Two classes every adventurer with a dog should take.

T McArthur

T McArthur

Adventurist
It is that time of the year when we will slowly come out of out winter torpor and get more adventurous. Here are two classes we should all look into for the sake of our faithful canine companions. If you don't know of one of these locally, check the national Quail and Upland Wildlife site (http://www.quwf.net/) to see if they are available.

http://www.scvquwf.com/snake-avoidance-classes.html

and

http://www.scvquwf.com/k9-first-aid-classes.html


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The First Aid one sounds really interesting; we always think of first aid for ourselves but i have to be honest I never thought about it for my dog.
 
Three problems.
1. Other side of country
2. April is too early
3. 2nd set of dates in the middle of Expo West.
otherwise I'd be all over that like fleas on a dog :gnomeand a gnome...
 
Interesting class. My new rescue dog spends all of her time with her nose pushing under leaves (for what I don't know) but she seems like a perfect candidate for a snake bite. I do not walk her off lease, but she stills smells out everything. (Strange Dog)
 
T McArthur - that is funny, she is many things, but I doubt valuable will be one - expensive yes!
 
The value of something is not the price tag of the open market. Rather it is what that thing is worth to you. An expensive dog is, by definition, a valuable dog if you persist in keeping it.
 
Do you know how they condition the dogs to snakes?

I've heard of it, one method is they put the dog in an enclosure with a snake made bite safe, and a training collar, and buzz the dog when it gets curious or near the snake. having had one dog bit in the face by a rattlesnake years ago, I was interested about how to condition them. The dog I have now, the first snake I saw, a nice sized bull snake, was crossing the road near home. I got the dog, put her training collar on, and went for a walk. She discovered the snake. When she got near it I buzzed her with the training collar (didnt say anything, let her think it was the snake that did it). She jumped about 10 feet back and barked like crazy at the snake. I told her what a good dog she was barking at the snake, and how bad snakes are. She believes it! I can tell when she sees one in the yard (all bull snakes so far) by her bark. She wont go closer than 5 or 6 feet to them. If she sees them, even a dead one, she'll bark like crazy and wont get near it. Shes really jumpy also, every stick or prickly thing she steps on when near one she jumps.
 
Yeah, they use a mild shock whenever the dog approaches the snake. These folks don't use "bite safe" snakes, they use the real thing in wire cages.

If it doesn't move a dog will walk right over a snake and not know its there. Those snakes aren't a problem. Rattlesnake's first reaction is to freeze if caught in the open. If it thinks you know it is there, then it gets defensive. Don't want Fido to think this is something to play with.
 
I've stepped over rattlesnakes before, and had my dogs almost run over them. The one I stepped over was in my garage door. I noticed it when I went back out. It was all woke up by then.

I've had a number of unpleasant interactions with snakes, including having one IN the house, two under the front porch steps, which I discovered in the dark as I came home and stepped on the step. Have had many in the yard, all of which were at other places I've lived, and come across them out hiking. I had one rattlesnake come out of a bush behind my dog, the dog was totally oblivious to it, but the snake was quite aware of the dog and coiled up. Its not easy suddenly dragging an 85 lb dog away when it doesnt know what and why you are doing it. If anyone is bothered by the way some deal with snakes, I wont say. I do not like them. At all. Bull snakes, great. Rattlesnakes. Not good
 
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