This morning I took my Lacy dog to be "snake avoidance trained". The trainer, from Tucson, has been doing this for 30 years. There were 4 in our group this morning. There were 2 dogs that didn't care about anything (Heeler and golden retriever) and a 9-month-old WHP.

My dog keyed right in on the snake from the get go-it was interesting to see the dynamics of the various dogs.

Here is the introduction




His snakes of choice are western diamondbacks. Once a week the snakes have to be checked for fangs and if any, removed.







This was a "new" snake getting his dental work done for the first time.


They were transported in metal cans kept in an insulated bag

Very cool. After getting copperhead bit twice, my dog tries to avoid them also.

Snake being handled





Snake ready to be introduced to a dog, or vice-versa








An aggressive snake being de-fanged before being moved. There are several sets of fangs. You have to dig down in there to get all the full sized ones out so they don't drop into place. This is best done in a tube as shown in the earlier photo. When they are big and mean,it is risky to put them in the tube with their main chompers so they are pulled before the transfer.

This is full of rattlesnake fangs. That represents a lot of snake wrangling!!!

cool stuff

tks for sharing

Pretty cool, I think I would be removing the fangs with a 16lb sledge.

Dennis, fellow in bottom pic of top set has snake pants with tenner shoes?

Second that motion...

They are just bird hunting pants with the briar facings on them. He didn't even have socks on. He has been doing it 30 years. Never been bit. Has a lot of safety procedures in place. Really knows his way around a snake. Won't do it with big snakes. He says they are too strong and too dangerous.

I walked within 2' of the coiled snake during the training. The snake left me alone. They know the routine. These snakes in the photo are new snakes that were just pulled out of a house 2 weeks ago. They are much more lively!

Fascinating.

Sledge hammer handles are too short...

Minus the 16lb sledge, or 7-1/2 from both barrels of Ye Olde Ithaca field grade, do they grow their fangs back?

De-fanging at the training venue ?

Pretty dramatic, ....and GUARANTEED pizzed off buzz worms.

Did he not ALSO use butterfly bandages , crazy glued across the snake's yawp ?

GTC

Pretty cool..

what's the routine? Let the dogs get hit, or just hissing and striking. 'splain me.

What will he do with all those second hand fangs ?

Erectile pills for ginther, nwa and ghostchitt?

I had my previous lab, Chico, snake trained here in PHX as well. The first round he went to give the snake a sniff and the handler lit him up with the collar. Then a few minutes later he brought him around again and the dog wouldn't even look in the snake's direction. My current lab, Ruger, needs this desperately because he chases every damn thing he comes across. When I do I will take a cooler full of beer, as there is nothing more entertaining than watching each dog in turn go for a sniff and get hit with some electricity. One little terrier did three front flips

Good Lord! You'd think I would have learned NOT to open these threads by now.

I see nightmare in my immediate future…..

He let everyone leave and then asked me if I wanted to stay since he knew who I was. I did but since I am still on one crutch, I opted not to do too much other than hold stuff and move stuff. None of the others would have wanted to be there for this.

We did it in the back parking lot at Sportsman's warehouse so there were a couple of dummies that drove through while we were working. We just ignored them. One guy was watching too close so he just held up the snake on a hook and walk his way and the guy skedaddled.

He told me that guys who train their dogs by lighting them up on the first sniff will have to re-train them. Dogs aren't good at learning this way. He did it in increments so that the DOG decided he didn't like the snake. It is important that the dog SEE the snake, SMELL the snake and HEAR the snake. He confirms all of this. My dog had probably 8 encounters and only twice was zapped loud enough that she yipped. Last test is a snake in a bag- mild scent only. My dog wouldn't get closer than 40 feet!

When I stayed to help I parked next to where we were working so I could keep an eye on my dog. I had both windows open and figured she would just take a nap. Those two new snakes were buzzing like the customers service buzzer at WalMart during shift change. She tried to put her paws over her ears. I had to give her Valium when we got home

I reckon that's the same guy that puts on clinics down here, and in Tucson.

Gracey was already "Avoiding" and alarming to Rattlesnakes, and wouldn't go anywhere NEAR the de-fanged and mouth taped training aid, stood back with her ruff and back up....he had to get me to DRAG her close, and than nailed her with the collar,....the collar he was using was boosted, and really HURTS the trainee,...I felt pretty bad about the whole deal.
anything read here as critical, ...discard the notion
I'd recommend running ANY younger dog through this course,....
....my jury's still out on how well this'll take on older mature dogs.

GTC

yep, they have a few ready to move forward in the mouth as the primarys break off in real life (strike is pretty violent, might hit a bone, etc) or just as a matter of time.

Sycamore

Interesting stuff - thanks Dennis. Back when we de-fanged some of those Coontails it seemed like they kept the shaker going the whole time. Can start to get on the nerves.

I have been through three sessions with Web over the years. He is very thorough in his training as Dennis pointed out. I have observed with the three GWPs and my neighbor's two GSPs, that the one training session is good for life.

Asa, my newest dog, has warned me of two rattlers on the property in the past two years. She makes a blood curdling howl then barks repeatedly. I can tell when she encounters a snake by those unique sounds. She also warned of a bull snake and a king snake.

Web asked me to bring Asa to a training session earlier this year at Tucson's Sportsmans Warehouse. He wanted the others to see how a avoidance trained dog reacts. He took the first snake from the metal can to the carpet. She immediately howled followed by barking interspersed with growling. When asked to lead her near the snake she shied and tugged to get away.

I combine this training with the rattlesnake vaccine to give my dogs the best chances available when in the field.

There are many rattlers near Coleman Texas. It pays to do this with bird dogs.

Ruby wouldn't go closer than 30' at the end. She just stood there and watched me walk past the snake at 18" thought I was going to get shocked!