How to Teach Your Dog to Avoid Snakes: Aversion Training & Tips

Do you live in an area infested with venomous snakes? You are probably worried that your dog may encounter one when taking it out on a walk or while strolling alone in your yard.

Most snakes will not bite unless provoked. But since your canine is naturally curious, the sight of the moving reptile will instinctively make them want to play, chew, or kill it. That will force the snake to respond to the threat through biting.

Fortunately, there are several methods you can use to protect your dog from such life-threatening situations. Below, we provide a step-by-step guide on two effective techniques you can apply. Read on to learn how you can teach your dog to avoid snakes.

Preparing for Snake Avoidance Training for Dogs

We highly recommend your dog already be trained in basic obedience. Having your dog sit and stay is essential for this training. However, the training also assumes that your dog has a pretty decent recall and a target command. We’ll be having your dog come back to you when encountering the snake. Therefore, their recall should be reliable (or you’ll never be able to apply it to snakes).

You’ll also need to have a kennel or someplace to put your dog after the snake is encountered. Even if your dog avoids the snake the first time, you shouldn’t chance it by letting your dog revisit the snake. Therefore, we highly recommend putting your dog somewhere safe until the snake leaves the area. Of course, this may be your house, as well.

You’ll also need to get some rubber snakes. Aim for various sizes and colors, as you want to train your dog to avoid all snakes. Canisters of snake odor are also useful. You can use snake skins, urine, and even dead snakes. Concentrate on snakes native to your region. Sometimes, local zoos or nature centers may have these items available.

The 7 Steps on How to Teach Your Dog to Avoid Venomous Snakes

1. Train a Reliable Sequence

First, you want to train your dog to recall and then go into their house or kennel. If your dog already knows a recall command and is familiar with their kennel (or house), then this step shouldn’t be too difficult. Simply recall your dog when outside and then go into the safe space. Do this over and over again until your dog does it almost automatically.

You want your dog to do this step easily and efficiently. Otherwise, you may find that your canine struggles when distractions are added.

2. Move the Training to a High-Risk Area

Next, transfer this training to an area where snakes may be found. If your property is grassy and may contain snakes, then you can continue working on your property. However, it helps to practice on a nature trail and other public areas where snakes may be found. Train when distractions are likely to be minimal.

Then, simply recall your dog and take them to a safe place. In a public situation, this is likely to be your car. Of course, remember to reward your dog each step of the way.

3. Link the Recall to the Snake

Now, you’ll need to rig a rubber snake up to make it seem like it moves in a realistic manner. To do this, you’ll need an extra pair of hands. Attach the rubber snake to a fishing line, preferably long enough so that the other person can be out of view. Practice a few times to ensure that the movement and rigging work.

Once you’re ready, bring the dog into the area. Let the dog explore a bit and hang out so that they get used to their environment. Your dog will recall more reliably if they are already used to the environment. Eventually, bring your dog into the area with the snake. Move the snake across the dog’s path whenever they are within visual range. When your dog sees the snake, sound the recall cue and take the dog to the safe space.

Finally, you’ll want to practice this several times to ensure that your dog begins to associate the snake with the recall. You want the snake to be the recall signal, in other words.

4. Practice with Other Types of Snakes

We recommend practicing with several different snakes, as well. Using a range of colors and sizes helps ensure that your dog recognizes them all as snakes. Vary the movement as much as possible, as well.

Often, it takes a few tries to get your dog to re-respond after switching the visual cue. The best way to approach this is to re-train the dog when you switch visual cues. Once your dog has learned to avoid a few different types of snakes, they should reliably avoid all types of snakes.

(Some dogs have more difficulty with this than others. Some dogs automatically see all snakes as snakes, while others may need to be trained on different visual appearances.)

5. Add in the Scent

Once your dog responds to the snake visual reliably, it’s time to add in scent. Preferably, your dog should avoid a snake when they see or smell one. This prevents your dog from accidentally stepping on a mobile snake (most of the time, anyway).

Simply put the canister in a place where a real snake may end up. Once the dog sniffs it, issue the recall command. Do this over and over until your dog starts to recall whenever they sniff the canister.

To make sure your dog is trained on the scent (and not the canister), practice with several dummy canisters too. Place the real canister and several fake ones around a field. Only issue the recall command when your dog smells the snake canister.

6. Add Variety

Now, all that’s left to do is add variety to the exercise. You want your dog to avoid the snake no matter what it looks or smells like. The best way to do this is to use many different types of rubber snakes and snake scents. Use snake skins, dead snakes, and snake urine (if available). The more things your dog learns to recall to, the less likely they are to avoid the recall with a real snake.

You should use both the scent and visual in some cases. In other cases, use just one or the other.

7. Add in Some “Rest” Days

When you’re cueing your dog to recall all the time, your dog can become hyper-adjusted to the command. It’s at the forefront of their mind, making it easier for the training to succeed. However, you want your canine to avoid real snakes no matter when the last practice day was. Therefore, once your dog reliably recalls when a snake is spotted or smelled, it’s time to add some rest days.

Start by having a single normal outing where a snake recall isn’t issued. Then, practice the recall the following day. Once your dog still responds, slowly elongate the time between trainings. It helps to keep your dog as practiced as possible, but training a snake recall every day (or even once a week) isn’t practical.

How to Keep Snakes Away from Your Dog

Training your dogs to avoid snakes is essential. But you can still take additional precautions if you live in an area heavily infested with snakes.

Does an Already Bitten Dog Require Training?

Yes. You should train your dog to avoid snakes, whether they have suffered bites or not. It may take a long time for the symptoms to appear after the attack, and your dog won’t understand that it got unwell because of the bite.

Do You Need to Use Venomous Snakes?

No. You don’t need to use venomous snakes when training your dog. That’s because the canine won’t distinguish harmless snakes from venomous ones but will stay away from all.

Conclusion

80% of dogs can survive a snake bite if treated early. However, you might not be around to respond promptly, and survival is not guaranteed even after making it to the vet. Therefore, training your dog to avoid snakes is essential.

Training your dog to respond to the “leave it” command whenever it encounters a snake is one straightforward method you can use. But the technique is unreliable if you are not present during the encounter.

On the other hand, the electric collar will allow you to train your dogs to avoid snakes even when alone. It uses a combination of positive and negative reinforcement. Although reliable, you should be careful when employing the technique since complications can occur.

• Related Read:Best Dog Training Treats 

Featured Image Credit: Tharaka Wickramarathna, Shutterstock