WHAT IS Canine RATTLESNAKE AVERSION TRAINING?

Every single dog is different, so we can not guarantee a specific result. However, our type of Aversion Training is the only effective method for dogs and has the highest chance of success of any Aversion Training method. It is highly effective. 

Payson (or within 100 miles)

Initial Training: $125.00 (first dog), $115 (additional dogs)

Refresher Training: $75.00

House Calls (additional):

• Payson (or within 10 miles of Payson): $25.00
• 10-25 miles: $35.00
• 25-40 miles: $50.00
• 40-60 miles: $75.00
• 60-80 miles: $100.00
• 80-100 miles: $125.00

Over 100 Miles from Payson

Initial Training: $140.00 (first dog), $130.00 (additional dogs)

Refresher Training: $75.00

There are no mileage fees for our events in Rural and Greater Arizona. 

Why does it cost more if you are over 100 miles from Payson?

We are based in Payson, so traveling to Yuma, Kingman, Bisbee, and beyond comes with many additional expenses (hotels, gas, supplies, insurance, etc). Our type of training (which uses live, muzzled rattlesnakes and is one-on-one) is generally not available in Greater and Rural Arizona, and we are committed to serving all of Arizona, but it costs slightly more to do so. 

First, understand that your dog is not being electrocuted. It is receiving a mild static shock. This is not to say it is not unpleasant, or even potentially painful, but it lasts less than a second. When used correctly, your dog will not be harmed. In fact, modern collars have safety mechanisms to prevent this. 

Have you ever shocked yourself with static on a cold, dry winter day? Or, perhaps putting fresh clothes on straight from the dryer? Maybe you used to put socks on your feet and rub them against the carpet to "zap" your brothers and sisters? That's what your dog is experiencing... pretty mild, right?

Injuries from static collars generally occur from prolonged use (pressure wounds from leaving the bulky collar on for days at a time). Your dog will wear it for approximately 15 minutes. 

Don't worry, your dog will not hate you. Dogs are intelligent enough to associate the static correction with the Rattlesnake. They do not think you are doing it for "fun," they think the Rattlesnake did it. Dogs also respond to clear directions (have you ever seen that very confused look on your dog's face if you give it multiple commands in quick succession?), and it does not get clearer than Aversion Training. 

As always, if you have concerns about your dog's participation due to age, health concerns, or otherwise, please contact your Vet for advice. 

One - yours. 

Generally, less than 30 minutes from check-in to graduation (per dog). 

We can conduct house calls within 100 miles of Payson but don't worry if you are beyond that: Arizona Rattlesnake Aversion has regularly scheduled training throughout Greater and Rural Arizona. Check the Schedule for upcoming towns, and reach out to us if you want us to add your community. 

If you want to come to Payson for Training (offered at least one day/week), or if you want to schedule a house call (within 100 miles of Payson) at a time convenient for you, please reach out to us to book a time. 

The most common responses from a dog to mild static correction are:

• Little more than a confused look.
• A small bark or yelp. Some dogs are very melodramatic (looking at you Chihuahuas) and others barely flinch.
• A dog may jump. The best way to describe it is like when a person is frightened suddenly and jumps. 
• A dog may run and pull away from you. This is why they remain leashed the entire time. 

Don't worry! As soon as they show the right response you can praise them and hug them and tell them how well they did. We use the bare minimum of force required to ensure an effective lesson. 

We understand that many people out there are vehemently opposed to the use of Static Shock Collars under ANY circumstances, and they are entitled to that opinion (in any other situation, we may agree). 

We are not in the business of engaging in debates, we are in the business of saving dog's lives. What we will say is this: 

• No one who has lost their dog to a Rattlesnake strike has ever said "but at least I didn't shock my dog," and
• Google some images of AVOIDABLE Rattlesnake bites. 

At the end of the day, the idea that you can compare the "cruelty" of a mild static correction with the "cruelty" of an avoidable Rattlesnake bite, and come up with the answer "Aversion Training is the problem," is ridiculous. 

Dogs younger than six months should not receive Rattlesnake Aversion Training. Concerns regarding age or health should be directed to a Veterinarian. 

Contrary to popular belief, Rattlesnakes do not really "chase" people, they are shy and very defensive animals. 

Think about it: they want to attack things so little that they have a built-in alarm to let you know when they are getting angry so they don't have to. 

The stories you hear of people being chased are largely exaggeration and misunderstanding (if you are between a Rattlesnake and its favorite hiding spot, it may not stop just because you are there. This often gives the impression that they chase people, but, in reality, you scared them and are now standing between them and their hide). 

Remember, they are also muzzled, and you will have a trained Venomous Snake Handler right beside you the whole time who can remove the snake if you feel uncomfortable.  

So, If Rattlesnakes are shy and defensive, why do I need my dog trained? Well, the difference between us and our dogs (and why they are 20 times more likely to get bit), is that they will happily lick, sniff, and bury their nose in a Rattlesnake (often while leashed, before you even realize there is a snake there). Rattlesnakes may be shy and defensive, but even their generally patient nature has limits. 

100% YES!

The vaccine may be able to lessen the impacts of a bite, and/or, give you more time to seek veterinary treatment. However, it DOES NOT replace the need for medical treatment in the event of a bite, and it DOES NOT stop a bite from being a terribly painful, traumatizing, and life-threatening situation for your dog. 

Even if your dog has had the vaccine, stop a bite before it happens with Aversion Training. 

YES!

There are dogs who have been struck by Rattlesnakes 2, 3, and even 4 times. This is because the Rattlesnake bite is not particularly painful... at least initially - their fangs are not huge and it is quicker than the blink of an eye.  

What this means is, several seconds to several minutes could pass by before your dog begins to feel the incredibly painful effects of the bite. Unfortunately, this intervening time is enough for them to never associate the experience with the actual Rattlesnake. In other words, if your dog is bitten by a Rattlesnake, by the time it starts to feel the pain it may have completely forgotten that it was a Rattlesnake that caused it. 

Rattlesnake Aversion Training makes an immediate connection between Rattlesnakes and correction. 

We recommend doing a follow-up training every year. 

Even though many dogs will last years without requiring retraining, we will not know until we test them. We do not want that first "test" to be years after your training when your dog is alone in your yard with a wild Rattlesnake. 

Making an appointment yearly for a check-up is the best way to keep your dog safe. Follow-up training is offered at a discounted rate. 

Generally not. Because of our multi-step (appearance, scent, and sound) process, dogs typically develop an aversion to Pit Vipers only (Rattlesnakes in North America). Of course, every dog is different, and there is a chance they may confuse harmless snakes with Rattlesnakes and respond accordingly, but it is usually just to Rattlesnakes. 

If your dog is generally very timid and cautious, it will be more likely that they are occasionally scared by other snakes (or things that look like them) following training. Just make sure you let us know if your dog is particularly timid and we will adjust how we train them accordingly.  

Our Pup, Carl, is a Chihuahua who has had Aversion Training and happily lives in a house with several dozen non-venomous snakes (Rattlesnakes are kept in a separate structure to avoid him thinking there are Rattlesnakes in the house), he will even lie next to a six-foot Boa and enjoy his heat light. However, every now and again (every couple of weeks perhaps) he will be sniffing in the grass and run into a garden hose or lizard and suddenly think he didn't notice a Rattlesnake and it is now right next to him. When this happens, he will jump backward, but, within a few seconds, he will realize his error and go about his business. 

Every dog can respond differently. There are dogs like Carl, there are dogs who continue to pull Garter Snakes from the garden, and there are dogs who may be averse to all snakes after Aversion Training. However, in our experience, it is most common for dogs not to be scared of other snakes after Aversion Training. 

We certainly will. We regularly schedule Training Weekends throughout Arizona. 

How it works is:

• People throughout Arizona reach out to us and ask us to offer training in their town 
• We advertise and heavily spread the word before we come to town
• We spend an entire weekend conducting training in your town
• WE COME BACK

It is our mission to bring state-of-the-art Rattlesnake Aversion Training to all of Arizona. We recommend follow-up training every year, so we make it our goal to come back every year. 

Does this mean you have to wait a year if you miss out on a Training Weekend in your town? No way! We will come back as many times as we have to in order to provide Aversion Training to everyone who wants it in your town. 

Even though we may use a specific sub-species for your training, for example, an Arizona Black Rattlesnake, the aversion training should be effective for all North American Rattlesnakes. 

Western Diamondback, Mojave, Black-Tailed, Grand Canyon... they generally look, smell, and sound the same as far as your dog is concerned. 

When we train, we try to use Rattlesnakes that are most common in your area, because this is the type of Rattlesnake they are most likely to see. If you want to take a family vacation out East (where you may encounter an Eastern Diamondback), or maybe North to the territory of the Timber Rattlesnake, your dog's training should still be effective. 

Not typically, but every single dog is different and may respond differently. There may be some small side effects (as with any training), but make sure you compare that side effects to those of Rattlesnake envenomation. 

Some dogs are going to be a little bit jumpy or nervous for a little while after their training. They were just taught that Rattlesnakes are horrible and to be avoided at all costs, and then we forced them to go near one several more times to really make sure they got it.  They are our best friends, and we are willingly doing something unpleasant to them, BUT it is to save their life.  They WILL get over it, they WILL NOT get over a Rattlesnake bite. Most dogs are happily wagging their tails as soon as they leave training. 

Some dogs will occasionally mistake something that is not a Rattlesnake for one after training. Garden hoses, or the sudden appearance of a lizard from under a bush,  for example. Personally, I would rather my dog overreact and look foolish than underreact and die. 

Generally, we recommend only training one dog at a time. It is typically more effective. 

However, we do understand that some bonded dogs are going to act completely differently if they are separated from each other. If this is the case, and may potentially have a negative impact on the training effectiveness, we may train them together.