The Colorado Gun Dog Assoc. is putting on a clinic June 12 & 13 out in Kiowa for snake avoidance. I've always been afraid one of my dogs will get into a rattlesnake when we are out hiking so I'm pretty geeked to go.
I signed up all 3 of our dogs. The clinic is using live de-fanged rattlesnakes on the course. The guy teaching it has trained or de-snaked over 4,500 dogs and hails from TX. The purpose of using live snakes is so the dogs can see, hear and smell the snake. One of the snakes will have it's rattles taped to simulate a dormant snake and one will be full on aggressive rattler.
They use an e-collar and only turn it on if the dog shows interest in the snake. I know that could be harsh BUT this could save my dogs' life so I'm willing to do it and with that many dogs trained, the person is familiar and experienced with e-collars. Should be pretty interesting.
6 comments:
My dogs love it when I bring out the e-collars. They know that they get to go somewhere.
Hi Angie - oh good! That makes me feel better. I don't know much about them. I know in the right hands they are just fine! A friend of mine had a dog that would run off lead but when he had his e-collar on he stayed near. He was still very happy and he just didn't take off for the hills when it was on!
That is really interesting! I hope that works well. It could really be good training for ANY dog! Charley found a few garden snakes in our yard when we lived in Oklahoma and I always worry that he would be just as curious with more dangerous snakes too.
Heather - we had a 6' long bull snake a couple summers ago. Oh man, that thing wigged me OUT cuz they posture like rattlers to keep danger away. Scared the crap outta me!
I didn't realize you see rattlers in your area? We get a fair share of them here and we usually have an every day occurrence with one here in the summer. My dogs are wise...finally at this point and know a rattler from any other snake. They hear or see them and make wide wide circles when we are out in the field. What a good way to allow yours to know what they are before they wig out and try to tear into one. My oldest little rat terrier dog who was 16 could grab a snake by the back of the head before the snake knew what hit him. Then proceed to shake it so hard it flew into pieces...literally..NOW that was a site. I don't think a shock collar would of ever stopped her, she absolutely went BEEEZERRRK!! And she was never bitten. GAD ,,could she rip one to shreds. I did feel pretty safe with her on the track..Best Dog we ever had!
yes I think 2 kinds - the western rattler and the diamond back... I did make one rattle once when I was riding past a long time ago and I won't forget THAT sound! I hear they are pretty prolific at Lory State Park and other fun hiking trails.
I can't believe how cool your dog was! Hey, if she could attack and not get bitten, more power to her! I think our older dogs would be wary of a posturing snake but Toe might rush in and get himself bit...
What a neat story 'bout your terrier... loved it!
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