Snake breaking at home

[Toad]

So how exactly does snake breaking work?

I've been posting on the Kansas forum about all the copperheads in our neighborhood this year. Several neighbor's dogs have been bitten, but we have been lucky so far.

It would appear that two of our three dogs "snake broke" themselves, but I'm afraid Junie the pup might be getting more bold around the copperheads.

Is it as simple as just putting on an E-collar and nipping the dog whenever it moves toward the snake? If I keep the e-collar handy, I could probably do that pretty easily next time Junie finds one.

Does it work with a fresh-dead snake? It might be safer to practice on a headless copperhead...

Is the goal of snake breaking just to get the dog to ignore snakes, or do you want the dog to become fearful at the sight and smell of the snake?

 

[bdub20]

Does anyone know of a list where I could find snake breaking classes? I just read the article about them in PDJ and think it would be great for my dog, maybe even save his life some day.

 

[SetterNut]

I went to a snake avoidance clinic in CO last weekend out by Colorado Springs.

I beleive that it was very effective with my two dog.

Here is how the training basically goes.

A couple of rattle snakes were place on the ground in short mown grass.
You give your dog to one of the handlers, becuase you do not want the dog to associate the high level e-collar shocks that the dogs are going to get with you.

They lead the dog on a CC up to the first snake. This snake was not rattling. As soon as the dog sees or smells the snake the get a strong shock, Pretty much all the dogs yelp. They brought the dog back to this same snake had shock them again when the dog recognizes the snake is there again.

Then you and the handler head to another rattle that is rattling. As soon as the dog looks at or smell the snake they get shocked. Repeat a 2nd time.
The dog is then taken to the other side of the snake from you, with the snake in the direct line to you. You call the dog, the dog should go around the snake.

Then to end the training you walk you dog toward the first snake, The dog should move away from the snake and take you with him. My 3yo Ace actually blocked me from walking closer to the snake, and made me turn. My pup, stopped looked up at me and then pulled my arm out of the socket pulling me away from the snake.

The dogs did not have much fun But a leason they will not soon forget.

 

[Toad]

Thanks again Setternut for the post and PMs! I plan to employ these methods myself with Daisy and Junie in the near future.

Any others close to Manhattan would be welcome to join me. Just PM your contact info, and I'll let you know if/when I catch a copperhead. They have been making regular appearances in the backyard, so I would guess it could be any day.

I don't know what laws might pertain to "keeping" a venomous snake, so my intention is to catch it, snake break my dogs, and then turn it loose far away from my house (pretty quickly).

 

[hunter94]

the rattlesnakes are de-fanged, something you should probably due with any posinous snake, that you are going to train with....just an FYI.

 

[Toad]

the rattlesnakes are de-fanged, something you should probably due with any posinous snake, that you are going to train with....just an FYI.

I'LL PASS ON THAT! Maybe that's a good plan for the pros, but I think I will just leave the snake in a wire cage and not go poking around in its mouth.