In week 7 of the 2010 Never Shock a Puppy dog blog campaign, we discuss whether or not snake aversion training is the one “acceptable” use of shock collars. Personally, my answer is no, but there are many people I like and respect who believe otherwise.
Since Lilly has survived TWO rattlesnake bites in TWO years, I like to think we know a bit about this particular subject.
Habitat Rich With “Social” Snakes
Recently, I interviewed a snake expert during research for a major dog magazine article about dogs and snakes. I emailed him an overhead photo of our valley and asked just how many rattlesnakes likely lived on our acres.
He laughed in a distinct, “You-don’t-want-to-know” way and said, “A lot.”
It intrigued me to find out that rattlesnakes live a fairly dog-like existence. They’re much more “social” than other snakes, and that means they maintain small home ranges and even share dens at times.
Training Plan
Weather changes mean we’re likely safe until next spring. It’s probably too cold for the prairie rattlesnakes we have here. They’ve likely hunkered down in their dens for winter. We still get some very warm days, so I suppose they could be out at times, but we’ve seen no snakes of any kind for weeks now.
I’m seriously considering the non-shock snake training method for next spring, though. Essentially, you use a verbal gasp to help condition a do-not-approach response in dogs.
We’ll have to see how things go over the winter and what we feel up to next spring.
“Grand Prize”
We’re taking comments as entries for our grand prize drawing on the Never Shock a Puppy site. Our final prize package includes a bunch of great things, including a $100 gift certificate to an online dog toy store, coalition members and sponsors Best Friends General Store, and a $25 gift certificate to campaign sponsors K9Cuisine.com.
Last Chance to Donate
We have a LONG way to go to reach our goal to raise $2,500 by October 20 for the Humane Society of Boulder Valley’s No-Choke Challenge. Lilly and I are now shamelessly begging for donations.
In this final week, we need your help more than ever.
Please.
We’re even offering new donation incentives (in other words GIFTS and PRIZES) for those who are first to donate more than $50 or more than $75.
And, if that isn’t enough, we recently realized that Oct 20, the final day of the campaign, is the SIXTH Anniversary of the day we adopted Lilly from Humane Society of Boulder Valley.
So, if nothing else … consider your donation a present celebrating Lilly. She deserves it. Don’t you think?
If for some reason you cannot see or use the donation widget below, please visit the Never Shock a Puppy Donation Site instead.
Interestingly enough Betsy and Norman do not care about snakes in their yard…until they start making lots of noise. I can even call Betsy off of a “regular” snake. My theory is that they really do not smell and they do not move enough to engage their prey drive.
Glad I do not live in an area where this is a concern, but great subject and sure to garner some controversy. there has been lots of debate on a few listservs I belong to. Personally I would not go the shock route either.
Dogs run through electric fences all the time. Witnessed a large dog run through to attack a smaller dog walking by. So theoretically a dog aroused enough could attack a snake despite shock collar training. would have to be soooo careful as well, as to what else is in environment at same time as snake, when conditioning aversion.
Great work as always.
Always love your posts. I figure snake aversion is your baby, since you’ve had so much experience with it! I liked what you said on the Never Shock A Puppy site about choosing shock or no shock–I’d love to read more about the pilot program for teaching dogs to leave snakes w/o aversives. Keep up the good work?