18/09/2025
We encountered a snake π in our early morning walk
As the weather is warming up, here are some helpful tips regarding the safety of your dog and the snakes when going for a walk:
πΎ Walk your dog on a lead. It may seem obvious, but it is worth mentioning! in NSW, all areas are leashed areas unless clearly designated an off-leash area
πΎHenry, 14yo beagle, is almost completely deaf, the leash is now my main communication tool with him, a gentle tap on the leash tells him he needs to stop and look for me. Can your dog do that?
πΎ Recall training. Can your dog come back to you no matter what? If not, invest time (and treats) in training your dog a reliable recall, it can save your dog's life
πΎ "Leave it" training. Dogs are inquisitive by nature, if your dog is digging or trying to get something under a rock, can you ask them to "leave it" ? similarly, if you see a dog approaching a snake (or something that may look like a snake), can you ask your dog to leave it? If not, consider training this useful skill, as it is quite handy with all wildlife, not just snakes
πΎ Walk on clearly marked trails / short grass and stay clear of overgrown areas
πΎ If you do see a snake, like we did today, stay where you are and if needed, slowly move away from the snake, giving it lots of space; in our case the moment we stopped moving (upon noticing snake), snake decided to hide away deep into the bush, minding its own business, wanting to be left alone (this almost always happens when we see a snake in our walks)
πΎ another obvious one, if using a long lead, keep an eye on your dog, make sure they stay on the marked trail
πΎ in the unfortunate event that your dog does interact with a snake (or you suspect such interaction has occurred), take your dog to the nearest emergency vet and call the vet ahead of arrival (if possible) so they are ready to provide timely care for your dog
Stay safe!