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Snake-avoidance training can help fido stay bite-free this summer
Ed Zieralski, San Diego UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
May 31, 2003
MESA GRANDE – It's one of nature's alarms, a signal like no other, and hikers, hunters and fishermen know it well.
It's the unmistakable sound of an irritated rattlesnake.
And as Tracy Jenson lifted a buzztail from its cage, the rattler let everyone know it didn't appreciate being rousted.
But on this hot Saturday morning at Jenson's High On Kennels, the snake was being pressed into service as a featured player in Jenson's snake-avoidance class for dogs.
Jenson, a professional dog trainer who specializes in turning out finished sporting gun dogs, had gathered a diversified collection of dog owners for the class.
There were hunters with professionally trained Labradors and Munsterlanders, right next to pet owners leashed to cute and fuzzy balls of fur.
"I know this isn't the kind of dog you expect to see at a rattlesnake-avoidance class, but they really do belong here," said Lisa Burgett of Poway, referring to Izzy and Bailey, a couple of smiling snowballs known as Bichon Frises. "We live on the edge of a canyon in Poway, and there are snakes."
Izzy, the female, survived a terrible bite on her nose from a snake that had slithered into Burgett's back yard. Izzy was only 12 weeks old and weighed all of six pounds, Burgett said. She almost didn't make it.
"Nine hundred and seventy dollars later, but she survived," Burgett said. "The vet bill is expensive. And it's scary. They want cash up front, and they tell you they really don't know if the dog will survive."
Alan Daniels found that out.
Daniels was hiking a couple of weeks ago on the Daley Ranch in Escondido when Heidi, his 8-year-old border collie-Labrador mix, was struck by a rattlesnake. Daniels said the 2-to 3-foot rattler, "quick as lightning and without provocation," lunged at Heidi from the side of the fire road and bit her.
Daniels said Heidi yelped and lifted a leg that Daniels figured had been bitten. Then he saw the snake, as thick as a soda can, and it began to rattle.
Unfortunately, Heidi's snakebite was misdiagnosed at an animal hospital in Escondido. The veterinarian there took a blood sample and ruled that Heidi hadn't been bitten but more likely had injured her leg when avoiding the snake. The dog was given painkillers and sent home.
Later, Heidi went into respiratory arrest. Daniels took her to another vet, who shaved the dog's leg to get a better look. Heidi, indeed, had been struck.
"Sad to report that Heidi died Monday night," Daniels said. "Very sad. I have been back to Daley Ranch to post a note on the bulletin board to thank all the bikers and the ranger who helped.
"I have gotten a lot of sympathy, and I'm angry that the treatment was delayed so long."
It's not a sure thing that a snake-avoidance class would have helped Heidi. She was on a leash when she was struck by a snake that she and her owner never heard or saw until it was too late.
Jenson said some well-trained hunting dogs are so excited when hunting and retrieving prey that they will forget their snake training when hunting.
But Jenson said any snake-avoidance training helps.
Each dog is different, Jenson said, so she adapts the training to fit the dog's temperament, personality and breed. She fits the dog with a remote training collar and uses low-level stimuli that get the important message to the dog.
"It's a conditioned response," Jenson said. "They need to know that if they see a snake, it can hurt them."
On this day, Ruth Weiss, who assists Jenson at the kennel, served as a neutral dog handler and walked the dogs through a course that had three snakes spread over a training area. The snakes are muzzled so there aren't any accidents, but their rattles are free and ready for action. Owners are asked to stay unemotional and in the background as their pets walk the training course. Each session only takes about five to 10 minutes, and it's repeated in various forms until the dog gets it.
The dogs learn to recognize snakes, smell them and finally, avoid them when called by their masters, who summon them from the other side of a coiled, rattling snake.
Ken and Deb Wille of El Cajon entered their Munsterlander pup, Hailey, in the training. Wille said one of his Labrador retrievers was bitten in the nose by a snake. The Lab survived, but Wille remembered the medical bills.
"It was in our back yard," Wille said. "The male was bit on the nose, and the female ate the snake."
Hailey already was being boarded at Jenson's kennel and being trained there, but this was one of those optional classes they felt their pup was ready to take.
As Hailey passed the snake and stopped to sniff it, Jenson let the dog know that wasn't good by zapping it with a telemetry device that sent a light shock from the dog's electronic collar.
The pup reacted by jumping and rolling around, and suddenly it wanted no part of the snake.
Mike and Debora Gavin of Carmel Mountain Ranch brought their two golden retrievers, London, a 3-1/2-year old female, and Dublin, a 3-1/2-year-old male.
London did well, but Dublin actually sat on one of the snakes, so he was kept over for some extra training.
Jenson offers the snake-avoidance classes to dogs that she trains and boards and to anyone who wants to sign up for group clinics or individual training sessions. She may be reached at (760) 782-0728.
========================================
Snake tips
Summer brings out all types of venomous snakes. All dogs have a natural curiosity about snakes, and dogs usually pick up the scent of a snake before they see it. Always keep your dog leashed when hiking. And stay away from the edges of the trail, if possible.
Always walk with a flashlight at night, when rattlesnakes are most active. Clear brush away from walkways around the house.
A snake's striking speed and range is incredible. It can strike up to two-thirds its length, so stay at least the length of the snake away. Most suggest staying more than 6 feet away.
Ken Wille of El Cajon said the important thing a dog owner can have handy is the phone number for and directions to the nearest 24/7 animal hospital for emergency treatment. "The snakes are more active in the evening and early morning, and a lot of vets aren't open at that time," Wille said.
Enroll your dog in a snake-avoidance class. It's a proven way to teach a dog to steer clear of snakes. The snakes are muzzled to protect the dogs, but their rattles are left alone so dogs can hear them. For information on Tracy Jenson's next snake-avoidance class, call (760) 782-0728.
--- ED ZIERALSKI
Ed Zieralski, San Diego UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
May 31, 2003
MESA GRANDE – It's one of nature's alarms, a signal like no other, and hikers, hunters and fishermen know it well.
It's the unmistakable sound of an irritated rattlesnake.
And as Tracy Jenson lifted a buzztail from its cage, the rattler let everyone know it didn't appreciate being rousted.
But on this hot Saturday morning at Jenson's High On Kennels, the snake was being pressed into service as a featured player in Jenson's snake-avoidance class for dogs.
Jenson, a professional dog trainer who specializes in turning out finished sporting gun dogs, had gathered a diversified collection of dog owners for the class.
There were hunters with professionally trained Labradors and Munsterlanders, right next to pet owners leashed to cute and fuzzy balls of fur.
"I know this isn't the kind of dog you expect to see at a rattlesnake-avoidance class, but they really do belong here," said Lisa Burgett of Poway, referring to Izzy and Bailey, a couple of smiling snowballs known as Bichon Frises. "We live on the edge of a canyon in Poway, and there are snakes."
Izzy, the female, survived a terrible bite on her nose from a snake that had slithered into Burgett's back yard. Izzy was only 12 weeks old and weighed all of six pounds, Burgett said. She almost didn't make it.
"Nine hundred and seventy dollars later, but she survived," Burgett said. "The vet bill is expensive. And it's scary. They want cash up front, and they tell you they really don't know if the dog will survive."
Alan Daniels found that out.
Daniels was hiking a couple of weeks ago on the Daley Ranch in Escondido when Heidi, his 8-year-old border collie-Labrador mix, was struck by a rattlesnake. Daniels said the 2-to 3-foot rattler, "quick as lightning and without provocation," lunged at Heidi from the side of the fire road and bit her.
Daniels said Heidi yelped and lifted a leg that Daniels figured had been bitten. Then he saw the snake, as thick as a soda can, and it began to rattle.
Unfortunately, Heidi's snakebite was misdiagnosed at an animal hospital in Escondido. The veterinarian there took a blood sample and ruled that Heidi hadn't been bitten but more likely had injured her leg when avoiding the snake. The dog was given painkillers and sent home.
Later, Heidi went into respiratory arrest. Daniels took her to another vet, who shaved the dog's leg to get a better look. Heidi, indeed, had been struck.
"Sad to report that Heidi died Monday night," Daniels said. "Very sad. I have been back to Daley Ranch to post a note on the bulletin board to thank all the bikers and the ranger who helped.
"I have gotten a lot of sympathy, and I'm angry that the treatment was delayed so long."
It's not a sure thing that a snake-avoidance class would have helped Heidi. She was on a leash when she was struck by a snake that she and her owner never heard or saw until it was too late.
Jenson said some well-trained hunting dogs are so excited when hunting and retrieving prey that they will forget their snake training when hunting.
But Jenson said any snake-avoidance training helps.
Each dog is different, Jenson said, so she adapts the training to fit the dog's temperament, personality and breed. She fits the dog with a remote training collar and uses low-level stimuli that get the important message to the dog.
"It's a conditioned response," Jenson said. "They need to know that if they see a snake, it can hurt them."
On this day, Ruth Weiss, who assists Jenson at the kennel, served as a neutral dog handler and walked the dogs through a course that had three snakes spread over a training area. The snakes are muzzled so there aren't any accidents, but their rattles are free and ready for action. Owners are asked to stay unemotional and in the background as their pets walk the training course. Each session only takes about five to 10 minutes, and it's repeated in various forms until the dog gets it.
The dogs learn to recognize snakes, smell them and finally, avoid them when called by their masters, who summon them from the other side of a coiled, rattling snake.
Ken and Deb Wille of El Cajon entered their Munsterlander pup, Hailey, in the training. Wille said one of his Labrador retrievers was bitten in the nose by a snake. The Lab survived, but Wille remembered the medical bills.
"It was in our back yard," Wille said. "The male was bit on the nose, and the female ate the snake."
Hailey already was being boarded at Jenson's kennel and being trained there, but this was one of those optional classes they felt their pup was ready to take.
As Hailey passed the snake and stopped to sniff it, Jenson let the dog know that wasn't good by zapping it with a telemetry device that sent a light shock from the dog's electronic collar.
The pup reacted by jumping and rolling around, and suddenly it wanted no part of the snake.
Mike and Debora Gavin of Carmel Mountain Ranch brought their two golden retrievers, London, a 3-1/2-year old female, and Dublin, a 3-1/2-year-old male.
London did well, but Dublin actually sat on one of the snakes, so he was kept over for some extra training.
Jenson offers the snake-avoidance classes to dogs that she trains and boards and to anyone who wants to sign up for group clinics or individual training sessions. She may be reached at (760) 782-0728.
========================================
Snake tips
Summer brings out all types of venomous snakes. All dogs have a natural curiosity about snakes, and dogs usually pick up the scent of a snake before they see it. Always keep your dog leashed when hiking. And stay away from the edges of the trail, if possible.
Always walk with a flashlight at night, when rattlesnakes are most active. Clear brush away from walkways around the house.
A snake's striking speed and range is incredible. It can strike up to two-thirds its length, so stay at least the length of the snake away. Most suggest staying more than 6 feet away.
Ken Wille of El Cajon said the important thing a dog owner can have handy is the phone number for and directions to the nearest 24/7 animal hospital for emergency treatment. "The snakes are more active in the evening and early morning, and a lot of vets aren't open at that time," Wille said.
Enroll your dog in a snake-avoidance class. It's a proven way to teach a dog to steer clear of snakes. The snakes are muzzled to protect the dogs, but their rattles are left alone so dogs can hear them. For information on Tracy Jenson's next snake-avoidance class, call (760) 782-0728.
--- ED ZIERALSKI
