The trained farm team choose snakes by smell. Poison snakes, or pit vipers, have a very distinct smell. The dogs eradicated the dangerous and left the harmless snakes alone. Last year the dogs cornered a huge non-poisonous snake consuming all life available in my water garden. This snake made the mistake when cornered of striking out and biting one of the dogs. It was over in seconds. They didn't care about my rules one smidgen. Their rules in that moment...if it bites my friend, it's gone. I was not happy but you can't reassemble a snake.
Yesterday I found a harmless young snake about three feet long. It was terrified.
Lizzy inspected as I told her no.
Poor snake was horrified and frozen in fear...good thing for it.
The hardest one to convince was Lil, our matriarch of snake watch. Oh, she wanted to do her job so badly! I kept saying, No, Lil. It's a good snake. Lil didn't like it but the dogs got a good smell and left it. I'm hoping this will redirect them to eliminating only the poison snakes once again.
18 comments:
Aren't they putting poor mongooses out of a job?
Seriously, I always wonder how well they can take down snakes. But if dogs can, I suppose they can too
Well I think I would like to have your dogs come visit. I need some varmints taken care of too.
We never let our dogs kill ANY snake. The good ones we want and we were always afraid the bad ones might get in a bite before they "bite the dust."
Jakes motto is if if moves its mine... we have to guard our good black snakes.. this one is really a nice looking snake.. it is odd they know the difference but good for the snakes.. what about rodents, the snakes eat rodents, do the dogs get them to? like rats i mean?
I had no idea dogs could be trained to differentiate between between poisonous and nonpoisonous snakes. That's fascinating information, Gail. Like you said, it's a sad but necessary job. So glad you were able to keep Lil from the nonpoisonous snake.
Hello, I am glad we only see garter snakes or rat snakes here. But, I miss having a dog to chase the squirrels away.
Your dogs are very smart!
Happy Thursday, enjoy your day and the weekend ahead!
That's amazing they can tell the difference by smell. Yeah, you want those good snakes around, like king and rat snakes, because they eat the vermin.
I can certainly understand wanting to kill it after it bit.
Great photos. Hope your retraining session went well!
Your dogs are smart and well trained! I am terrified of snakes. So they can small the ones that are poison, that is so interesting to me. How is the dog that was bitten? I know we would like an update.
i don't think my dogs differentiate. although they definitely know a copperhead is more dangerous and they avoid them now and call for back-up (me.)
Ginny, the dogs have been bitten by poison and non-poison snakes. Have never lost a dog. Copperheads rarely kill a dog but a rattlesnake can.
Our dogs kill snakes every now and again. It always worries me!
I have read that some snakes have a musty or musky smell, including some nonvenomous ones. I know how critical dogs are on a farm. You rely on them, as they do you.
awwww pups that listen, good for all involved!!!!
Well trained dogs, can I borrow them. We have a copperhead family living in my garden.
I really, really hate snakes!
Interesting that the dogs can differentiate between snakes...luckily we only have one type of poisonous snake in Michigan. That's plenty for me...
I knew dogs were intelligent, but their ability to tell the difference is pretty amazing.
=)
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