There are a lot of big advantages to living in the desert. You never have to shovel snow, your kids never stay home because of snow days, and it’s pretty much shorts and flip flops all year long.

However, one of the biggest concerns (especially for your dog) is rattlesnakes. These little creatures hide in bushes, or rocky areas, and could pose a serious risk to your dog if stumbled upon.

Here are the 3 things that you can avoid by getting Rattlesnake Avoidance Training for your dog. Please note, graphic images are included for reference.

1. Medical Bills

A snakebite can cause thousands of dollars in medical bills once you take your dog to the vet. There are cases of “dry bites” where a snake doesn’t release any venom and so the dog didn’t demonstrate any symptoms, but these are rare.

Some pet parents avoid taking their dog to the vet, and the dog ends up fighting the venom on its own, but of course, this is incredibly risky. In the event, your dog is bitten by a rattlesnake you should immediately take him to the vet for treatment. The quicker you can arrive, the better your chances of survival are.

Survival depends on how fast treatment was administered, how large the dog is, and where the bite is located.

2. Trauma

Of course, a snakebite is a very traumatic event for both you and your dog. Interestingly enough, the pain that comes from a snakebite is not associated with the actual bite of the snake, and so an avoidance is never trained. This is a common misconception. However, the bite on the dog can swell up to the size of a grapefruit and become incredibly painful for your pup.

3. YOU getting bit

We at Partners Snake Avoidance, have had dozens of stories of Pet Parents that were saved from sitting or stepping on a snake thanks to their trained pup. While it’s not common for a human to die from a rattlesnake bite, the trauma and pain associated is definitely something to be avoided.

While Rattlesnake Avoidance training doesn’t guarantee you or your dog won’t ever be bitten by a snake, as there are a lot of variables that can affect the effectiveness of training, it’s still the best preventative option out there to keep your pup safe in the desert. It costs less than $100 and takes less than 15 minutes. Refreshers are usually done 1-2 times a year to make sure your dog doesn’t become complacent.

If you’re interested in getting your dog trained to avoid rattlesnakes, check out Partners Snake Avoidance and sign up in moments online.