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.
