If you have a Weimaraner, or any dog, and you frequent hiking trails in Northern California, eventually your dog will find a snake. But what if that snake is a rattlesnake?
Would your dog know to stay away from it? Baby rattlesnake season happens each spring. They are even more dangerous than the adults because they don’t limit their venom when they bite.
Your dog probably won’t know to stay away from rattlesnakes, and that is why you may want to consider Rattlesnake Avoidance Training.
After getting my very active young Weimaraner, and now living in an area where we do have rattlesnakes, Rattlesnake Avoidance Training seemed crucial to me. Especially since we love hiking daily, and she is off leash. When I read about classes in our area, I immediately signed up. Luna had some training before I got her, so I thought this would just be a refresher for her.
Often the Snake Avoidance trainers travel around their areas holding clinics, rather than a set location. On our scheduled day, we showed up about an hour before our time slot so we could watch the others. The rattlesnakes were defanged, so there was no danger of being bit. The training moved along quickly. Just before it was her turn, she was fit with a shock collar, something I was not really comfortable with at first. But when they explained a shock vs a real bite, we went ahead. I walked Luna on leash, and got close to the snake as the trainer was waiting to see how she would react. Just as she tried to pounce the snake she let out a yelp. The trainer had zapped her. After our group was finished, we did a followup. This time, Luna wanted nothing to do with the snake. She kept pulling me away. The initial shock worked and she did not have to get zapped a second time. She thought the snake had created the painful shock.
Two years later, we went back for a refresher course when our trainer was holding another clinic in the area. As soon as we arrived, Luna’s nose went up in the air picking up a scent. Rattlesnakes have a distinctive smell to dogs. She was very agitated and kept trying to pull me back to the car. When our turn came, she would not walk anywhere near the snake. Two years later, she had not forgotten. This training can not guarantee that your dog will not get bit by a snake. But if you do a clinic every year or two, there is a much better chance that your dog will not go running up to a snake on a trail. There is some peace of mind knowing that while your Weimaraner may choose to chase a Jackrabbit, they most likely won’t go rushing up to a Rattler once they have been through a clinic.
Training Classes
In Northern California there are several clinics that are held, usually in the spring and summer. If you hike in rattlesnake country, consider doing this for both you and your best friend! We’ve listed a couple of avoidance training classes in Northern California, but also suggest that you ask your vet for some recommendations or do a Google search for training or clinics in your area. Keep your canine best friends safe!