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Living in Marana or Tucson, or anywhere in Arizona, means being aware of rattlesnakes.
If you like to hike with your dog or live near the desert, then this training is for you! 
Our Rattlesnake avoidance training program is design to teach your dog to fear the Smell, Sight and Sound of
Rattlesnakes. It will also teach them to avoid other kinds of snakes, but we use Rattlesnakes because they are by far the most common venomous snake in this part of the country. And
Rattlesnakes, being pit vipers, have their own distinct odor!
We want the dogs to experience fear of the:
- Sight: Because the movement of snakes is very different from
any other creature the dog may have seen and evokes the curiosity of almost every dog. And some dogs just want to attack anything that moves at all!!
- Sound: Because the sound of a rattling rattlesnake is also quite
good at arousing a dogs natural curiosity.
- Smell: The smell of the rattlesnake is the most important thing
the dog can fear. If they are afraid of the smell, they will avoid an area that one is and will never get close enough to see or hear it.
This will also keep you safe when you are out walking your dog since they will be alerted to the snakes presents before you and your dog get to close.
Training Procedures:
The Rattlesnakes are de-fanged in the morning before each training
session so that there is no chance of any dogs or people getting injected with venom. The snakes are wild, and are loose so there is a
chance that a snake may strike and bite. But without the fangs to inject the venom there is no chance of serious injury.
The dogs are fitted with a stimulation collar. The dog is then brought to
two different snakes in two different atmospheres and stimulated by the collar while the dog is concentrating on the snake. At this time it is
important to note that the object of this training is to make the dog want to avoid snakes at all cost. So the stimulation that is given is quite
powerful, and it is not uncommon for dogs to become quite upset (some much more than others) when the stimulation is given. The stimulation they feel can not injure them in any way.
Due to the nature of these lessons, we allow but do not
recommend bringing children to the sessions.
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