Sun News
The class that teaches protection, aversion training - for dogs
According to Outside Magazine, rattlesnakes bite 150,000 pets each year in the U.S.
Ten species of rattlesnakes call New Mexico home: the Western Diamondback Ratlesnake, the Prairie Rattlesnake, the Eastern Black-Tailed Rattlesnake, the New Mexico Ridge-Nosed Rat-tlesnake, the Northern Black-Tailed Rattlesnake, the Mojave Rattlesnake, the Rock Rattlesnake, the Tiger rattlesnake, the Western Massasauga, and the Arizona Black Rattlesnake.
Rattlesnakes have a variety of habitats, including grasslands, scrub brushes, swamps, forests, and deserts. They like to hide in shady places, such as under logs, rocks, in bushes, or even un-der the foundation of buildings. With all of New Mexico’s wide-open areas, walking trails, and warm weather, it’s a prime location for the cold-blooded creatures.
It’s common for hikers to run into the animals when they’re out and about with their dogs, but what happens when a dog is bit by one?
TAKING PET
PRECAUTIONS
If a rattlesnake bites a dog, severe localized swelling can occur at the site of the puncture wound, most commonly on a dog’s face or limbs. Twenty to 30% of all rattlesnake bites to pets are dry-bites, meaning that no venom is released, but that doesn’t mean the situation isn’t still serious. Dry-bites can still cause bleeding, limping, a change in breathing, or muscle tremors.
Veterinarian Emily Spulak, who works at the Cedar Animal Medical Center in Gallup, said it’s very important that dog owners get their animals to a vet as soon as possible after they’ve been bitten by a rattlesnake.
“Probably the most important thing is to try and get them to a vet as soon as possible,” she said. “It’s a little difficult if you’re out and about and you have a way to go to get to a vet, but the sooner you can get them to a vet the better.”
In the meantime, she said it’s important to keep the dog calm. If the dog will allow it, owners should try cleaning the wound. This could help get some of the venom out and keep it from get-ting infected. But if it’s too painful and the dog won’t let you near the wound, let it be.
While on the way to the vet, owners should try to keep the affected area lower than the dog’s heart, that way the blood containing any venom won’t rush to the vital organ. Excessive move-ment will increase blood flow, causing the venom to circulate faster, so it’s best to just keep the dog as calm as possible.
Swelling can occur, but Spulak said it’s only truly a problem if the bite occurred on the dog’s face. A swelled-up face can lead to breathing problems, which can increase the dog’s chance of dying from the injury.
Spulak said a rattlesnake bite doesn’t mean instantaneous death for a dog, but the dog’s survival rate often depends on its size and how much venom got into its bloodstream.
“If dogs get a pretty big dose of venom and it’s a smaller dog, those dogs could die pretty quick-ly, like within a few hours to 24 hours,” she said. “Some dogs, such as bigger dogs or dogs who didn’t get as much venom, maybe don’t die right away or don’t die at all. There are definitely dogs that don’t get treated and get bit by snakes and it’s painful and they feel like crap for a while and then they get better.”
Spulak said the best thing owners can do to prevent rattlesnake bites is just being aware of their surroundings when on a hike with their dog. Hikers shouldn’t tromp through bushes, as a rattle-snake may be hiding in there. People should also keep their dogs on a leash to keep them from running off and potentially getting bit.
If your dog does get bit, most veterinarians in the Southwest carry anti-venom.
But what's an owner to do if their dog is bitten at night? In rural areas, getting to an emergency vet's office could take hours. Babette Herrmann, treasurer for Four Corners Pet Alliance, rec-ommends administering liquid Benadryl to help reduce inflammation and avoid anaphylactic shock.
"I would rather be safe than sorry. I have been fostering for years, and Benydral has helped us curtail possibly bad outcomes due to allergic reactions," Herrmann said. "No matter what, get your dog to a vet right away. Rattlesnake bites are serious and can be fatal if not immediately treated."
RATTLESNAKE
VACCINE
Spulak recommends that any dog who is often outside and has a chance of getting bit should take a rattlesnake vaccine.
The vaccine is specifically designed to produce antibodies against the venom of a Western Di-amondback, which is one of the most common snakes found in New Mexico. Dogs that have taken the vaccine will experience less pain and swelling if they’re bit by a rattlesnake, and they may require less anti-venom, which can be costly and produce side effects.
“It doesn’t necessarily stop them from having signs of a rattlesnake bite, but it helps to lessen the symptoms, and it makes it less likely that they would die,” she said. “I think it’s helpful for dogs, especially dogs that are out and about and could come in contact with a rattlesnake be-cause it gives owners more time to get them somewhere.”
The vaccine is initially administered in two doses, with the booster needed about three weeks after the first dose. After that, dogs would need an annual booster every year, typically in the spring at the beginning of rattlesnake season.
RATTLESNAKE
ADVERSION
TRAINING
One way some people keep their dogs safe from rattlesnake bites is rattlesnake aversion train-ing. Dogs can be taught to recognize a rattlesnake’s sound and smell and learn to keep a safe distance.
Spulak said she doesn’t think rattlesnake aversion training is a fool-proof way to prevent rattle-snake bites, but she doesn’t think people shouldn’t try it out if they’re interested.
“I think sometimes [the training can fail] because [the dogs] jump in a bush and spook a snake or something unexpected happens, but I do think rattlesnake aversion training is very helpful,” she said.
One of the closest rattlesnake aversion training classes is offered in Santa Fe. Sean McGann has been teaching people how to train their dogs to recognize the sound and smell of a rattlesnake for three years now. He runs his own company, Snake Dog, LLC.
In an interview with the Sun, McGann explained why he thinks rattlesnake aversion training is something a dog owner should invest in.
“New Mexico is one of the most dog-friendly states in the U.S., and there’s 10 types of rattle-snakes here,” he said. “They’re dangerous, and they’re not out looking for trouble with humans or dogs but hiking trails and recreational areas are just natural areas where the two come to-gether. I just think [the training] is a really good investment in your dog’s safety, especially considering how common rattlesnakes are around here.”
The classes McGann teaches typically range from a group of about four to 10 dogs, and last about three-and-a-half hours.
HOW THE TRAINING
WORKS
McGann starts the class with only the owners. After he collects the required waivers, he brings out the snakes in glass jars and gives the people a chance to observe them and get comfortable.
He spends about 20 minutes explaining the physiology of rattlesnakes and what their role in the New Mexico ecosystem is. He said he tries to show people that the snakes aren’t “scary” or “bad.” He also gives people tips on how to minimize their chances of either them or their dog getting bit by a snake. One of those tips is possibly changing up your walking schedule.
“If you’re worried about your dog, maximize your chances of not coming in contact with a rat-tlesnake by going outside when it’s either really cold or really hot,” McGann said. “Nobody wants to take their dogs out in the heat of the day, but that’s when rattlesnakes are tucked away trying to get out of the sun.”
McGann lets people ask as many questions as they want about the snake, then he goes over how the class will work before the owners go get their dogs.
Once the owners have retrieved their dogs, McGann lets them decide which owner and dog pair-ing will go first. After the pecking order is decided, McGann hides the two rattlesnakes he al-ways brings with him for the training sessions, a Prairie Rattlesnake and a Western Diamond-back.
Then, the owners and their dogs take turns completing the training.
An owner and their dog will start by walking into the training area. They do not know exactly where the snake is at this point, but McGann does. He walks ahead of them and directs them to circle a particular bush in a certain direction.
The dog can’t see the snake, or the glass jar that it’s in. But they can hear it, and they can smell it.
During the training session, McGann requires that all the dogs wear e-collars, which he pro-vides. Once they’ve caught the rattlesnake’s scent, he will instruct the owner to shock the dog. The goal here is to create a strong association with pain in the presence of rattlesnakes.
On his website, McGann addresses any concerns people may have about using e-collars during the training.
“We understand that this may sound horrible to some pet owners, and we can sympathize,” the website states. “However, our job is to do our best to prevent your pet from developing any in-terest in rattlesnakes. We believe this is the best way to do so.”
After the dog encounters the first snake, it is allowed to approach the second snake, and the pro-cess is repeated. McGann said most dogs begin to understand what’s going on after they’re shocked a second time, but that he’s willing to do the exercise as many times as needed so that the dog can truly understand the concept.
Part of the training is getting people to recognize their dogs’ cues for fear and/or nervousness. McGann said he wants people to notice when their dogs are afraid because that’s them saying something is wrong.
“I truly do find that teaching a human to trust a dog is the hardest part of the whole class,” McGann said. “But once they get it it’s amazing to see someone go ‘Oh my god, my dog just told me it’s afraid of something over there. …”
After all the dogs and owners have gone through the training, McGann will put them through a test. He takes one of the rattlesnakes away and puts the other one in a new area that they haven’t used for the training portion of the class.
One of the key factors for the training is the wind. A dog picks up a rattlesnake’s scent on the wind. Part of the test is having the owners consider the direction in which the wind is blowing. McGann helps them out by using visual tools, such as marking tape.
The goal is for the owner to pick up on the dog’s behavior and move them out of the scent zone and thus away from the rattlesnake.
McGann said it’s easy to tell when a dog has passed the test, but harder to note if an owner has picked up what their dog is trying to tell them.
“A dog can know there’s danger nearby, but if it’s on a leash it can only move so far,” McGann said. “So, without the human help, the dog - or the human - might get too close to the rattle-snake.”
HOW HE GOT
INVOLVED WITH
RATTLESNAKES
Growing up, McGann didn’t plan on becoming a dog trainer or a snake wrangler. He grew up in rural New Hampshire and spent most of his childhood running around the local woods with friends.
But his journey with dog training and rattlesnakes didn’t start until about 10 years ago, when he adopted a dog that he described as one who “desperately needed a job.” He said the dog was extremely friendly, but she had way too much energy.
A friend of his recommended he join a search and rescue team with his dog. He helped out a federal team for six years before his life changed again.
He met a fellow dog trainer, and they became fast friends. They trained a lot of dogs together, and eventually, the man gave McGann another dog. This dog was trained in rattlesnake detec-tion.
Once he received this dog, McGann knew he had to do something with it. So, he called up the New Mexico Film Office and offered up his services.
Movie sets in New Mexico are required to have a snake wrangler on set when they’re shooting outside. And McGann thought: Why couldn’t his dog help out?
“I offered them something they’d never seen or heard of: a dog who is trained to find rattle-snakes,” McGann said. “And if you think about it, the odds of a human finding a rattlesnake versus a dog, of course you would choose a dog. A dog can smell it from a mile away; a hu-man’s not going to see it until it’s too late.”
He presented his services to multiple location managers, but only one said yes. However, that “yes” didn’t mean his path was clear.
When they heard what he was doing, McGann received some pushback from the Humane Socie-ty of the U.S. They were worried that making a dog search for snakes was harmful and possibly inhumane. At the time, dogs were not allowed on a movie set unless they were talent.
“I had a lot of horn-locking conversations with the American Humane Society telling them ‘This dog is not being inhumanely treated. You have to understand, you could put 10 rattlesnake wranglers out in a field looking for a rattlesnake, and the chances of one of them getting bit is much higher than if this dog goes out there and finds it because she’s basically trained to locate it within 10 feet.’ She’s trained to know where it is but not to get too close,” McGann explained.
INFORMATION
ABOUT
THE CLASS
That experience with his first rattlesnake-detecting dog led McGann to an idea: what if he taught other people and their dogs how to recognize the smell and sounds of a rattlesnake? He had that thought three years ago, and now he offers his services to other dog owners in New Mexico.
He offers his classes in Santa Fe on Sundays only, because he does have a full-time job working for the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Dog owners can sign up for a class by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . McGann will come to the owners’ homes or to a predetermined open location, such as a field.
His ideal group size is four to six dogs, so he recommends that people invite their friends to join. But he is willing to work one-on-one with a dog for an extra fee. The normal class fee is $150.
He is open to traveling outside of Santa Fe if people are interested in doing a class somewhere else in New Mexico, but it will cost extra: he charges 64 cents per every mile for any round trip he would take.
For more information about McGann’s rattlesnake aversion training, visit his website at snakedog.co.
By Molly Ann Howell
Managing Editor
