We just saw an adder on our plot. We know they are around here but we haven't seen one so close on our patch We have lots of adders in Finland, I see at least 1-2 every year when out and about, and we manage to live together ok. But now we're a bit concerned about the boy, as he is sooo enthusiastic about picking up anything that moves (e.g. bees) and anything that looks like a potential chewing stick. Needless to say, we're keeping him on the leash for now. We're a bit torn now, between allowing him the freedom he needs for a full life, and protecting him from potential danger. I know an adder bite is unlikely to kill him, but it could cause him a great deal of discomfort, and we would feel some of that ourselves Does anyone on the forum have experience of dogs and snakes? Any advice? We will continue to work hard on his recall, but any other bright ideas are welcome PS We have a large plot but try to do all the usual stuff to discourage snakes, like keeping the main garden areas clear, keeping the grass short, not having too many hiding places, etc. We burn about 15m3 of wood a year, so we have wood stacks, which are top choice for snakes
Are adders poisonous? I know in the S.W. of the U.S. some owners have done snake aversion training. It's highly aversive training but their rattlesnakes can kill a dog pretty quickly. If your snakes are very lethal there might be dog trainers that do this around you too.
I have seen two dead adders in our village, they had been run over Adders are protected in the UK. The link below tells you about adders, what to do if your dog is bitten etc. https://www.vets-now.com/pet-care-advice/adder-bites-dogs/ I would train a very strong "leave it" cue, it takes time but in my opinion would be worth it if you encounter snakes and your boy is interested in bees, sticks and possibly snakes. x
My German Pointer was bitten by an adder and although poorly, recovered well. Once she was on point and a rabbit jumped out of the bracken but she still stayed on point, I went to have a look and she was pointing the largest Adder I have ever seen, fortunately he was curled up asleep. My only suggestion is to get your dog really focussed on perhaps picking up a tennis ball and thus ignoring all other things. If you only see 1 or 2 Adders a year, it is difficult to teach him to leave them alone, but each opportunity you might have, put in the leave command and a swift recall to for a tennis ball.
*** NEWS FLASH *** The adder is dead. Was having a glass of red in the back garden, whilst the ribs were in the steamer Suddenly a shout from Mrs Snowy, who was walking Nelson on the sand track to the shore (a one way street, unless you get your feet wet). The adder was there between her and home. It is now minus a head, humanely delivered with a rowing boat oar. I should have taken a picture, but instead flicked it in to the brush, so Nelson wouldn't think think to go near it on his return journey. Adrenalin was pumping, and still is... PS I should add that adders are abundant here and not protected. Most people leave them alone in the wild (we do), but it's a different story when it is in your yard. I know some people who live in cities (e.g. Helsinki) have a different view, but honestly it's a different story when they pose a real risk to your loved ones. PPS Thanks all for your comments
