SAN DIEGO — As the months get hotter, rattlesnakes become more active and might be a danger to you and your dog.
“Always keep your dog on a leash and near you on a main trail,” Shauna Romero, obedience trainer at the San Diego Humane Society, said.
Romero said that having a well-trained dog on the trail is key for keeping it out of harm’s way, which is why the Humane Society is offering classes to prevent your dog from being bit by a rattlesnake.
“They’re teaching sound cues,” she said. “Like the sound of a rattle, teaching them to move away, leave it and not approach a rattle sound.”
And if your dog does get bit, you have to make sure not to panic and get it to the closest animal hospital.
“You don’t want to allow them to run, because that will increase the heart rate which can enable the venom to spread quickly,” Romero said.
When taking your dog out on one of San Diego’s many hiking trails, just remember that if it’s too hot for you, it’s definitely too hot for your dog.
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