Kaylee Perry knows firsthand just how serious a rattlesnake bite can be. Perry was out near the Snake River in 2024 with her husband and her two dogs — her German Shepherd, Cricket, and her border collie, Spot, who had just turned three this year.
Her German Shepherd first alerted them to something in the grass hedge along the canal bank by barking. Her husband thought it might be a bull snake, so they didn't immediately panic. But then Spot stuck his nose where he shouldn't have.
"I just had like a gut feeling, and so I looked him over... I lifted up his head and he had two bites," Perry recalls.
They didn't hear a rattle because the snake appeared to be in the water — they only saw it swim away across the canal after Spot was bitten right under his jaw.
"And so I was like, OK, we're, we're going to the vet," Perry said.
The first vet they went to, Lakeshore Vet on Lake Shore Drive, did not have anti-venom. They quickly found that Viking Vet had it and rushed Spot there.
"He stayed 6 hours, and he got a dose of anti-venom, fluids, and pain medicine that was just under $2000," Perry said.
Photos show just how swollen Spot's face became after the encounter. Perry described it as looking like "a kid that just got his wisdom teeth pulled out." The vet wanted Spot to stay for two days, but Perry picked him up after six hours, noting a two-day stay would have cost significantly more.
After bringing Spot home, Perry gave him Benadryl, which helped with the swelling. She recommends all dog owners and hikers carry Benadryl to help slow allergic reactions in an emergency. She also recommends considering pet insurance or keeping emergency funds set aside for your dog.
A bite from a rattlesnake can be fatal for a dog if it is not seen by a vet immediately. With snake bite season already underway, the Idaho Chukar Foundation wants to make sure dog owners are prepared.
Watch to learn more about the rattlesnake avoidance training available in the Treasure Valley.
The Idaho Chukar Foundation received its nonprofit 501(c)3 status in 2009. Its primary mission is benefiting wildlife habitat, including maintaining remote water systems called "guzzlers" in the Owyhees, eastern Oregon, and Idaho. The rattlesnake avoidance training workshop is 28 years old, founded by Boise outdoorsman Burt Mantel. Foundation President Drew Wahlin has been running it for 16 years — and his own dog was bitten by a rattlesnake about 25 years ago.
"It's not only fundraising, but it's also a community service," Wahlin said.
The organization's avoidance training workshop teaches dogs to stay away from rattlesnakes, porcupines, and skunks — using six training stations and low-level collar stimulation to create lasting behavior changes. Each dog owner gets a one-on-one session with a trainer called an "E-trainer."
Wahlin's background is in neuro-science (undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley), and he applies behavior modification science to the training. The collar stimulation used is low intensity — equivalent to the static shock you get from walking across carpet. Fifty percent of the training uses the stimulation collar, and 50% relies on the dog owner showing fear, because dogs are highly attuned to their owner's emotions.
"By the time they get to that sixth station, the dogs generally will start shying away 10 to 15 yards away from the snake, and you gotta trust your dog," Wahlin said.
After the training, every owner receives a digital Dog Owner's Reference Guide — updated annually with the most current science — including a plan for what to do if bitten, how to prevent bites, how to snake-proof your home, and information on the vaccine vs. stimulation training debate. The Idaho Chukar Foundation is the only organization nationally that produces this guide.
A refresher training is recommended every five years. Rattlesnakes are most active when ground temperatures are between 50 and 80 degrees.
Wahlin captures wild gopher snakes before the training, returning them to their exact GPS-tagged location to protect habitat. He takes the soil from where he picked them up and puts it in the container with the snake, noting that snakes are "real habitat sensitive" and will not do well if relocated elsewhere. The snakes are kept in "special locked containers" because they are strong enough to pop off a regular lid.
Wahlin emphasized that rattlesnakes do not chase people — they actually want nothing to do with humans. He also noted that snakes are good for the environment.
"There's nothing deleterious about snakes," Wahlin said.
The training is not foolproof. Wahlin noted that in 16 years, no one has reported their dog being bitten after going through the program, but acknowledged unusual situations can still result in a bite.
If your dog is bitten, Wahlin recommends having a plan in place before you need it. In the Treasure Valley, two 24-hour emergency vet options are West Vet and All Valley, both with multiple locations. A rattlesnake bite vet visit will likely exceed $2,500 for a one-night stay. If a human is bitten, medical bills can run $50,000 or more.
Perry said the experience changed Spot's behavior, though he has not gone through the avoidance training.
"He's kind of rounded some edges a little bit, so I don't think he'll be going and sticking his nose somewhere it shouldn't belong anymore," Perry said.
Her advice to other dog owners is simple.
"I would just say to remain aware and then practice to have a good recall with your dog," Perry said.
The Idaho Chukar Foundation's next training workshops are May 30 and June 6 at Julia Davis Park in Boise, running from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. To make an appointment, you can click here.
