Torri's Place LLC -Training & More

27/11/2024

26/11/2024

Morning run with the puppies! 🐶❤️🐾

Adoptable through Notorious D.O.G Dog Rescue.

19/11/2024

Happy to offer training help to anyone able to foster a puppy for Notorious D.O.G Dog Rescue! 🐶❤️🐾

10/11/2024

🤷🏻‍♀️

all I do is take dog pictures 🤠

21/10/2024

Rattle cans or bottles filled with stones or coins or 'dog discs' designed to be thrown down near the dog to startle them are things we see relatively often being used. Because they do not have to make contact with the dog to 'work' it can mistakenly be thought that they are not doing any damage to the dog.

Startling a dog to stop ‘bad behaviour’ is a bad idea for a number of reasons.

Simply aiming to stop the behaviour does not show the dog what we would like them to do instead. If we concentrate on teaching the dog the things we’d like to see then there is less likelihood they are going to show behaviours we find problematic.

Focusing on stopping a behaviour doesn’t look at the reason the behaviour is occurring in the first place. What is the emotion that is underlying the behaviour? Why is the behaviour being shown in that moment? Is the dog scared, stressed, under stimulated? What is the need that is driving the behaviour (safety, mental or physical stimulation, carrying out natural behaviours, hungry etc)?

Startling a dog in this way can cause them to become stressed and anxious. Their hearing is very sensitive and the noise that may not seem so bad to us is likely more intense and highly unpleasant to them (if it wasn’t, it wouldn’t ‘work’). Doing things that cause our dogs to feel stress and become anxious means that the people that dog should most be able to trust is no longer as trustworthy, and so the relationship and bond between dog and human can be damaged.

What we can do to replace the need for startling the dog is work on getting our cues really strong and showing the dog the behaviours we’d like to see in different situations.

Make sure that our dogs are allowed to be dogs and can safely carry out those natural behaviours in ways that are not problematic. Let them sniff when out in the world. Find a safe spot for them to dig, such as a sand pit. Let them dissect their toys (under supervision for safety) – soft toys can be restuffed and sewn up so this can happen multiple times and avoid needing to spend a lot of money.

Work on a ‘positive interrupter’, a cue that means stop what you’re and come to us (and really make this worth their while – an example of this would be a cue that means ‘come with me’ where we run to spot where the absolute best rewards for that dog are kept, so really tasty treats, favourite toy etc).

Most importantly, don’t try methods that involve startling or scaring your dog. There is always a better way than one involving fear.

10/10/2024

Where’s the lie? 🐶❤️🐾

I’m a professional dog trainer of 23 years, so here’s a list of things I can guarantee you my dogs are better at than most -

1. Begging for food. That’s right. My dogs 100% know how to turn on the drool and charm when I’m eating or cooking. Does it work? Maybe. Do I always pay cheese tax? Absolutely.

2. Taking over my furniture and bed. Yes. My dogs sleep with me, lay on me, take up real estate on the couch, my lap and anywhere else they find comfort.

3. Getting super excited at greetings. My dogs jump up and hug me all the time. In fact, I don’t ever wear anything I care about. It’s super fun in summertime when I’m in shorts.

4. Chewing stuff that isn’t theirs. Shoes, the corner of a rug, we’ve even lost a chair leg to adolescent teething. Toys? Oh sure they have TONS of them, that I rotate and fill with food and freeze and hide - but what are toys compared to a family heirloom?

5. Ignoring me when it’s really important. Why come back when I’m calling them when it matters most? Why not make me stand in my underwear at 5am for a few minutes. They sure do love to keep me on my toes. It’s even better when it’s in public and I’ve just told people I’m a dog trainer!

6. Getting sick at the worst possible times. It’s not a vacation if someone doesn’t start pooping water or ingest something unknown while I’m gone. Or when I’ve just finished putting the kids to bed and cleaning the house, they are SO good at vomiting right at the bottom stair so I can step in it barefoot on my way downstairs to “relax”.

7. Barking at nothing, and everything, at all times. Leaf fall? Vacuum going? Small creak in floor? We could all die and they keep me safe. Without them, I may fall into the awful spiral of having peace and quiet, and who wants that?

8. Pointing out my flaws. Nothing like an adolescent dog or a drivey shepherd to make you recognize you need more work on your patience, timing and delivery. If it weren’t for them, I’d never have to really work on myself!

9. Leaving too soon. Just as we’ve figured out all of each other’s idiosyncrasies and habits and settle into a friendship of a lifetime, they have to go. We get a few amazing years together, and then my heart gets absolutely shattered, yet I still wouldn’t have it any other way. And THEN, I choose to take the journey all over again.

10. Being my best friends. Long day, feeling gloomy, struggling to see a bright side? They are there through all of it. Making me laugh, keeping me grounded, never taking things too seriously and always ready to try again for me. At my best and my worst they adore me, what better friends can you get than that.

I’m a dog trainer, but I still have dogs. They are not perfect, neither am I. My dogs are still allowed to be dogs as they accept that I’m still allowed to be a human. They are gonna dig a hole in my favorite spot of the yard and I’m going to take away the soggy tennis ball they found in the swamp. They will shred a new bed I bought for them and I’ll ask them to walk politely next to me instead of dragging me down. They will bark at a suspicious plastic bag and I will ask them to perform silly behaviors in front of people. They need to smell a tree branch for 10 minutes and I want to watch this new Netflix documentary. It’s a two way street and I’ve learned to embrace it instead of try to control it. That’s the only way I’ve found for it to be truly fair to them and to myself.

If you want a dog trainer who doesn’t advocate for allowing dogs to be dogs, and humans to be humans, and finding a compromise that’s fair and humane, I’m not your trainer, and that’s okay with me. They aren’t here long enough to make such big deals out of such little things for the level of friendship and devotion we get in return with them. Love your dogs everyone. For them, and for you.

- Helen St. Pierre

05/10/2024

🐶❤️🐾

02/10/2024

🐾🍁🍂FALL BREAK TRAINING!🍂🍁🐾
2 spots left for a comprehensive Schoolcation for your Best Friend. Book now! Txt 256.694.6860

02/10/2024

🐁❤️🐀

A new highlights the growing recognition of the complex cognitive capacities of rats and its implications for how they are treated in scientific contexts.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/3zGlGME

02/10/2024

IF YOU LIVE IN THE CITY OF HUNTSVILLE
and if you receive Medicaid, WIC, EBT, Social Security Disability, or if you have an annual household income of $35,000 or less, you qualify to have your cat or dog spayed or neutered for $5.00.
Please call one of the following clinics and tell them you live in the city of Huntsville and that you want to make a $5.00 Fixin' Alabama appointment.
Apollo Animal Hospital
256-881-4862
Flint River Animal Hospital
256-852-3300​
Huntsville Animal Clinic
256-384-1651
North Alabama Spay/Neuter Clinic
256-489-0418

29/09/2024

Love your dog? Train your dog! 🐶❤️🐾
Visit www.TorrisPlace.DOG or text Torri at 256.694.6860

27/09/2024

🦝🦝🦝 ATTENTION residents of the Birmingham metro area and Northeast Alabama: FROM OCOTOBER 1 - 20, the USDA's Wildlife Services NATIONAL RABIES MANAGEMENT PROGRAM will be distributing OVER ONE MILLION oral rabies vaccination baits for wildlife in your area. The baiting program is being conducted in part to abate an emergency human health and safety issue associated with rabies.

Baits will be dropped from planes and low-flying helicopters, and will also be distributed from trucks by ground teams. The bait is intended to be consumed by raccoons and other wildlife. If you find a bait, leave it where it is unless you need to move it due to its proximity to your home or pets. In that case, use a glove to toss it into an area of thicker cover where it is more likely to be found by a raccoon. We remind you to avoid contact with ALL wildlife, including juveniles. Rabies is a fatal disease and wildlife infected with rabies does not always show outward symptoms.
Counties receiving this service include Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, Chilton, Coosa, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Jackson, Jefferson, Madison, Marshall, Morgan, St. Clair, Shelby, Talladega, and Tuscaloosa. Click here for more information on the oral rabies vaccination program: https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=yFMi1cZRZIU

24/09/2024

Join us Saturday, February 8, 2025, to support the Greater Huntsville Humane Society (GHHS) and meet our very own VID (Very Important Dog, of course), Floyd at The Dog Ball!

21/09/2024

As summers continue to get warmer year-over-year, new research from the Penn Vet Working Dog Center (PVWDC) reveals the best way to prevent dogs from overheating.

After comparing various cooling methods, researchers found when a dog voluntarily submerged their head in clean, room-temperature water to retrieve a treat or toy, they not only cooled off faster, but also avoided dangerous post-exercise temperature spikes.

“During heat stress, blood flow to the head, nose, tongue, and ears is increased,” said Cynthia M. Otto, VMD, PhD, lead author of the study and executive director of the PVWDC. “Cooling the tissues of the head allows for rapid cooling of the whole body with limited amounts of water.”

🔗 Learn how to correctly teach your dog this game-changing method by visiting: https://bit.ly/4eajKuy

17/08/2024

I love each and every one of you!

(& your dogs. 😜)

Let your car and apparel do the talking. ShopCanineAesthete.com

02/08/2024

Kids are back in school and now it’s time for your dog to go, too! 🐶🎓🐾

Enroll your four-legged BFF by filling out a New Student Application form at www.TorrisPlace.DOG

Where kindness & understanding your pet begins!

29/07/2024

One of my all time favorite “pre recycling” routines is to use everyday items that would otherwise go straight into the trash, and make a simple game for the felines and canines at home 🐶❤️🐱

Tearing things up is a natural dog behavior. It's fun for them. It meets a biological need in both survival and play. But it can be a problem if that shredding is directed onto things we deem inappropriate, or cannot replace. The solution is to manage the environment so that inappropriate target items (your favorite throw pillows for example) are not easily accessible and to provide an appropriate outlet for the behavior. My personal favorite is a box.

I get a monthly BarkBox, because I love to gift things to my dogs. But the box is also a great size and density for shredding. We all also order too many things online, and thus usually have a plethora of those "really good boxes" hanging out taking up space in the garage. I will take some old news paper, packing paper, or even toilet paper rolls and toss them into the box along with some tasty treats (or even kibble if I am feeding a meal this way.) Close and seal up the box and toss it to one of the dogs. They delight in the destruction and it provides a great amount of mental enrichment. At the end there is some clean up on my part that has to be done, but much preferable to something irreplaceable like a photo album. The pieces also take up much more space in the recycling bin.

Letting a dog who gets particular joy from shredding things up destroy an appropriate item protects the things in my home I don't want to be shredded, and provides a wonderful outlet for the dogs. This is also another activity that is great for those days when your schedule isn't providing enough room for you to take that extra long walk, or resources are used up for the time and energy to do other things with our dogs. Currently where I live everything is on fire, the resulting terrible air quality means I (as a severe asthmatic) have to be really limited on my outdoor time. This means the dogs aren't getting the long hikes and other outdoor activities they are used to. We are making good use of the box stash in the garage this week!