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The Snake School for Dogs is a dog training business in Santa Clarita, California offering private lessons and in-home training, working from a dedicated training facility. They describe their approach as balanced training (rewards and corrections) and publish pricing from $200 per session to $250 per session.
Santa Clarita, CA • Training facility • 5.0 ★ (16 Google reviews)
Last reviewed: Sep 6, 2026
81 / 100
Highly transparent
How clearly this listing publishes the details owners need. See our methodology.
Based on what the business publishes about itself
Scott Quashen runs The Snake School for Dogs out of a 20-acre ranch in Santa Clarita, where he operates a permanent 12-station rattlesnake avoidance course. According to the site, he previously trained under another program but started his own after witnessing a safety failure with muzzled snakes. His approach keeps live rattlesnakes caged rather than muzzled during training, a distinction he emphasizes as both safer for dogs and more realistic, since caged snakes behave naturally.
The training methodology pairs low-level e-collar corrections with positive reinforcement, calibrated to each dog's size and sensitivity. Dogs work through scent, sound, and visual recognition separately before combining all three. Sessions run 15–25 minutes per dog, which the site describes as significantly longer than typical quick clinics. The program is built in association with a rattlesnake wrangling operation run by Cary Quashen, which claims to have removed over 1,000 rattlesnakes from local homes and has received coverage from KTLA, CBS, and NBC.
The school accommodates a range of dogs, from hunting and hiking companions to small puppies and sensitive or special-needs animals. One documented case involved adapting the protocol for a medical service dog with seizure-related e-collar sensitivity. Return sessions within the same season are offered at no additional charge if a dog needs reinforcement.
Rattlesnake avoidance is the sole focus here, offered as private sessions that run about 20 minutes each. The Snake School for Dogs includes a refresher session with every booking and can train at your location for groups or special requests.
The Snake School for Dogs publishes 2 versions of this program. The table shows how they differ; anything not listed here was not stated in their materials.
| Option | Length | Price | What differs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rattlesnake Avoidance Training — Multi-Dog Rate | 20 sessions | $200 per session | For owners bringing more than one dog to be trained at the same visit.; Applies when booking 2 or more dogs at the same time. |
| Rattlesnake Avoidance Training — Single Dog | 20 sessions | $250 per session | For suited to hiking dogs, hunting dogs, working dogs, pets, and dogs as small as five pounds. |
Rattlesnake Avoidance Training — Multi-Dog Rate
Each dog completes its own full one-on-one session through the same 12-station course.
Rattlesnake Avoidance Training — Single Dog
The dog is walked through all 12 stations one-on-one with handlers, receiving corrections and praise as it encounters caged rattlesnakes by scent, sound, and sight.
Price not published.
The same rattlesnake avoidance training delivered at the client's own property instead of the ranch, based on a customer review describing the trainer traveling to their home.
The trainer travels to the client's location to run the avoidance course there.
Focus: Recall & off-leash, Fear & anxiety
A single-dog session costs $250, while bringing two or more dogs at the same time drops the rate to $200 per dog. Offsite bookings at your location are available, though pricing for those isn't published.
| Program | Price | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Rattlesnake Avoidance Training — Multi-Dog Rate | $200 per session | 20 sessions |
| Rattlesnake Avoidance Training — Single Dog | $250 per session | 20 sessions |
| Program | Price | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Offsite Bookings (At Your Location) | Not published | Not stated |
They explicitly describe their approach as balanced training. Whether they accept dogs with bite history or serious aggression cases isn't addressed on the site.
Their public materials mention e-collars. Barklen has not verified how or when they are used, so ask the trainer directly.
As described in the business's own materials
According to their site, described as a professional venomous rattlesnake handler and balanced dog trainer who previously trained under another program before starting this school; the site says he has trained hundreds of dogs in 2026 alone.
According to their site, runs a rattlesnake wrangling operation that the school is built in association with; the site states this operation has caught over 1,000 rattlesnakes at homes in Santa Clarita, and its rescue work has received media coverage.
The Snake School for Dogs operates from a dedicated training facility in Santa Clarita, CA, offering private lessons and in-home training at the client's home.
Their site says they dog owners in rattlesnake-prone areas of Southern California, including hikers, hunters, families with pets, and owners of working or service dogs seeking rattlesnake avoidance training.
Training takes place on a 20-acre ranch in Santa Clarita, California, featuring a dedicated 12-station rattlesnake avoidance course used for weekend sessions through the season.
The facility sits on Bouquet Canyon Road in a dedicated training space. Parking and accessibility details aren't listed.
Barklen analysis
Barklen analysis based on 6 published Santa Clarita listings (5 with published pricing). These comparisons are computed by Barklen, not claims made by The Snake School for Dogs.
Price: entry price within the published Santa Clarita range for private lessons ($200–$250 vs. $120–$240).
Reviews: 5.0★ from 16 Google reviews, among 6 published Santa Clarita programs.
Transparency: 81 out of 100 (highly transparent), with 67% price transparency and 83% program clarity. 1 of 6 Santa Clarita listings show certifications; this business does not list any.
| Program type | The Snake School for Dogs | Santa Clarita range | Barklen read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private Lessons | $200–$250 | $120–$240 across 3 Santa Clarita programs | Entry price within the published Santa Clarita range |
Generated from what their public materials leave open
30035 Bouquet Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita, CA
Hours are not published in the materials Barklen reviewed. Confirm before visiting.
Barklen reviewed The Snake School for Dogs against the business's public materials and published this listing. That is not a check of licenses, insurance, or certifications. See our methodology for what a verified listing does and does not mean.
Details the public materials do not address (aggression and reactivity cases, progress updates, overnight staffing, insurance, certifications, years in business, and others) are turned into the questions above rather than filled in.
Last reviewed by Barklen: Sep 6, 2026
Contact The Snake School for Dogs directly by phone or through their website, or request a quote through Barklen and we will pass it along.
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