges with all host of critters (gee, another fun word to type) including bobcats, coyotes, hawks, owls, quail, deer, and of course, rattlesnakes. We plan to take our dog, Charley hiking and camping with us when he is older and want him to be safe. A rattlesnake bite will kill a dog without proper treatment and even then, the dog's survival is iffy. There is a rattlesnake vaccine which improves the odds, but still it is a life threatening emergency.

In addition to giving Charley the vaccine next month, the vet also recommended taking him to a rattlesnake avoidance class. It's taught by a herpetologist (snake/reptile expert) who has trained literally thousands of dogs.

The training is done on a large field with 3 wire cages containing 2 rattlesnakes each which are at first covered. They put a low voltage electroshock collar on the dog and bring him through the course for a series of simulations. These simulations include leading the dog to the cages and applying the shock if the dog shows ANY Interest in the Sight, Sound, or Smell of the snakes. It's amazing to see these dogs after just 2 or 3 simulations avoid going near the snakes. We had to hide out of Charley's vision while the two handlers worked with him. Training took about 15 minutes. To see if the training is effective, the trainer tested our puppy by having me stand at the opposite end of the field with the snake cages and call the dog over to me. To pass, the dog must make a wide path around the snakes. Charley passed with flying colors. He has to go next year for a refresher and then every few years.

Best to you and yours and wishing you a great rest of your day.