Since ya'll don't have snakes I thought the story might interest some......
Bill
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WAB3 |
Zippy the Wonder Dog |
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Yesterday my wife was reaching into an overgrown flower bed when our little Jack Russell jumped into the lantana disappearing a few seconds and then jumping
out with a writhing twisting 3 foot snake. The dog shook it like a rat slapping my wifes legs with the big snake. In a few seconds she had it in about 3
pieces spraying snake innards over my wife and myself before she started eating the poor serpent. The dog doesn't have the greatest manners and you'd
never want to kiss her on the mouth considering the nasty things she'll eat, but she's keeping the snakes out of the yard.
Since ya'll don't have snakes I thought the story might interest some...... Bill |
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crackerd |
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What kind, Bill? Cottonmouth? Copperhead? Rattler? Racer? Doesn't matter, I'm nominating your JR for official mascot at next year's Rattlesnake Rodeo over in Opp.
One of my training partners heard a fierce commotion in his kennel couple weeks ago. Went out and saw half a snake slithering under the fence. Looked a little closer and the front half of the snake had dug into the dog's muzzle. Non-poisonous species--all we have in these parts since St. Patrick and his latter-day disciple Eug Molloy I think it was toured the Mid-Atlantic doing herpetology exorcisms. MG |
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WAB3 |
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It was nonvenemous but the trauma put my wife to bed for the afternoon. My farm has for some reason lots of timber rattlesnakes often reaching 4 to 4.5 feet
but since we got the JRT I'm no longer seeing them. Hopefully she'll dodge their fangs and continue to keep them away from the yard.
Bill |
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Eric Begbie |
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Bill,
JRs definitely have their uses. Over here snakes are not a major problem (other than in the imaginations of tabloid journalists). We only have three common species and only one of those, the adder, is poisonous. Haven't heard of a human dying of snakebite for several years. They can be a very occasional problem for dogs, especially when they are semi-torpid early and late in the year and are too slow to slither out of the way if a dog finds them basking in the sun. |
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Cory Voigt |
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I have a horror of snakes where dogs are concerned. We have lots of poisonous ones here, and its usually tickets for dogs. Fortunately my dogs have been
trained with aversion and bark madly while keeping their distanc. Recently had a 1 metre Rinkhals (ringneck cobra) on the back steps. We catch and release them
a distance away
This weekend we walked up a puffadder on a guineafowl/francolin shoot and one of our guns shot it. I reckon most gundogs die from pufadder then any other snake. It appears sluggish, but strikes like a flash and is very poisonous Anyway, lots of debate should he have shot it or not. The noes won, largely I think 'cos it ruined the skin! My suggestion is keep dogs and snakes as far apart as possible. Unless you have lots of dogs. I do believe pigs do a good job with snaakes. The poison doesn't penetrate the fat, and MIss Piggy eats the whole snake |
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WAB3 |
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Well Zippy's luck ran out.......she is presently at the vet for treatment of a snakebite. Swelling and ecchymosis of her shoulder and chest accompanied by
lethargy and no appetite. Has survived through the night.
Bill |
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Windem Bang |
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Hope she's O.K. - she sounds like a great little dog.
Bill T. |
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WAB3 |
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Zippy is home fully recovered. Apparently this episode did not diminish her appetite for snakes. She is checking every rockpile she can find.
Bill |
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Cory Voigt |
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Don't you think you should teach her not to look for snakes?
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WAB3 |
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Any ideas how to do that would be welcomed.
Bill |
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Cory Voigt |
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You can't stop a JR looking for rats or other interesting stuff. But I would suggest you teach aversion to snakes, assuming (I don't truly know if they
can ) distinguish a snake by scent. I have have used an ecollar on all my dogs, setting them up with real snakes I caught. Our big dalmatianXridgeback was
eye-sprayed by a cobra, she keeps a distance (around 3 metres) and barks crazily. The others (who had ecollar aversion training) keep further back and bark for
me. But they won't approach, and often the snake slides away. My friend teaches his dogs to point them; but his dogs point rock-steady
My real worry is puffadders, who come out to bask in the winter sun. Very lethargic, but lightning fast when roused. Human and dog strikes are usually when coming up on them in the field My problem is we have lots of very poisonous snakes. And , unlike a boxer who can take his punch, a strike is usually fatal. One strike and Pup is out I would suggest here is a clear case for ecollar aversion training. Catch snakes and set the dog up with them. One way I do it is to set out four or so buckets Pup can see into, but snake cant get out. Let Pup investigate and correct when he looks into snake bucket. reinforce with strong 'no!' I've also set cobras on a large lawn and taunted them so they rear. Pup is restrained behind house and let free to come look for you. When he comes around corner and sees snake, he gets corrected.....nick and 'no!" There are many ways you can set up contacts. I believe correct if dog even looks at snake I am going to be chastised for uttering the evil 'e' word. But I have not lost a dog to snakes , altho' we have come close. Luckily the fangs went right through the lip, no venom injected. Yes, it obviously was a big bugger with fangs longer than a GSP's lip is fat! Its terrible sitting checking all over for those telltale twin puncture marks, watching for symptoms. And after an hour or so, still not believing you made it Thats wot works for me. Snakes give me the chills when dogs are around. The guy in our cottage has just lost his second staffie to a snake. He believed they were 'mustard on snakes', and praised them when they hunted and killed. But strike one happens............... twice for poor old Dave, who really loved his dogs |
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TheONeile |
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I have only been bitten once by a snake and it was non-venemous, a garter snake. I had been feeding it dead fish and hadn't washed my hand so my fingers
smelt like food. The snake's head was only about a half an inch long but the fangs were easily an inch long, sharp as needles and hurt like hell. If there
is any parallel that can be carried to other teeth/size ratios it wouldn't take that big a snake to pierce a dog's lip.
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WAB3 |
snakes | ||
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My problem with Zippy is she is already collar conditioned and collar wise. She knows what a collar is. She knows that if she is shocked its the collar and not
the snake. Anybody know about snakebreaking a collar-wise dog?
Bill |
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