One of the things I've been missing since moving to Arizona is running on the trails with Wilson and Brandy. When living in Calgary, it was something that I was able to do year round. Undoubtedly there was always a risk of encountering a bear or a moose, or even a cougar - particularly out on the mountain trails - and even closer to the city, we'd frequently see coyotes, rabbits and deer out on runs around Mahogany and Fish Creek. Both Wilson and Brandy have a very high prey drive - something moves and they want to give chase, and I can certainly recall a couple of occasions where Wilson has slipped his leash and gone missing for several minutes when he's spotted deer, rabbits and the bane of his life - squirrels.
Since moving to Arizona, the trail runs have become few and far between. One of the reasons for this is the sheer desert heat - even in the winter, there have been days when it has been too hot to run with the dogs - but one of the other reasons is due to the wildlife here. Yes, there are coyotes and we've already had almost nose to nose encounters when we've been out walking around the local neighbourhood. There are also rabbits and ground squirrels which have caught the eye of both of our lovable mutts, whilst birds and lizards are attracting lots of attention and curiosity, and occasionally Andy and I are nearly dragged across the road as they attempt to give chase.
However, the one thing that I fear most when out walking or running with the dogs is snakes. Arizona is home to many species of snake of which several are venomous. They typically hide under rocks and bushes during the day, and are most active at dawn and dusk when it's cooler - which strangely enough is also the most popular time for us humans to be out and about with our pups in order to avoid the heat! Needless to say, for the past few months, I have been extremely cautious with the dogs when hiking, and although they have done runs with me, these have been short runs on the roads where snake encounters are less likely but still possible.
Prior to moving here, we did our research. We were well aware of the flora and fauna before we arrived and I think it would have been ignorant of us to move to Phoenix without first knowing anything about it. I'm not afraid of snakes or insects generally - I've spent years on camping trips with the family and experienced many a critter when I'm just about to climb in my sleeping bag! - but the thought of my dogs encountering a venomous snake and quite innocently approaching it out of curiosity, only to be bitten, is something that I was obviously keen to avoid.
I'd been reading lots about snake avoidance training in and around Phoenix, and both Andy and I were in agreement that this was something that we needed to do. The problem was that the majority of places used a shock collar to teach the dogs to stay away from snakes. The use of shock collars is something that we are normally dead set against - along with other forms of nasty collars such as prong collars and choke chains - but having read about the number of dogs that had gone through the training and seen how successful it was, we figured that a few shocks was a small price to pay if it meant that the dogs had a lifetime of protection from harm. There were other methods of training out there - one used a combination of fake snake toys and elements of basic obedience and agility training to make things more fun, but it would take 8 weeks to complete the program and relied on the owners being around the dogs to give the correct commands to get the dog to move away from a snake should one be encountered. It would take too long, and as we sometimes walk our dogs on our own, it can be difficult to keep an eye on both of them at the same time when they are both chasing after smells in opposite directions.
We watched videos of the e-collar approach some of which upset us, others which made us feel relieved, and we generally felt that completing the training was a necessity even if shock collars are used. With studying for a diploma in dog behaviour, I had a good understanding of how dogs learn and how their brain works.
The rattlesnake avoidance training involves the use of live rattlesnakes and the use of negative reinforcement through the shock collars, to condition the dogs to avoid the snakes based on the scent of the snake, and the sound of the rattle. The enforcer has to be harsh enough to make the dog associate it with the snake smell and sound, so that it frightens them and they avoid all contact with them in the future. In most cases it is very effective, but there are occasions where further refresher training is required more frequently, particularly with certain types of dogs.
Today was the day that I took Wilson and Brandy for their Snake Avoidance Training at Partners Dog Training in Cave Creek. I felt really bad driving there - both dogs had woken up very happy and excited, and I was feeling somewhat guilty knowing what was ahead. The thought of them receiving an electric shock was upsetting me, but I knew that it was a means to an end and hopefully the training would be effective.
As I pulled in to the car park, both dogs started howling in excitement. The training centre was right next door to where Wilson does agility classes, and both do lure coursing, and I honestly think they thought we were there for more fun reasons. Yet as soon as they got out of the car, they settled down pretty much straight away despite there being several other dogs in the vicinity. I think somehow they sensed that this visit was different and maybe it wasn't going to be as much fun as anticipated. It didn't help that in a shaded tree area about 100 metres down the dirt track, there were yelps and barks coming from the other dogs that were currently being put through their training.
I waited anxiously, wondering how on earth our two were going to get on, but each time a dog came trotting out of the trees with the instructor, I felt reassured as they gave feedback to the owners on how the dogs had got on, whilst the dogs were absolutely fine with just a couple coming back with tails between their legs and not eager to go through the experience again.
Then it was our turn. Each dog is taken individually so as not to feed off the reactions of other dogs, and with Wilson being what I thought to be the most nervous and timid of our two, we opted to send Brandy first. Having placed the collar on her along with a 20 feet leash, the instructor attempted to walk her into the trees to confront the snakes. Except Brandy had other ideas. She pulled in the opposite direction and when that didn't work, she promptly sat down, absolutely refusing to go anywhere with a complete stranger, and certainly not into an area where she had seen dogs walking out and not looking too happy. She was so anxious that we had to let her settle down before we commenced the training - her mind was elsewhere and the trainer openly told us that if she went in now, it would not work as she was far too worried about where Wilson and I were to be focused enough on recognising what a snake was.
We let a few more dogs go before us, and then it was agreed that I would need to go into the "snake pit" with them. This time, Brandy walked far more confidently even though I wasn't holding the leash, but she seemed far more relaxed with me being with her.
The first test was to get her used to the rattle of the rattlesnake. I was asked to walk up to the snake (it was in an enclosed cage for safety reasons), with the intention being that Brandy would want to follow me. Sure enough she did and after I stepped out of the way and the snake started to rattle intensely, Brandy's curiosity got the better of her and she went over to take a look. At that point, she received the electric shock - apparently at level 3 - and whilst it made her hesitate just for a second, she then went back to take a closer look at the snake. At level 4, she still didn't back away, so I was asked to move away and then walk back towards the snake. Brandy followed, and then on our return , she received a higher level shock. This time she jumped and tried to grab the leash. Success! We tried this a couple more times, but Brandy was being downright stubborn - she was happy to tolerate a little shock so they had to increase the intensity to make it effective. I could see that it wasn't hurting her - she never yelped once and I could tell that it was more of a discomfort than anything, so I felt far more relaxed about it being used for this purpose.
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| Live rattlesnake in a cage - dogs are led up to this, causing the snake to "rattle", and the dog receives a shock to associate the noise with something unpleasant (taken from Partners Dog Training FB Page) |
Typically, snakes can hang out in drain holes, alongside buildings or under rocks, so the next stage was to walk her through a "desert area", where a snake had been placed in a drain hole. This would test her reaction to the smell of a rattlesnake. It was pretty clear that Brandy could smell something in there, and she went over to take a sniff. The first of several shocks then followed, but every time Brandy went back to sniff some more despite the increasing intensity. She seemed very resilient to the e-collar, and it certainly wasn't causing her any pain. When it got too much, she tried to grab at the leash, but eventually she learnt to steer clear of the drain and she was once again reluctant to get too much closer.
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| Leading the dog up to a rattlesnake in the ground - this time the focus is on the smell, and teaching teh dog to steer clear when they smell a rattler (Partners FB Page) |
The instructor was happy with how the training had gone, but he did stipulate that the training was on the brink of being unsuccessful. He informed us that Brandy is far too stubborn and has her own mind.She's willing to tolerate some discomfort and will go back for more, but he did say that she had eventually made the association, although it had taken longer than normal.
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| Getting them used to avoiding the smell of rattlesnakes - this time using an e-collar to associate with smell (Partners FB Page) |
Wilson was up next and as I watched him walk in to the training area, he was already nervous. He wasn't pulling back or sitting down like Brandy, but he clearly didn't feel comfortable with strangers. I didn't get to see how Wilson coped, but I did hear him yelp a couple of times which completely broke my heart. 10 minutes later he headed back out, pulling on the leash in a desperate attempt to get away. The feedback on Wilson seemed more reassuring to some degree. He was now terrified of the rattle and wouldn't go anywhere near when he heard it, but because he was so nervous about being around strange people, they were unable to do the scent test with him as he had lost his focus and just wanted to escape.
The overall verdict was that both dogs needed to go back for refresher training, and that in the meantime, they need to get used to walking with different people on the leash. Their nerves at being around others meant that they were unable to learn effectively, so we needed to introduce them to as many people as possible, and encourage them to be left alone with them for a short time and become less reliant on us.
I think Partners did a great job in helping to "snake proof"our dogs and I'm glad that we took that leap of faith, despite our reservations about the methods used. I guess now that the snake avoidance training is done, I kind of feel more at ease about taking them out running again on the trails, but I will be honest and say that I still don't trust Wilson and Brandy 100% to avoid snakes. I think their nerves and anxieties prevented them from making the most of the training, and I want to take them back again in a few weeks time to see if they remember, and to watch how they react next time. I'd also be interested to take them to a venue that they don't associate with lure coursing and agility, and where they will walk confidently with other people rather than shy away.
For now though, I will feel somewhat more relaxed - if not 100% more confident - about hiking and running the beautiful trails around here with the pups in tow, and hopefully we'll avoid any unwanted encounters by working together and being observant of what's going on around us.
Next on the agenda - how do we stop them getting curious about toxic toads when the rains come...?!
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