QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

New River, AZ

​​Q: I killed a rattlesnake at my house and then let the dog go over and sniff it. Was that a good idea?

A: No, not a good idea. You just told the dog it was okay to go up to a rattlesnake. Even though the dog could probably tell the snake was dead, I discourage doing what you did even if the dog is snake proofed. If you find a rattlesnake, first gather the dogs, kids, or other critters that may be in danger, and make sure they're safe. Then, take care of the snake. Many fire departments will come and remove the snake. (check with your local fire department for their policy before you discover the first snake on your patio)

If you kill the snake by chopping its head off, dispose of the body and the head before you let the dog(s) out. Be careful, because the head continues to have reflexes hours after it is severed from the body and can bite and inject venom.
 

Q: How can I tell if a snake is a rattlesnake? Shannon, Phoenix

A: Rattlesnakes have a head shaped like a handmade arrowhead. Their head is larger than their neck. In Arizona, the most common species; the western diamondback, has black and white rings around the tail just before the rattles. Non venomous snakes have a head and neck the same width.
 

Q: I have all sorts of lizards and snakes on my property. Is there a book that identifies different types of animals? Bill, Cave Creek

A: My favorite book is: National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Southwestern States. It's a excellent field guide to plants, insects, birds, reptiles and mammals.

Q: Does the dog remember what rattlesnakes smell like? Cammie, Sedona

A: Do you remember what a skunk smells like?

I recently had a dog return after nine years, I trained him at 6 months, and he detected the snakes in the desert. He never located them by sight because the cage was covered with camo-cloth. He knew the direction they were, and turned and hightailed it back up the path. He is Rudy the Vizsla, and his original story is in the success stories section.

Q: Do you perform rattlesnake removal? Jayne, Phoenix

A: No, and I recommend Phoenix Rattlesnake Solutions for snake removal in Phoenix. They offer affordable, fast, and humane rattlesnake removal and rescue.


Q: What about this rattlesnake vaccine I've heard about? Stan, Scottsdale

A: There is a rattlesnake vaccine available.redrockbiologics  Initially, it is given as one injection with a booster injection a month later. Then a booster is needed every year. I've had my own small dogs vaccinated. It seems to me that there are two schools of thought among veterinarians about this product.  One group says they're not sure about the vaccine...not enough evidence if it works or not...doesn't cover every species of rattlesnake, etc. The other camp says, "if your dog is in an environment where they can come in contact with rattlesnakes give them the vaccine." My vet sees many rattlesnake bites a year and strongly endorses the vaccine. He also strongly endorses having the dog trained to stay away from rattlesnakes in the first place.

However, the vaccine is not intended to replace training the dog to avoid rattlesnakes in the first place. A dog that is not trained is still at risk of being bitten. A rattlesnake bite is a veterinarian emergency whether the dog has been vaccinated or not. The vaccine and the training are two weapons in your arsenal against rattlesnake bites and should be used together.

Q: Do you have videos of what you do?  Carol, Sedona, AZ
A: Yes I do! Go to You Tube and search for Viper Voidance. These videos show what I do, but mostly their purpose is to get owners used to looking at their dog's behavior.

Q: How does the venom thing work with rattlesnakes--the smaller the snake the more venom or the other way around? Steve, Anthem, AZ

A: The amount of venom is directly proportional to the size of the snake. The bigger the snake the more venom they have.  A defensive bite always contains more venom than a bite to obtain food. Baby rattlesnakes have venom that's more toxic than adults but less of it. The belief that baby snakes always inject their full load of venom is being challenged by some researchers that maintain even the babies can meter their venom.

Q: How many different breeds of dogs have you trained? Becky, Desert Hills

A: Here is the list. By my count it's 182 different breeds.

If I've snake proofed your dog and they are not on the list it's okay to email me and give me a heads-up bigjim@doitnow.com
Affenpincher
Afgan hound
Airdale
Akbash dog
Akita
American Bulldog
American Eskimo dog

American Hairless Terrier
American Indian dog
Anatolian Shepherd

Appenzeller (one of the four types of Swiss Mountain Dogs)
Australian cattle dog
Australian shepherd

Barbet (French water dog)
Basenji 
Bassett
Beagle
Beauceron
Belgian Malinois
Belgian Sheepdog
Belgian Teruveren
Bernese mountain dog
Berger Picard (bare-zhay pee car) Picardy Shepherd
Bichon Frise
Bloodhound

Blue Lacy (State dog of Texas)

Bluetick coonhound

Boerboel (South African Mastiff)
Border Collie
Border Terrier
Borzoi
Boston Terrier

Bouvier des Flandres
Boxer
Boykin spaniel
Braque du Bourbonnais (Bourbonnais Pointer)

Braque Francais
Briard
Brittany
Brussels Griffon
Bulldog
Bullmastiff
Bull Terrier
Cairn Terrier

Canaan Dog

Cane Corso

Carolina Dog 
Catahoula
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Chesapeake Bay retriever
Chihuahua
Chinese crested dog
Chow Chow
Cirneco dell'Etna
Clumber spaniel
Cocker spaniel
Collie-rough
Collie-smooth
Coton de Tulear
Dalmatian
Dachshund
Doberman
Dogo Argentino

Dutch Shephard
English cocker
English setter
English springer spaniel
English toy spaniel
English pointer

Entlebucher Mountain Dog (smallest of Swiss mountain dogs)
Field spaniel
Flat coated retriever
Fox Terrier--Wire
French Brittany
French Bulldog
French Mastiff
German hunting terrier (Jagterrier)

German Pinscher
German Shepherd
German shorthair pointer
Golden retriever
Gordon Setter
Great Dane
Great Pyrenees

Greater Swiss Mountain Dog
Greyhound
Hangin' Tree cattle dog
Harrier
Havanese
Icelandic Sheepdog
Italian greyhound

Italian Spinone
Irish Terrier
Irish setter

Irish wolfhound
Jack Russell terrier

Kangal (Turkish Kangal, Kangal Shepherd Dog)

Karelian Bear Dog
Keeshound
Kelpie
Kerry blue terrier
King shepherd
Klee Kai (miniature Alaskan husky)
Korean jindo
Labrador retriever

Lagotto Romagnolo (Italian truffle dog)

Lakeland Terrier
Lasa Apso
Leonberger

Lowchen
Maltese
Manchester terrier-standard
Mastiff
McNab
Mexican Hairless
Miniature Bull Terrier
Miniature Pincher

Munsterlander (Large)

Munsterlander (Small)

Nederlandse Kooikerhondje
Newfoundland

Norwegian Elkhound
Norwich Terrier
Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever
Old English Sheepdog
Parson Jack Russell terrier
Patterdale terrier
Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen (PBGV)
Pharoah hound
Plott Hound

Polish Lowland Sheepdog
Pomeranian
Poodle-toy
Poodle-miniature
Poodle-standard

Portuguese Podengo
Portuguese waterdog
Pudelpointer
Pug

Pumi

Puli

Rat Terrier
Red Alabama black mouth cur

Redbone Coonhound
Rhodesian ridgeback
Rottweiler
St. Bernard

Saluki
Samoyed
Schipperke
Schnauzer-giant
Schnauzer-mini
Schnauzer-standard
Scottish terrier
Shar Pei
Shetland sheepdog
Shiba Inu
Shih tzu
Siberian husky

Silken Windhound
Silky terrier
Sloughi (Moroccan sighthound)
Soft coated wheaten terrier
Stafffordshire bull terrier
Swedish Vallhund

Tibetan Mastiff
Tibetan Terrier

Tosa Inu
Toy Fox Terrier
Treeing Walker coon hound
Vizsla
Weimaraner
Welsh corgi-Cardigan
Welsh corgi-Pembroke
Welsh Springer Spaniel
Welsh terrier
West highland white terrier
Whippet
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
Wolf hybrid
Yorkshire terrier