California Dog Hiking Danger

California Dog Hiking Danger – In the Danger Zone

California Dog Hiking Danger

Today about 10:30AM at Mission Trails Regional Park I saw the third rattlesnake for this year.  Hiking with my two Airedale Terriers here in San Diego, seeing rattlesnakes on the trails is common. The first on I saw was on the Barker Way Trail on Cowles Mountain, the second one was on the walking path around Lake Murray. So, today’s sighting was not unexpected. But, today, I made an almost fatal mistake that could have taken out one or both of my dogs. Continue reading “California Dog Hiking Danger”

California Rattlesnakes dog safety

California Rattlesnakes dog safety

If you own dogs in the Western United States, you should be vigilant about poisonous snakes on trails or in your backyard. Here in San Diego California there are a couple of varieties of rattlesnakes that you will encounter on a hiking trails and open areas on the fringes of the city and the county of San Diego.

Because my house borders a small San Diego city Park, I always scan the fence lines and the backyard prior to putting the dogs out, to be sure there are no rattlesnakes. this video was produced in late September and I had just gone out in the backyard and looked around and didn’t see anything so I let both of my Airedale Terriers out. It was about 11:30 PM, and when my smaller female Airedale was within about 18 inches to 2 feet of my backyard fence I heard the distinctive rattle of a rattlesnake. My larger Airedale was right at my side, so I grabbed him by the collar as I yelled at the smaller Airedale to come over to me. Luckily, the smaller Airedale did come to me rather than moving forward to investigate the sound that the fence. Continue reading “California Rattlesnakes dog safety”