Reactive Dog Course
Terms and Conditions
Terms and conditions of services effective 01.06.2023. Helen Rigg and Victoria Kingsman, hereafter referred to as “we”, “our” or “us”, are two separate entities working together to provide a group dog reactivity class, collectively known as the “service(s)”, “session(s)”, “package(s)” , “course(s)” or “booking(s)”. The “client(s)”, “owner(s)”, “handler(s)” refers to the person filling out the enrolment form and anyone affiliated with the dog that attends a session, be that in person or via video call.
In the interests of safety to Helen Rigg, Victoria Kingsman, clients, owners, handlers and dogs please read and agree to the following conditions:
This declaration sets out the terms on which we accept you on any sessions. When you agree to this declaration, you will be bound by all of our terms and conditions.
We review and change these conditions from time to time in order to assist the proper delivery of services and education, and when in the interest of Helen Rigg, Victoria Kingsman, clients, owners, handlers and dogs.
BOOKINGS AND RESCHEDULING
Bookings are held for seven days to allow time for full payment of invoice. If the invoice is not paid within this period the booking(s) time(s) will be offered to other clients.
In some circumstances it may be possible for a deposit to secure a booking. Clients must contact us directly by phone or email to discuss this.
We book up approximately 6 – 12 weeks in advance so sessions must be booked as soon as possible to avoid disappointment, and long gaps in between sessions.
All courses must be completed within the time frame specified to ensure the effectiveness of the advice is not compromised, and unattended dates cannot be carried over.
Invoices, payment confirmation, booking confirmation, session reminders and correspondence from us will be sent via email to the client’s email address. Please ensure this address is correct at the time of booking.
CANCELLATIONS, PAYMENTS, REFUNDS AND TERMINATION OF CONTRACT
Cancellation requests of the entire booking made up to four weeks prior to the first session (including any online consultations or sessions) will incur the full fee.
A 14 day statutory cancellation period is given after booking a service. If your booking is made within four weeks of the start of the service then you agree to waive your right to rely upon the 14 day statutory cooling off and cancellation period.
If the client fails to attend a session no refund shall be given.
If the client is late to a session, only the booked time slot for the session shall be given. No extra time shall be added onto the training session to account for the client’s arriving late.
If the client is more than 20 minutes late for a session and has not corresponded with us to inform us of the delay, it will be up to our discretion if they can join the remaining session.
Full payment is required up to seven days after the invoice is issued. Invoices are sent by email and must be paid via bank transfer. Other payment methods may be possible at our discretion and the client must request this at the time of booking.
Any refunds granted will be paid to the client by bank transfer to the account they made payment from. Refunds will take between two to seven working days to appear in the client’s account.
Many insurance companies cover our behaviour services. We cannot guarantee pay out from insurance companies as the decision ultimately lies with the insurer. If clients expect to claim in this way it is their responsibility to discuss this with their insurance company prior to booking.
If the client decides to terminate the booking/service once training has started, a refund will not be given for any sessions taken or the remainder of the sessions not used.
If the client makes the decision to re-home their dog once a service has commenced, a refund will not be given for any sessions taken or the remainder of the sessions not used.
If the client moves outside of our service area once a service has commenced, a refund will not be given for any sessions taken or the remainder of the sessions not used.
We reserve the right to terminate the contract (at any time and with immediate effect and no refund) if any dog/s under the contract does not respond well to the service where continuing of said contract is deemed by us to constitute a risk.
We reserve the right to terminate the contract (at any time and with immediate effect and no refund) if the client or anyone with their dog is abusive towards us or other participants.
If a client is non-compliant or withholding information with regards to the behaviour of their dog, including but not limited to aggression, which could compromise our safety then the contract will be terminated immediately and no refund given.
GENERAL
The client must advise us at the time of booking of any reasonable adjustments they require to ensure they can access our services.
We may use photos and or videos of the client and their dog on our business websites and or social media. Please advise us if you want to be excluded from any photography.
We cannot be held liable for any losses of any kind that arise from this contract or the provision of our services save for death or personal injury caused by negligence. This clause does not attempt to avoid any liability which cannot be excluded by law.
Sessions may be held outside and in inclement weather, please wear appropriate clothing and footwear.
We will apply personal judgement and cut short a training session, if necessary, because of extreme weather conditions; including, but not limited to excessive heat, rain, thunderstorms and snow/ice. The decision to do so lays with our judgement, for our safety, the client and dog. In such circumstances suitable alternative arrangements will be offered.
The course is designed to be completed in full. Where a client misses one session we will make reasonable attempts to support them in catching up on missed content. If two or more sessions are missed we may advise they do not continue for the remainder of the course if we feel this impacts their safety, their dog’s safety and that of the course participants.
Should training sessions have to be cancelled due to changes relating to Covid-19 or similar (including but not limited to a lockdown or rules about 1-2-1 or group gatherings changing) a refund will not be given and the training sessions will either be rearranged for a mutually convenient time and date, or carried out virtually via Zoom. This is at our discretion.
Aggression or behaviour issues must be declared in the enrolment form or advised in writing along with acceptance and confirmation of receipt from us before sessions begin.
If your dog’s medical history changes please advise us prior to attending a session.
If your dog’s behaviour changes in a negative way during the course please advise us prior to attending a session.
It is advised that your dog is fully vaccinated and on a regular flea, tick and worming treatment. Or they are titre tested and regular worming checks are completed.
All dogs must wear a collar with ID and well fitting harness and be kept on a lead for the duration of the session.
We will apply personal judgement and cut short a training session if necessary, if we feel the dog is not coping well.
Our methods are kind, science-based and effective. However, instant results are unlikely and training will take long term commitment from the client to work with their dog throughout the duration of the booked sessions and beyond. It is the responsibility of the client to follow the plan we advise to achieve the desired results.
Aggressive behaviour is a normal part of a dog’s behavioural repertoire and therefore its removal cannot be guaranteed. Through a structured behaviour modification plan we can reduce the likelihood the dog feels the need to escalate its response to this level. A pet’s behaviour is ultimately the owner’s responsibility.
Dogs must be kept under control. Failure to do so and any injury caused by your dog being out of control will be your full responsibility.
Sessions may be held in venues where there are other animals on the premises e.g. livestock or horses; it is your responsibility to notify us if your dog presents a risk to other animals and/or you are unable to safely manage them around other animals.
In some cases we use stooge or helper dogs to aid training. You will be responsible for keeping your dog a sufficient and safe distance from the stooge or helper dog and under control.
If your bitch is in season please inform us as soon as possible to discuss whether it’s appropriate for your dog to train.
Please address any questions regarding these terms and conditions to either helen@thecanineway.biz or info@vkdogbehaviourspecialist.com
2. Privacy Policy
Helen Rigg & Victoria Kingsman are committed to ensuring the protection of personal information collected in the conduct of its business according to the Data Protection Act 2018 (the UK’s implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation GDPR). Our privacy policy is designed to inform our clients and others who deal with us, how we collect, hold, use and disclose personal information.
What is personal information and how do we collect it?
We collect personal information about our clients, to provide dog-related services and to effectively manage our business relationships. The types of personal information we collect may be contact details and further information to enable us to support our clients in their dog training/behaviour journey.
We may collect the following information:
· Name and telephone number
· Information including email address
· Demographic information such as postcode, preferences and interests
· Other information relevant to supporting you and your pet’s needs
We require the above information to understand you and your pet’s needs and provide you with a better service and for the following reasons:
· Internal record keeping.
· To improve our products or/and services.
Disclosure of personal information:
We will not disclose, share, sell or rent any personal information we hold about you without your consent or are required by law to do so.
The quality, accuracy and correction of personal information we hold:
Protecting personal information is a priority and we always consider security and confidentiality when handling personal information. It is important that the information we maintain and use is accurate, complete and up-to-date. If at any time your personal details change or you believe any information we are holding on you is incorrect, please let us know using the email address below so we can update our records.
Access to Personal Information:
We respect your right to access personal information we hold about you. You may request details of personal information which we hold about you under the Data Protection Act (2018) using the email address below.
Data security:
We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. We have appropriate cybersecurity measures in place to protect all personal information we hold from misuse, loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. We keep your personal data for no longer than is necessary.
Further information:
If you have any questions about our privacy policy or require more information concerning our privacy practices, please address your enquiries to: helen@thecanineway.biz or info@vkdogbehaviourspecialist.com