SALT LAKE CITY — As summer blazes through the West and hikers swarm the trails, Wild Aware Utah is warning travelers to stay away from snakes on the trails, keep hands away from burrows and narrow, shaded spaces, and wear appropriate sneakers to avoid being bitten on the foot.
All of those tips work fine for people. But dogs aren't quite so forward-thinking, and typically approach strange noises for further investigation. So how can dog owners prevent their canines from investigating that strange rattling sound in the bushes?
Snake aversion training for dogs is one way to keep dogs away from slithering reptiles. The classes, which typically take about three to four hours, introduce a class of dogs to a defanged rattlesnake, allowing them to observe the sight, smell and sound of a rattlesnake. This helps train the snout of a dog to recognize the smell of a rattlesnake.