# Rattlesnake training experience



## RubyRoo (Feb 1, 2011)

Hi All

We finally got Ruby through her rattlesnake aversion training. The trainer (retired vetranarian) used 2 big snakes - a diamond back and water moccasin. I didn't want see the training and my husband was going to take her through it. I waited axiously in the car and of course he puts the first snake in my eye sight so I watched all of it. He had Ruby on a long lead and allowed her to find the snake. She went toward the diamondback right away. Soon as she got close and he zapped her with the shock collar. She jumped so high and let out a high pitch scream and ran away. She would not go in the area at all. On to the other snake, she didn't go after it but stumbled upon it, shocked again and same result. This time all she wanted to do was go in the car. She didn't want to even be 20 ft of the area. 

It took not even 5 minutes for the entire process. She was pretty drained and slept the 2 hr ride home. I sure hope this helps. We will go through it again next summer.


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

Good report. Bailey and Chloe will be going to a refresher course in a couple weeks.

We came across a "gardener snake" this week. This is a non poisonous snake similar in size and coloring to a Western Diamondback rattlesnake. Chloe was very curious and put her nose right on it but it paid her no mind. It was sunning itself on the road. The 14 month old male HSP we were walking with also was curious. His owner had a training collar on him and took the opportunity for some aversion training.

Dogs with their ability to scent many thousands of times better than we do should be able to identify two types of snake by their smell. 

We'll see in a couple weeks if Chloe remembers a Western Diamondback smell or not.

RBD


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## luv2laugh (Oct 6, 2011)

Since snake avoidance with Oso he is our little snake finder. We are in snake country and Oso has smelled three snakes near but not on the path since the training a couple months ago. He gets very scared, needs coaxing to pass the spot and then keeps his body as far away as possible from the side of the trail the snake is off of. 

Hopefully Ruby will have the same reaction. Momentary pain for a longterm safer life, ::fingers crossed::


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Took Cash to see if he still remembered snakes are bad.
This is his reaction to the rattler without any correction.








His next move was hide behind the handler.








I would say he remembered.
Lucy had to have a refresher.


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

TexasRed,
That was too funny! Chloe got behind the handler as soon as she took her from me. She stayed there or tried to jump into her arms as they went around the course. She wanted nothing to do with the whole thing. She remembered from a year ago. The only other time she had a training collar on.
Bailey on the other hand took it as just another day training. 

After the training we went walking up in the hills with friends and their Hungarian Pointers. Bailey came across a snake and once he knew what it was jumped back through the air five feet.

Well worth the effort!

RBD


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## RubyRoo (Feb 1, 2011)

I am so happy to hear the training is working!


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Cash walked calmly next to the handler till he either got scent/ sight of the rattler. That's when the picture was taken. He was on high alert after that. He won't even face a snake including the cottonmouth they brought out.

RBD do you think Chloe remembered the place from last year? The avoidance trainer said if the dog remembers the place from last year, go to one of his clinics held in a different area.


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

> RBD do you think Chloe remembered the place from last year? The avoidance trainer said if the dog remembers the place from last year, go to one of his clinics held in a different area.


OH yeah! She remembered. I will take your advice and go to another location next year.


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## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

Riley had her first training session a few weeks back. I'm really glad we did it because the trainer said she was practically mouthing/drooling all over the baby rattlesnake. 

I took a video of the entire process. The trainer had to crank up the e-collar to a level 7 before my sweet, "soft" little girl would leave it alone!

http://youtu.be/wP7SdVmFTW4


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

http://redbirddog.blogspot.com/2013/04/first-rattlesnake-of-season.html

Chloe and I came across our first rattlesnake of the season. Unusually warm today for this early in the season. Chloe stayed away. I think the avoidance classes worked.

RBD


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Yowee! Glad Chloe remembered and stayed away, RBD!!

It's still too cool here in Michigan, but before too long I expect that Willie and I will start seeing them in "our" park.


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## Vida (Dec 26, 2011)

Are you sure it wasn't the trainers outfit that spooked the dog?  ;D


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## RubyRoo (Feb 1, 2011)

RBD - so happy to hear the training is working. I am looking to schedule Ruby's training again in a month or so. We ran across our first snake of the season in the back yard yesterday. It was 87 here in Florida so they are back early. It ended up being a black racer, but I don't want Ruby to go near any of them. She never saw it and got her in the house.


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## Kafka (Jul 24, 2013)

Even though this is an old thread.. just wanted to let you know: Kafka had her first rattlesnake aversion training last weekend. She's almost 2 now, and last year year I only got her vaccinated because I couldn't find a place to get the training.

I was a bit nervous.. she had never had an e collar on. She was ok to go with the trainer, but the first shock made her jolt in the air and be really upset. She is quite the drama queen, so I knew it was more the surprise than that it hurt too much. She only needed one more shock (to which she didn't response that extremely) to learn that rattlesnakes are bad. She just kept hiding behind the training and trying to get him to pick her up lol

I was glad to find that she was really sweet to me afterwards (I was worried she would be mad or something.. she can really sulk after I've done her nails or cleaned her ears so I thought that giving her to a trainer to be zapped would have her give me some attitude haha)

I watched a few other vizsla's being trained as well. It is amazing to see how quick they learn. You can see them put their nose in the air and when they catch the scent of the snake they want to get out of there.
I live in southern california and take her off leash on trails a lot, so this training gives me a piece of mind. Still not guarantee, but I'm really glad I did it!

I would definitely recommend this to anybody who lives in an area with rattlesnakes!


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

> I was glad to find that she was really sweet to me afterwards (I was worried she would be mad or something.. she can really sulk after I've done her nails or cleaned her ears so I thought that giving her to a trainer to be zapped would have her give me some attitude haha)


If done correctly she thinks the snake is what caused her pain, not you or the handler. She looked to the handler for protection from the snake. Vs are smart dogs, and its hard to fool them. It takes someone that really knows what they are doing to teach a V snake avoidance. Sounds like you picked the right person.


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## MilesMom (Jun 21, 2012)

We did it with Kafka! So glad we did it. Miles had a fit when the trainer tried to lead him in, so I had to (and I HATE snakes.) But it was worth it. The trainer thinks that Miles and Chase have already had a negative experience with a non venomous snake as they were already averse to snakes and did not show much interest in them. Two corrections and they learned, they bolted if they caught a scent of the snake. Glad we did it.


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## RugersParents (Jul 16, 2013)

Ruger had his training two months ago and it took two sniffs and the shocks to go with it for him to not want anything to do with those snakes. The trainers set up four live rattlesnakes and a pile of snake sheds. Ruger only went to the first snake and the sheds and thats it. His final test was for him to come through a 6 ft wide alley way (with a snake in the middle) towards me when I called him and he went all the way around the alley way. That confirmed he would avoid the snake. I'll definitely do a refresher next year since it was recommended.


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