Rattlesnake aversion training isn’t fun for you or your dog, but without it, your curious canine could end up with a pair of fangs in his face—and you could end up with an astronomical veterinary bill for treatment that may or may not save his life.
Natural Solutions, a company specializing in snakebite prevention, is offering numerous clinics in Northern California in coming weeks. Open to all breeds, sizes and types of dogs, the training sessions are sponsored by veterinary hospitals, dog-training clubs, breed clubs, dog-park enthusiasts, hunt clubs and others with an interest in the well being of dogs who spend time in the outdoors. The charge for most clinics is $75.
Natural Solutions employs a multi-step process to teach dogs to recognize venomous snakes by sight, smell and sound, and to thereby avoid encounters in the wild. The program, which utilizes remote-control training collars and live, muzzled snakes, is tailored to each dog’s psychological needs. The process is spelled out in detail on Natural Solutions website, and the company claims to have put more than 30,000 dogs through its program in the last 10 years.
Upcoming training sessions in our area are scheduled March 24 in Castro Valley, March 25 in Dunnigan (north of Sacramento), March 26 in Walnut Creek, April 21 in Dunnigan, April 22 in Morgan Hill, June 16 in Carson City, June 17 in Folsom, July 14-15 in Dunnigan, and July 28-29 in Livermore.
