Group Workshops

Train your dog to recognize and avoid rattlesnake scent—without fear, pain, or shock collars.

Rattlesnake encounters are a real risk in the desert southwest—but avoiding danger shouldn’t mean compromising your dog’s trust or well-being. Snakes Stink! is a science-based, shock-free workshop that teaches your dog to detect rattlesnake odor and move away from it—without corrections or shock collars.

Through reward-based training, your dog will learn that the scent of a rattlesnake is the cue to return to you. No yelling. No zapping. Just smart, proactive behavior built through positive reinforcement and a strong dog-handler relationship.

Why Shock-Free?
Traditional rattlesnake avoidance training often uses electric shocks to scare dogs away from snakes. But fear-based methods can damage your dog’s confidence, trust in you, and overall well-being. Our approach respects your dog’s ability to learn through trust, not trauma. It’s effective, humane, and grounded in behavioral science.

This advanced workshop is ideal for teams who:

• Have experience with positive reinforcement training
• Have experience using marker-based communication
• Work well around other dogs in a small group setting
• Want to protect their dog on hikes or desert property without the use of fear or pain
• This workshop is not suitable for beginners.
• All participating dogs must be able to settle intermittently next to their handler, in a crate/pen or tethered. Please consider if your dog can tolerate 2 hours in a room with dogs and not work the entire time before registering 
  

What to Expect (2 Hours)

• Safety Orientation & Science of Snake Avoidance
  Odor Introduction with Boundaries: Teach the dog to recognize and move away from the scent
• Fading Boundaries and Cues: Reinforce voluntary disengagement without visual prompts or cues
• Generalize Stations: Learn how to practice in multiple locations with varying setups
• Long-Line Work: Bring a long line to apply skills with more freedom
• Wrap-Up & Take-Home Plan: Tools to continue training in real-world settings

What We Use: We use safely secured, ventilated containers with real rattlesnake odor—no live snakes and absolutely no aversive tools.

Location & Details:

• Location: Building Bonds, 5112 E. Pima Street, Tucson AZ
• When: Saturday, November 1, 2025 from 8:00 – 10:00 am
• Group size: Limited to 4 dogs
• Pre-registration required
• Includes rattlesnake odor to take home

Class Instructor: Kim Silver

Class Length: 120 minutes

You and Your Dog Will Learn:

• How to teach your dog to recognize the odor of Western Diamondback and Mojave rattlesnakes
• How to turn that odor into a reliable cue for recall
• How to reinforce voluntary avoidance and check-ins without prompting
• How to generalize these behaviors across multiple settings and terrains
• Why aversive tools like shock collars are unnecessary—and potentially harmful

Requirements:

• Documentation from a veterinary clinic that your dog is fully vaccinated for rabies, DHPP, and bordetella (kennel cough). You may upload this documentation to the registration form or email it to us.
• We ask that you please give your new dog 14 days to settle in before coming to a group class. Many illnesses will present themselves in the first 14 days.
• All participating dogs must be able to settle intermittently next to their handler, in a crate/pen or tethered. Please consider if your dog can tolerate 2 hours in a room with dogs and not work the entire time. Your dog must be comfortable with other dogs within 6 feet of them. Excessive barking is not suitable for a group class.
• Have experience with positive reinforcement training and marker-based communication.

Register Now