Snake Aware

A training program to protect dogs from snakes and snakes from dogs

Snake avoidance training can be a lifesaver for dogs that live in areas with venomous snakes. Our comprehensive snake avoidance program in the Adelaide Hills uses effective, reward-based methods to teach dogs how to recognise and avoid snakes safely. In addition to snake avoidance, you'll learn how to adapt these methods to safeguard your dog from other environmental hazards, including kangaroos, foxes, and other wildlife. Keep your dog safe and prepared with our comprehensive snake avoidance training.

Program Details

This hands-on, practical training program in Adelaide is designed to help your dog build essential snake avoidance skills that could one day save their life. Delivered in a calm, supportive environment, this training is suitable for fully vaccinated dogs of all ages who are comfortable around unfamiliar dogs and people.

If your dog isn’t suited to a group environment, you’re welcome to join us as an observer—there’s still plenty to learn.

📍 Venue: Sherwood Forest Reserve, Glenalta
⏱ Duration: Two sessions, each 1.5 hours
🎓 Includes:

  • Paws & Reward’s Snake Aware E-Booklet (delivered after Workshop B)

  • A real snake shed and a realistic fake snake to support ongoing training at home

  • Personalised tuition across both sessions

To complete the Snake Aware training, you’ll need to attend both Workshop A and Workshop B.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Book Workshop A – This is your starting point.

  2. Complete Workshop A – Once attended, you’ll be sent a private link to book into Workshop B.

  3. Complete Workshop B

💡 Before booking Workshop A, please check the available dates for both Workshop A and Workshop B (listed below) to ensure you can attend one of each.

Workshop A Sessions 2025/26:
📅 TBA

Workshop B Sessions 2025/26:
📅 TBA

Want to get started sooner? Private group workshops are available—just gather 3–6 friends and their dogs, and we’ll organise a session that suits you.👉 Contact us to discuss dates and details!

Total Cost of Snake Aware Program (Includes both workshops)
🐾 Attending with your dog: $250
👀 Observer spot (no dog): $120

Terms & Conditions apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • It absolutely is! There are trainers all over the world who are using these techniques successfully to keep their dogs safe from snakes.

    If we use aversive pain-based methods, such as shock collars, we are hoping that the pain that is inflicted when the dog sees the snake teaches the dog to fear snakes. However, it does not teach the dog which behaviour we want him to do.


    Fearful situations induce the fight, flight, or freeze response. With aversive methods, people are hoping that the dog chooses the flight response. However, it is not unusual for a dog to choose the fight response instead. The dog will then attack the snake instead of avoiding them after such training! The dog wants the scary thing to go away, so they use aggression to try to make the snake go away!

    Furthermore, when pairing a painful experience with a particular stimuli (e.g. snake) we want the dog to fear the stimuli. However, other stimuli are also present during such training, including the dog’s lead, harness, the owner, other people, other dogs etc. It is common for dogs to associate the owner, the lead, and other things present during the training with the pain they feel. Thus, many dogs become anxious around their owners or the presence of their lead after aversive training.

  • If we focus on telling our dog what not to do, they still have a range of behaviours available that they can do. For example, they might freeze close to the snake, run around the snake, or bark at the snake. By focusing on what our dog should not do, we are letting our dog decide what to do instead. They may not make the right decision!

    This course will teach your dog what to do, so that they are equipped with a safe behaviour when they see or smell a snake. Through this training, the snake becomes a cue to tell your dog what to do when they see a snake.

  • No. It is too much of a risk to the snakes and the dogs. Furthermore, the training can be quite stressful for the snakes who would have to be handled and removed from their usual habitat.

    During the training we will use rubber snakes and scent gathered from Snake Catchers Adelaide of various venomous snake breeds.