Tucson
Okay, anyone who know me longer than a millisecond knows I am scared to death of snakes...any snake. And don't try to tell me there are "good" snakes in this world, -- uh, NO! The only good snake is a dead snake to me.
However, this morning I took the dogs to "snake training" to teach them to be afraid of snakes. All I really needed was my mother here to do that, since she did it to myself and my younger brother so effectively that it has stuck our entire lives! But since I couldn't have my mommy here, I WILLINGLY signed up the dogs for snake avoidance training. I should have read the fine print I think!
UP at the horrible hour (at least for me anymore) of 6:00 a.m. so I can be at snake training by 7:00. There are 10 dogs at the area for the training. I get my two out of the van and on their leashes and let them go socialize with the other dogs. Then the fun begins. The trainer says that we will go individually to the snake .. wait, a live snake??? YUP! What happened to the harmless rubber snakes that I am also afraid of???? Okay Jo, buck up and do this. First up is Schuster. The trainer attaches the shock collar to him and we walk him towards where they have the snake leashed and tied up. First of all, before I go on, who in the hell put the leash on this snake and how??? And do snakes know how to get off leashes???? Also the snake is defanged and therefore rendered harmless (so they say, they don't know me!) As we walk towards where the snake is, all you can hear is my knee's knocking so loudly they sound like rocks being banged together! ULP! The closer we get to the snake, the louder my knees get. The handler finally looks at me and says "Are you afraid of snakes?" Well, DUH! But to save my dogs lives, I walk toward the offending thing. The snake is a western diamondback rattler, and he is busy rattling away. Schuster isn't the least be afraid of it!!!! WAKE UP DOG! We inch towards the snake and finally Schuster gets the scent of the snake. He stops, but is curious. He starts towards the snake and gets a shock from the shock collar! Schuster yelps about the same time I do. We take him back to the "safe" area. He is pretty shook up. So am I. Finally we get him calmed down and the handler says "I want you to walk with us to the snake and then you walk past the snake to the other side"...uh, okay? Somy banging knees and I do this, and all Schuster wants to do is go with me, so he gets another shock. Another yelp and I am almost in tears...either from fright or from him yelping, not sure at this point which. All the time Beau is watching from the car. Finally, Schuster won't go near the dreaded beast with no legs and feet. Hooray! But then I have to walk him past another snake on the other side of the road, which is leashed and staked out as well. Schuster won't go near the snake...not within 10 yards...nope, he is afraid as I am now. (Thanks Mom!)
Now it is Beau's turn. Same procedure. However, Beau wants to play with the snake...thinks it is a long ball, or toy. So he gets shocked, but it only took him one shock and he decided he wants nothing to do with it and won't go within 30 yards of it. All he wants is to get away and back to the safety of the car. By this time my nerves are shot and I need a drink (did I say this was at 7:00 a.m. -- my day is shot!)
The last test we have to pass (and I am paying for this whole thing by the way!!) is to walk the dogs towards/past a snake that is hidden in a bush. The snake is in a mesh bag, securely tied, and hidden in the bush. The snakes rattles are taped so they make no noise. Neither dog will even get off the street towards the bush. Nope, they aren't going, period! They passed with flying colors. I, on the other hand, needed to sit down and rest and quit hyperventalating. I guess I passed as well, but I tell you the three of us couldn't wait to get back into the car and get the hell outta' there.
I feel this was good training for the dogs however. At least they know what a snake is and can do. And I feel more comfortable with the knowledge that they are aware of snakes and how nasty and evil they are!
And by the way, you will notice there is no picture present of the snake....nope, can't do it! I tried to copy a picture from the internet, but got the shakes just looking at the damn thing.
I will have nightmares no doubt tonight......
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