Why should I choose Rattlesnake Alert training for my dog?
There are quite a few methods that trainers can employ to go about the task of training dogs to avoid rattlesnakes. Some use positive reinforcement, while others hold a snake in front of a dog and apply high level stimulation through the use of an e-collar for 10 seconds, and claim they are ‘good to go’. Other classes might employ the use of a snake skin, a snake in a box, a rubber snake, or a non-venomous snake to try and teach avoidance. I have had a number of dogs come to me after taking different aversion classes because their owners had doubts about the effectiveness of the class. Some of the dogs have reacted the way I would have wanted them to - others have walked right up to my rattlesnake and put their nose on it like they had never seen one before. At the end of the day, the most important result for you and your dog is that you walk away from my training feeling confident that you and your dog are safe in rattlesnake terrain. So, how do you know which class to choose? Here are a few common factors and answered questions that are important to consider when choosing a proper avoidance/aversion class:
How long has the trainer’s method been in practice and are there reviews of the business available?
In my opinion, a good sign of a competent business is their longevity. Word of mouth and online reviews can also be a great resource to verify the effectiveness and success of the business. If a business turns off the option for reviews, I may question what is going on there.
My mentor, Web Parton, had been practicing his Snake Safe method of training rattlesnake aversion for about 40 years until his recent retirement. As I grew up not a huge fan of snakes- I’m more of a dog guy- I would not be practicing this type of training if I had not had the pleasure of getting to know Web and witnessing his very effective methods. My initial motivation for offering rattlesnake aversion training was due to the fact that there were no other trainers in the area using the proven and effective method that Web had taught. I am happy to provide a training that has its roots in Web’s Snake Safe method.
What about the use of e-collars?
I know e-collars are not everyone’s cup of tea, but if they are used properly they can be very effective tools. Dogs typically do not respond well to very high levels of stimulation. High levels of stimulation cause pain, and that pain will cause the dog to become fearful and confused. At lower levels of stimulation, the dogs are able to stay focused on the task at hand. I use Dogtra e-collars, which have 127 different levels of stimulation. Every dog reacts to stimulation differently, so I start with a very low level and watch the dog closely until I get a reaction from the dog. Once I find the lowest effective level, I work within that range to make an impression on the dog.
I have met very few dogs that I would feel comfortable training with treats alone for avoidance/aversion work. Of those dogs, my opinion is that it would take months of training to feel confident turning that dog loose in the field. If you have the time and can find the right trainer, by all means take the route of positive reinforcement.
Will my dog have the opportunity and ample time to get a good scent on a live rattlesnake?
Yes. I use live, defanged rattlesnakes so that the dogs are able to interact with the snakes in a safe, natural environment, and have ample time to get a good scent on the snake. I use two different species of rattlesnakes to cover the gamut of smells among the different species.
We, as humans, verify things with our eyes. Dogs verify things with their noses. While it is helpful for a dog to see and hear a live rattlesnake, the most important part of the class is that the dog knows to avoid the scent of a rattlesnake. Rattlesnakes have a distinct smell to dogs- a rattlesnake skin does not smell the same as a live rattlesnake, and a rubber snake, well, smells like rubber. My training would be a lot less stressful for me if I were able to use non-venomous snakes, but it would be useless for the dogs.
Will my dog need to come back for a retest/refresher every year to make sure they still remember to avoid rattlesnakes?
The short answer is no. If a trainer says that your dog will need a ‘refresher’, the trainer is likely not spending enough time with your dog to make the class effective. This may be a tactic to ensure the trainer is collecting money from you every year. Even if they are doing retests for free, what if they are not available in your area next year? Three to four hours may seem like a long time for a class, but this is the time needed to ensure that your dog is trained properly and remembers its training for the rest of its life. As a side note, if I am not convinced that your dog has fully comprehended the task at hand in that time, I will spend more time with your dog to make sure we get them to where they need to be. That may be after class, or, if the dog has had enough, I will work with them at a later date.
This last statement might seem obvious, but it is very important that your dog knows that it is the rattlesnake that it needs to avoid after the class. If not, the class is useless. When using e-collars, the dog needs to know that it is the rattlesnake that is “biting” them; not a plexiglass box, a toy snake, or the place on the ground where it keeps getting bitten. This takes time. Some trainers will bring the dog over to a snake and apply an impulse 2 or 3 times. Then, when the dog won’t go back to the snake, the trainer will say that the dog is ‘good to go'. Was the dog avoiding the rattlesnake or was it avoiding that spot where they kept getting “bitten?” Dogs are very place specific. If a dog has a bad experience in a spot, it will not want to go back there. In my classes, snakes are moved to different places to train the dog to avoid the snake, not just one spot. It can not be done in 20 minutes. When I am satisfied that your dog realizes that the rattlesnake is the bad thing, I will do a final test to make sure that the class was effective.