ALL BARK, NO BITE CLINIC TEACHES SNAKE WARINESS.Byline: Eugene Tong Staff Writer CANYON COUNTRY - Coiled under three red-plastic buckets on this canine training course are potential lifesaving lessons for Zack, a year-old black Labrador retriever Labrador retriever, breed of large sporting dog whose origins are obscure but whose immediate ancestors were developed in Newfoundland and brought to England in the early 1800s. It stands about 23 in. (58.4 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs between 60 and 75 lb (27. enrolled in an annual rattlesnake-awareness camp Saturday. Each bucket hid a muzzled and defanged rattlesnake rattlesnake, poisonous New World snake of the pit viper family, distinguished by a rattle at the end of the tail. The head is triangular, being widened at the base. The rattle is a series of dried, hollow segments of skin, which, when shaken, make a whirring sound. - participants in a three-step process developed by veteran dog trainer A dog trainer is a person involved in the training of dogs. Professional "dog trainers" train the dogs to understand and comply with voice commands or hand signals. But as is more often the case, they find they must train the owners in proper use and technique. Patrick Callaghan to instill in·still v. To pour in drop by drop. in  stil·la tion n. fear of these poisonous reptiles into inquisitive canines. Guided by two handlers, Zack met the snakes as the master trainer applied a light buzz on a three-prong electric dog collar intended to trigger the canine's natural avoidance reaction at the sight, smell and sound of a rattler. ``(It) reinforces what they look like and what they smell like,'' partner Shirley Callaghan said as she guided Zack's owner, Richard Varner, 40, of Valencia, through the process. A professional dog trainer since the early 1960s, Patrick Callaghan operates a canine academy and kennel in Norco. He created the snake recognition regimen about 25 years ago at the request of a customer. ``I trained a hunting dog for one gentleman,'' he recalled. ``He took it out one day and it got snakebit snake·bit also snake·bit·ten adj. Experiencing a period of misfortune or inability to succeed. . He asked me if there was anything I can do about it.'' Varner was among 160 area dog owners who signed up for the $65 clinic held Saturday and today at a private Sand Canyon ranch. ``I wanted to provide a community service,'' said Joan Waldman, who is hosting the clinic at her Clemistry Ranch. ``We have such a problem with rattlesnakes here. A lot of our neighbors' horses are being bitten.'' The training offered by Callaghan is essential in this rural community of horse ranches and orchards, Waldman said. Despite aggressive brush clearing, fencing and chemicals, there is no foolproof method of keeping snakes out, she said. ``It's $1,000 to $1,500 for snakebite snakebite, wound inflicted by the teeth of a snake. The bite of a nonvenomous snake is rarely serious. Venomous snakes have fangs, hollow teeth through which poison is injected into a victim. treatment, and it's difficult to find the vet with the right antivenin antivenin /an·ti·ven·in/ (-ven´in) a material used in treatment of poisoning by animal venom. black widow spider antivenin a. . to treat the snakebites,'' she said. Though there are likely few rattlesnakes in suburban Valencia, a close encounter between Zack and a king snake during a Kern River trip convinced Varner to take the course. ``He walked up to a king snake - he was just curious,'' he said. ``I called him away from it. It's important that he be safe. ... He's a member of the family.'' For information on rattlesnake avoidance training, see Patrick Callaghan Enterprises online at www.patrickcallaghan.com. Eugene Tong, (661) 257-5253 eugene.tong(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1) A dog cautiously approaches a coiled, muzzled rattlesnake during a snake avoidance clinic Saturday in Canyon Country. (2) Trainer Patrick Callaghan holds Giselle, a papillon papillon (păp`əlŏn'), breed of toy dog whose origins are obscure but whose widespread existence in Europe is attested to as early as the 17th cent. It stands from 8 to 11 in. (20.3–27. from Oak Park, while teaching the dog to avoid snakes at his Canyon Country clinic. John Lazar/Staff Photographer |
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