[pct-l] Dog help

[Judith G]

Most PCT hikers encounter rattlesnakes at various places between  
Campo and Kennedy Meadows, and probably in Northern California as  
well.  I have seen six myself.  Being bitten by a rattlesnake is not  
an automatic death sentence for the average strong, healthy hiker,  
especially if appropriate emergency medical care is received in a  
timely fashion.  But the same is not true for dogs.  If you'll be  
taking a dog hiking in desert areas, be sure to rattlesnake-proof  
your dog with an aversion training course to teach it to immediately  
back right off when it encounters a rattlesnake. My friend Angie,  
with tears streaming down her face, carried her snake-bit German  
Shepherd dog Halo three miles out to a trailhead, only to have Halo  
die in terrible pain on the way to the vet.  I might mention that  
Angie weighs 110 pounds and Halo weighed 80.  It's amazing what feats  
of strength your body is capable of in an emergency!  The National  
Disaster Search Dog Foundation holds rattlesnake aversion courses  
each year, and other organizations might have similar courses - ask  
around.

Good luck to you and your dog.

Two Legs