Train your dog to detect a snake

With spring fast approaching, hiking trails have filled up with locals and tourists, and that makes run-ins with snakes more likely, but man’s best friend can help make sure you stay safe.

Carl Person of Animalia Herpetofauna Inc. has worked with snakes for more than 30 years. He trains dogs to use sight, sound, and scent to detect the slithering predators before you even know they’re around. Carl says he tapes the mouths of the snakes shut and puts shock collars on the dogs, allowing them to get close to the snakes and then simulating a bite with a zap.

Rattlesnakes are a primary concern in early detection since they are the only indigenous venomous serpents in the state.

Person will host a rattlesnake avoidance training class on Sunday, February 26 at the N. Lykken Trailhead at West Ramon Road and La Mirada Drive from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for $95 a dog. To sign up, you can visit their website.