Snake Bite Vaccine for dogs??

Quote: Originally posted by chuckie

If you are talking about the pre bite shots, I have been using them on my dogs for years. They require an initial shot and then a booster. We have lots of rattlers and a dog usually gets bitten at least once a year.

That's one dumb dog.

Rattlesnakes

Quote: Originally posted by John M

We just took our dog to rattlesnake avoidance class - 20 minutes and she showed a dramatic reluctance to approach to within 20 feet of a number of rattlesnakes of different varieties. The training is effective not just when the snake rattles, but the smell as well - her reluctance to get anywhere near a rattler was impressive. $60 well spent here in the high desert. We'll take her in next week for a "refresher" to be certain she has retained her lessons learned. John M

Quote: Originally posted by chuckie

I do both....

Quote: Originally posted by John M

We just took our dog to rattlesnake avoidance class - 20 minutes and she showed a dramatic reluctance to approach to within 20 feet of a number of rattlesnakes of different varieties. The training is effective not just when the snake rattles, but the smell as well - her reluctance to get anywhere near a rattler was impressive. $60 well spent here in the high desert. We'll take her in next week for a "refresher" to be certain she has retained her lessons learned. John M

Method??

John, do you think we could pay the handler to put a shocker on Hondo and try to train him too? Although I'd suggest a different location for the collar than the neck... but come to think of it, no need for training.

Some things you just cannot get a rattlesnake to do.

Quote: Originally posted by John M

The trainer uses a shock collar, and gave our dog (25 pounds full grown, 4 years old) what I'd think was a moderate jolt to gauge her reaction to the shock effect. He reduced the impact of the shock. He had put two different rattlers in two different wire mesh boxes and place them under large juniper bushes maybe 30' apart. He walked the dog on a leash near one of the boxes, within probably 5 or 6 feet, the dog seemed inquisitive and as she got a little closer he must have "zapped" her as she immediately backed way off. At the time he applied the shock, one of the two snakes was rattling. He walked her around, and near other similar bushes (no snakes) and she sniffed all around but wasn't skittish at all. Then he walked her near the second box with two different snakes and she seemed cautious but got closer than I would have suspected she would. At that point he gave her another jolt, she got away from the area of the box quickly. I don't know if the second episode either of the snakes were rattling or not. He repeated walking her near bushes with no snakes and she didn't shy away from the bushes. I took her then, on a leash, toward the snake boxes, as soon as we got within 15 or so feet she pulled away quite hard. That was the reaction he was looking for. He cautioned us not to compel her to get any closer than what she would do on her own. Each time the same reaction, and the snakes were not rattling during this phase. I walked her maybe 5 or 6 times toward the boxes and she pulled away every time. Then he took the snakes out, one at a time, and put them on an open area, uncaged. He had us approach until the dog alerted and with all four different snakes she wouldn't get closer than maybe 20 feet. Earlier, before any training, he had our dog sniff around the snake handling pole, with tongs on the end where he would lift the snakes. She seemed naturally to sniff the ends. Toward the end of the training he asked me to lead her toward the tongs - she got within ten feet and pulled away. No snake - just the scent remaining on the tongs. We will take her back within the next few days (ten days after the lesson) for him to evaluate her and her reaction. Some say this needs to be reinforced every couple of years. The dog was what my wife called "back to normal" withing 15 minutes. John M

train to bark?

Quote: Originally posted by del mar

Quote: Originally posted by John M   The trainer uses a shock collar, and gave our dog (25 pounds full grown, 4 years old) what I'd think was a moderate jolt to gauge her reaction to the shock effect. He reduced the impact of the shock. He had put two different rattlers in two different wire mesh boxes and place them under large juniper bushes maybe 30' apart. He walked the dog on a leash near one of the boxes, within probably 5 or 6 feet, the dog seemed inquisitive and as she got a little closer he must have "zapped" her as she immediately backed way off. At the time he applied the shock, one of the two snakes was rattling. He walked her around, and near other similar bushes (no snakes) and she sniffed all around but wasn't skittish at all. Then he walked her near the second box with two different snakes and she seemed cautious but got closer than I would have suspected she would. At that point he gave her another jolt, she got away from the area of the box quickly. I don't know if the second episode either of the snakes were rattling or not. He repeated walking her near bushes with no snakes and she didn't shy away from the bushes. I took her then, on a leash, toward the snake boxes, as soon as we got within 15 or so feet she pulled away quite hard. That was the reaction he was looking for. He cautioned us not to compel her to get any closer than what she would do on her own. Each time the same reaction, and the snakes were not rattling during this phase. I walked her maybe 5 or 6 times toward the boxes and she pulled away every time. Then he took the snakes out, one at a time, and put them on an open area, uncaged. He had us approach until the dog alerted and with all four different snakes she wouldn't get closer than maybe 20 feet. Earlier, before any training, he had our dog sniff around the snake handling pole, with tongs on the end where he would lift the snakes. She seemed naturally to sniff the ends. Toward the end of the training he asked me to lead her toward the tongs - she got within ten feet and pulled away. No snake - just the scent remaining on the tongs. We will take her back within the next few days (ten days after the lesson) for him to evaluate her and her reaction. Some say this needs to be reinforced every couple of years. The dog was what my wife called "back to normal" withing 15 minutes. John M so john....if your dog encountered one of these slithery fellows around the house would she bark to alert you of the danger like this goat fellows dog? can that be trained? I would think that would be a huge benefit! I admit im scared to death of those things.

My dog is not trained to bark. He just happens to be a chatty fellow