Canine Trainers Teach Dogs to Avoid Rattlesnakes Using Western Diamondbacks, Coming to Casper

An Arizona-based business called Sublime Canine will be in Casper over the weekend to teach dogs how to avoid rattlesnakes.

Their site says the training uses live Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes that have had their venom glands surgically removed by an exotic animal veterinarian.

The training gives dogs the chance to become familiar with the sight, smell and sound of a rattler, so that when they come upon one in the future they know what it is and know to stay away.

Registration is required. Call or text (520) 975-0878 to reserve a spot.

“Typically when a dog encounters a snake, they’re pretty excited, they’re pretty curious, and they come up on that snake and we give them a shock with the electric collar, and they go, ‘Wow, that snake got me,’” explains JJ Belcher, the founder of the business.

Because rattlesnake venom contains a mixture of toxins that can spread throughout a dog’s body after a bite, rattlesnake bites are extremely dangerous.

When released, these toxins of a bite can cause serious symptoms and severe pain. Even if your dog survives the immediate effects of a bite, the venom can cause permanent damage.

Treatment may require anti-venom injections, which can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars.

These injections are also associated with an increased risk of adverse reactions that can cause complications during recovery. Other costs of treatment for rattlesnake bites may include intravenous fluids, medicines, surgery and/or hospitalization.

As the weather warms up, the rattlers come out. The Prairie Rattlesnake is the most common rattler found in Wyoming, and they start making appearances to spread across the landscape and warm themselves in the summer sun.

In 2018, K2Radio News reported that Casper is a prime location for the snakes.

"There are a lot of dens just at the base of the mountain where we have a lot of folks that live, as well as north of town," said Janet Milek, Public Relations Specialist for Wyoming Game and Fish. "We have a lot of fantastic rock piles that they can den in, a lot of really good habitat and so as Casper continues to expand outward we need to remember that we will be encroaching upon those areas and people need to be aware of them."