Rattlesnake Avoidance Training for Dogs in Arizona
- Keep your dog safe
- Keep your family safe
- Snakebites can cost $3k+
- One session is all it takes — under $110 per dog
- Refreshers recommended annually
Sign Up Process
- Choose First Timer or Refresher
- Select a Location (Cave Creek or Scottsdale)
- Select Date/Time, Click "Add A Time" For Additional Dogs
- Fill Out Appointment Form and Submit!
About Our Rattlesnake Avoidance Training
A short introductory paragraph.
What is Partners Snake Avoidance Training?
At Partners Snake Avoidance, we train a negative association to the scent and sound of a rattlesnake using a small "stim" on an e-collar. That subsequently trains your dog to avoid rattlesnakes whenever he/she recognizes the scent or sound of a rattlesnake.
"After training, our first occasionally ran into snakes on trails, and would not approach them at all. She often let us know there was a snake up ahead, before we knew it ourselves. It's a must for dog owners who love their fur babies!"
- Karen B.
Raising Rattlesnake Avoidance Training Standards
There are a lot of variables that come into play with Rattlesnake Avoidance Training. Far too many to list. Therefore, we require our Lead Rattlesnake Avoidance Instructors to undergo a minimum of two years of training in order to properly read and adapt to all of the situations that can occur.
"We've gone to Partners for 6 years for our annual snake proofing and they never fail to excel! The trainers are very nice and conscious of your dog's quirks/issues, and ensure they pass the test."
- Julie S.
Only The Best For Your Dog
We have your dog's life in our hands, and we take that very seriously. That is why only the best of the best trainers are hand-picked to be a part of our Partners Snake Avoidance. These high standards are set to achieve the best results with your dog.
"Everyone we worked with was very professional, and you can tell they truly care about the well-being and safety of your dog. Within one, 20 minute training session, Sandy wouldn't go near or look at the snakes."
- Kimberly H.
Our Experienced Rattlesnake Avoidance Trainers
Partners Snake Avoidance is one of the first dog schools to ever do Rattlesnake Avoidance Training. Since the early 2000s, we have trained over 18,000 dogs to avoid rattlesnakes. We pass that experience onto you and ensure that every dog is trained to the best of our ability.
"We have 2 dogs who were trained by Partners for Snake Avoidance. It was done quickly and with no discomfort to our pups."
- Paul K.
Learn More About Rattlesnake Avoidance Training for Dogs
Watch this brief video to learn all about the snake avoidance process and how just a few minutes of training can keep you and your dog safe in the desert.
How Snake Avoidance Works
Check-In
- When you arrive at Partners Snake Avoidance, you will check-in with one of our team members
- We schedule each time slot individually so there is typically only a queue of 3-4 dogs
- We will pair you with a trainer and they will put our equipment onto your dog
- We will ask you a few questions before we begin training such as your dog's age, background, and if they have any medical issues
- Once your dog has had a few minutes to get settled, we will begin training!
Training
- Next, you and your dog will accompany our Trainer back to our training area
- Our Instructor will guide the Trainer and your dog through the session while explaining to you what we are seeing
- Our goal is to teach your dog an avoidance towards the Scent and Sound of a Rattlesnake
- When your dog is confronted with a live, Diamondback Rattlesnake and shows curiosity, we will give a small stim with an e-collar to train an acute negative association
- Then our Trainer will run your dog away from the Rattlesnake in order to encourage a flight response
- The process is repeated several times around our desert habitat
Debrief and Refreshers
- Our Instructor will explain how your dog performed during training
- We assess the type of default response your dog showed (Fight, Flight, Free, Fawn)
- We explain any other variables that may affect your dog's response in the future
- The Instructor will recommend when your dog should come back in for a refresher
- Refreshers are typically recommended 1-2 times per year
Testimonials
“Living near Cave Creek, rattlesnake season is a real concern and we bring both of our dogs to Partners every spring for their refresher. In four years neither dog has ever gone near a snake on the trail. The trainers explain the whole process clearly and the whole thing takes under 30 minutes.”
– Greg and Tina O.
“I was nervous about the e-collar but the trainer let me feel the stim myself before they used it on my Labrador and it was nothing - a light tap at most. Two weeks after training, Ranger turned away from a small rattler we encountered hiking in the McDowell Mountains. That 20-minute session was worth every penny.”
– Denise W.
“Our Border Collie had high prey drive and I was genuinely worried the training wouldn't stick. The Partners instructor read him perfectly, adjusted the session accordingly, and he passed. That was 14 months ago and he still gives snakes a wide berth. We'll be back for the annual refresher every year.”
– Ryan C.
Frequently Asked Questions
Your dog should be at least 6 months old for Rattlesnake Avoidance Training. We have found that dogs younger than that are generally not mature enough for training to be effective. We have no breed limitations, but of course, the dog's ability to hear or smell will contribute to the efficacy of training. Dogs with high prey drive may need extra attention during the session, and our trainers are experienced in adapting to that.
We do use E-Collars for Rattlesnake Avoidance training as we believe they are the most effective way to create a negative association between the dog and the Rattlesnake. However, we use the minimum amount of energy needed to get the desired response of either avoidance, or a flight response.
The electric stim from the "e-collar" does not harm the dog in any way. Quite frankly, pain is a very poor way to train behavior as it tends to shut dogs down. We welcome our clients to test the "e-collar" on themselves, and we even test it on ourselves before every session.
Yes! As long as it doesn't distract them (or us) from the training. Obviously, your dog's success is our primary goal.
Yes. Our rattlesnakes are live and intact, meaning we do not defang or milk them. We want to maintain the most natural scenario possible. However, our snakes are in double mesh wire cages so there is NO way they can get to your dog.
We recommend refreshers every 6 months to 1 year.
Rattlesnake Avoidance Training will only work for live Rattlesnakes. The training does not work for other types of snakes or dead Rattlesnakes.
Yes. The benefit to getting the Rattlesnake vaccine is it buys you more time to get to the vet if your dog is bitten. Always consult your veterinarian for eligibility. Rattlesnake Avoidance Training and the vaccine work best together as a complete Arizona desert safety plan.
We use our own equipment to ensure your dog doesn't associate your leash and collar to the training. We want the training to be between the dog and the rattlesnake.
We prefer to have our handlers run your dog through training to ensure focus and proper technique.
Unfortunately, we can never guarantee how your dog will respond "out in the wild." However, we can say that we have a 95% success rate during training, and have 100s of testimonials of dogs avoiding rattlesnakes in the wild. With 18,000+ dogs trained, we are by far the most experienced trainer in the valley. Sessions are available at our Scottsdale and Cave Creek locations. Book your session today.
You should always seek immediate medical attention with a snakebite. The quicker you can take your dog to the vet the better chance they have of survival. This is also why we recommend the Rattlesnake vaccine in addition to avoidance training - and why DaySchool members who hike or spend time outdoors should strongly consider booking a session.