Snake Bites and Dogs

Dogs are naturally curious creatures, so poking around a venomous snake is definitely inviting trouble.  In some areas of the U.S., lessons on how to "Snake Train" your dog are being offered.  For a complete article on the Art of snake training, please visit HOW SNAKE TRAINING YOUR DOG WORKS .  Rattle snakes are by nature very shy, but will strike when threatened.  A sniffing dog, or one that pokes at a snake is surely going to be bitten by the snake.  That goes for people too.  Don't poke a stick at a snake, as it makes him angry and he will strike.


After the event of the Cholla cactus, I thought life would be much easier having learned about those nasty plants.  However, I would soon learn about minding my own business when it comes to other desert critters - like venomous snakes!  Yikes!

Smokey and Jodi wanted to add some flowering plants to the back yard which was completely brown stones and dirt.  One Saturday, as they were bringing in a handful of plants, Smokey stopped short in his tracks and Jodi almost ran into his back.  Because the back gate was open to allow them to come in and out easily with their plants, we dogs were inside watching through the big sliding glass doors.

"Smokey!  For Pete's sake!  I almost ran right into you," said Jodi.  Why are you stopping?"

In a softer, quieter tone, almost a whisper, Smokey said, "Look down just in front of me and don't move."

Jodi poked her head around Smokey's shoulder and almost let out a shriek, but held it back in fear of what was curled up right in front of them.  You guessed it.  A great big old rattle snake, and he was shaking his rattles in warning.  Smokey told Jodi to slowly back up and be quiet about it.  So both of them slowly moved out of the way of the reptile, and went back out through the gate with their plants in hand.

The first thing that came out of Jodi's mouth was, "Go back in there and kill that snake! He'll surely bite the dogs, and little Pug cold be killed!"  Of course, Smokey wasn't going to do any such thing.  He had had enough killing during his years in the Vietnam war, and usually tried to save all creatures.  Plus, he knew that rattle snakes were a protected species in Arizona.  There was a time when they were overly hunted for their meat and hides, thus the AZ law.

Knowing that he couldn't just leave the snake in the yard, he found a rake, went back out to where the snake was laying all curled up, and gently picked it up with the rake removing him outside of the walled fence in back yard.  The creature wasn't very happy about this and was writhing all over the rake.  We saw what was going on from inside and all three of us began to bark.

With the snake safely outside of the 6 foot walled fence, Jodi and Smokey continued bringing the new plants into the yard while we watched.  After they were done and the backyard gate was closed, Jodi opened the sliding glass door so we could go out and play while they planted their new plants.

The next morning while we were outside doing our "business", Jodi was skimming the pool for leaves and any other debris that might have fallen into the pool.  There, caught in the filter system, was our rattle snake. He had found his way back into the yard and had somehow ended up in the pool.  He was not alive to Jodi's relief.  Smokey came out, got him out of the filter and removed him to the outside of the wall.

We still didn't know what all the commotion was all about the day before, but it was then and there that Jodi and Smokey decided that all three of us dogs, Star, Cinders and me should go for snake training, especially if were were going to co-habitate with the desert wildlife.  That's where I would really learn what rattle snakes are all about! See SNAKE TRAINING .

If you live in an area where there is an abundance of venomous snakes, you may want to consider looking into the possibility of having your animals trained to stay away from them.