Terms and Conditions

To help us get the most out of our relationship together I have created this set of terms and conditions. When things don’t go to plan, I will always try to be flexible, but they have been set in place so we both know what is expected. Please read them carefully as by booking a service with I/We/Us (Gooddoggie), You (the client) are agreeing to be bound by them. Exceptions for digital products, talks, and classes are at the bottom.

Behaviour Training Packages. Your behaviour training proposal comes in two parts: the “assessment” and the “training package” They collectively form the “service”.

Your initial assessment includes some preliminary advice but the advice given at this stage is only preparatory and will form part of your training plan. It will not work without the additional training package.

During your assessment I will talk to you about your dog including their history, strengths and weaknesses, loves and hates. I’ll also talk to you about their problem behaviour, why they are doing what they are doing, any limitations that may impact rehabilitation, and about different ways to help them. I will normally confirm the final details of your dogs proposed training package including time scales and required number of sessions. You are not obliged to continue with the proposed training package following the assessment, however it is recommended that service is continued quickly for best results, and continued support.

Once we have agreed upon a training programme we will schedule your first, or all your appointments at optimum intervals for best results. These are normally at intervals of 2-4 weeks but it will depend on your dog, the problems, and how much time is available to you for training between sessions.

Your training package is sold as a complete product that includes the proposed sessions, support, and aftercare. It is structured with a goal in mind and cannot be broken down individual parts for payment.

If you decide to continue service at a later date, your first training session must begin within 12 weeks of your assessment otherwise a new assessment may be required and an updated training package may be recommended.

Puppy, Rescue Dog, and Problem Specific Consultations. These packages don’t require an in depth assessment to establish training needs. Your packages are pre-built and so payment of the full package is required in full at the time of booking. Additional sessions can be added later, in the event of additional training needs. These are paid for at the time they are booked.

Online Behaviour Training Sessions. Online sessions will take place via zoom and are normally recorded for your reference. Recordings will be kept for at least 12 months, or longer by arrangement. For obvious reasons, I will not be assessing, or monitoring, your dogs behaviour in person. For this reason additional sessions may be required as we test techniques. As part of the assessment and monitoring process it will help to provide videos of your dogs behaviour. For best results, the video will be recorded from a distance so the whole scene is captured. For example, if your dog is being reactive to another dog, the video will also include the other dog. Ideally, the recording will also start before your dog starts the unwanted behaviour, and will continue until the behaviour has stopped. The build up and calm down behaviours can be very revealing. Videos will normally be watched during your scheduled sessions.

In the event of technical failure, our session may be rescheduled or take place via the phone. In the case of a phone consultation, notes will be be written down and emailed in place of a zoom recording. Notes will also be written up and sent in the event that a session fails to record.

Mentor Sessions. Online sessions will take place via zoom and are normally recorded for your reference. Sessions are available in 60 and 30 minute lengths. 60 Minute sessions are needed for first meetings, and if there is 2 or more topics to discuss. 30 Minute sessions are perfect for catch-ups and for discussing 1 or 2 topics at the most. Recordings will be kept for at least 12 months, or longer by arrangement. In the event of technical failure, our session may be rescheduled or take place via the phone. In the case of a phone consultation, notes will be be written down and emailed in place of a zoom recording. Notes will also be written up and sent in the event that a session fails to record.

Records and data sharing. Records of the sessions will be kept for the purpose of providing ongoing dog behaviour training services. Sensitive data will never be shared with anyone. However, some details may be shared for marketing purposes, research, and as case studies for educational material.

How and when do I pay? Payment for all bookings is via bank transfer and is due at the time of booking. Once scheduled, your appointment will be reserved for four hours only to allow time for payment to clear. If payment is not received in time the space will be offered to the next person. We do not accept payment on the day, or in cash.

Homework. It’ll take more than a couple of hours to change your dogs behaviour so there will be work for you to do between sessions. Each session is designed to monitor and build on progress made between sessions, so please make sure you practise the techniques, as advised, between sessions so training can progress at the expected rate. Failure to do so may lead to disappointing results and could mean additional sessions are needed. Full support is available as part of your training package so please let me know if you are struggling to keep up so we can make adjustments.

Training plans will not be successful overnight. Your final training plan will be built up and tested over a number of training sessions which will be agreed at your assessment. Together these will form a complete plan which will need time and practise to take full effect.

Ongoing Support. Support is included with all behaviour training packages and is normally available between 10am-6pm. If you have a problem or question regarding the training, the onus is on you to let us know, so please get in touch straight away.

Email is preferred for most communication, alternatively, you can share videos and send messages via WhatsApp (07939057909) and WeTransfer (using email address: caroline@gooddoggie.co.uk). Please use text or WhatsApp for urgent communication outside of business hours. My number for that is 07939057909. If you’d rather chat on the phone, please leave a message or arrange to time in advance; I get inundated with spam calls plus, I can’t always answer the phone for obvious reasons. If I don’t hear from you between sessions I’ll assume everything is going to plan.

Support and service may not be provided during normal public holiday periods, in the case of illness, or when I take annual leave, but will continue at the next available date.

Powerhours. Powerhours are sold as individual units on an ad hoc basis. We offer no expectation as to the results that may be achieved in a powerhour and they do not combine to collectively form a training plan. This means they do not come with ongoing support, although clarification regarding the advice given is always encouraged. We do not guarantee future availability of powerhours.

Availability of Appointments. Appointments are normally available during my core hours on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays, between 10am and 6pm (GMT), and is not guaranteed outside of these days and times. Please get in touch before booking if you think my availability might cause you a problem.

Annual Leave Advance Notice. As well as normal bank and public holidays including Easter, Christmas, and New Year, I have planned holiday between 6th and 17th April, and will be unavailable during these times for training sessions and non-urgent support. Urgent support will be provided but will be limited. If you need support urgently during these times, please send a message via WhatsApp to 07939057909 marked “urgent”! Christmas 2024: Appointments and support will be available but core working hours will be temporarily changed to exclude 24th – 27th December and 31st December – 3rd January.

Guarantees. Results of behaviour work and training plans cannot be guaranteed with any animal. However, clients that see the training plan through as prescribed, work hard between sessions, and make use of ongoing support get excellent results.

I hold multiple qualifications and the advice I offer will be based on 20 years of personal and professional experience. I promise that it will not be harsh, and it will be appropriate for your dogs individual needs.

Mixing advice. Not all techniques work well together, and some cancel each other out. So to avoid confusion to your dog, please do not make changes to your plan, or implement any other training techniques or plans, without our prior agreement. This includes, but is not limited to, advice obtained from TV, books, friends, family, dog professionals such as groomers and vets, or other trainers/behaviourists. We reserve the right to withdraw service without refund, if we believe this may have been the case and it has been detrimental to progress.

Rescheduling, Cancellations, and Missed appointments. Changes to appointments can be disruptive to your progress, and my schedule, so please only request to reschedule if it cannot be avoided.

Once your booking has been confirmed, your space is protected and cannot be offered to anyone else, and so no refunds will be given for cancellations or no shows. However, it might be possible to reschedule your appointment.

Appointments that have already been rescheduled may not be eligible for a further reschedule. Missed appointments, no shows, and cancellation requests at less than 72 hours notice will not normally be eligible for reschedule. In the event of a cancellation, no show or missed appointment; replacement sessions will be needed to complete the training programme, they can be booked at my usual rate.

If you do need to reschedule your appointment, I cannot guarantee I will be able to fit you in at short notice. If your appointment is rescheduled you must continue with the training plan (unless otherwise agreed) until the new date.

If you are running late for your session please let me know asap. I will always try to wait as long as possible, but if I don’t hear from you within 10 minutes of the start time, it will be assumed that you are not coming and the session will be ended. If you wish to book a replacement session, it can be booked at my usual rate.

Changing your mind. Once you accept our proposal and request to proceed you may change your mind for up to 48 hours, a refund may be offered of any money paid minus a deduction any additional fees or costs that may have been incurred by us, for example transaction and card processing fees. Your assessment and the training package will form a continuous service. If you wish to cancel after we have begun work there is no refund for unused portions of your training package.

If we cancel, or request to reschedule a training session, we will give you as much notice as possible. For cancellations of less than 72 hours notice, we will endeavour to reschedule your appointment at a suitable time to you to limit disruption to your training progress. If it is not possible to reschedule, a discount may be offered.

Postponing Service. If you need to put on hold, or postpone your training, this might be possible but will be at our discretion. However, if more than 12 weeks passes between sessions we may need to restart the process. In this instance, a discount may be offered to reflect the unused portion of your previous training package.

Unless otherwise agreed, and if no contact is received within 6 months of your last session, it will be accepted that you have cancelled service with us and we reserve the right to offer your place to a new client. No refund will be offered in this case and we may need to restart the process.

Bad Weather I will not usually agree to rearrange your appointments due to bad or inclement weather, unless I believe it will put us, your dog(s), or your training progress, at risk, for example, in the event of snow, ice, extreme conditions, or excessive temperatures.

Safety First. We will make all reasonable endeavours to ensure we work safely together and the advice we offer is safe and appropriate. However, you remain responsible for your dog(s) and their behaviour at all times. You are advised to ensure you have adequate pet and household insurance cover for liability in the unlikely event of damage or injury caused by your dog to property or to a third party. Please stay safe and never attempt any training technique if it could put any person or animal at risk. If you are unsure about the use of any technique, or how to implement our advice safely, please seek clarification before continuing.

For the safety and comfort of all concerned, please restrain your dog on their lead, use a muzzle, or contain your dog in a separate room if there is a risk that they might bite or cause harm. We don’t mind getting barked at or jumped on though!

In the event that it would be detrimental to us, you, or your dog(s), to continue with your training session, we reserve the right to cut short, reschedule, cancel, and/or amend your training as necessary.

Insurance. Gooddoggie is fully insured with Pet Business Insurance (ACE009391) however any accident or injury during our training session will not be covered if you have failed to show reasonable care, use the appropriate equipment, or follow our advice correctly. 

Banned Breeds. Our insurance does not cover us to work with banned breeds, or dogs that match the characteristics of a banned breed. Failure to disclose a dog that matches the characteristics of a banned breed, could result in service being withdrawn without notice, or refund.

Broken Contracts. We reserve the right to withdraw service, without refund, if you break any of the above terms. If we break the terms, refunds may be offered to reflect unused portions of your training package.

Complaints. In the event of dissatisfaction complaints should be made in writing to us within 14 days of the problem occurring. Complaints will be responded to within 2 business days (except during holiday times), and outcomes will be considered on a case by case basis. If you are dissatisfied with our response, you can refer your complaint to Trading Standards for mediation.

Quote Expiry. Prices may change from time to time and can only be guaranteed for 30 days.

Privacy Policy. My privacy policy is available to view here.

Some exceptions

In addition to the above terms, the following services have some exceptions:

Classes. Classes and workshops are sold in blocks of one or more items, but form a single product. As such they cannot be divided into parts. Payment is due at the time of booking. Your place is not confirmed until payment has been received in full and may be offered to someone else, without notice, if payment is not received on time.

Unless stated otherwise, places are sold “per dog” not per person.

Change of mind. Once your place has been confirmed you have 48 hours to change your mind and claim a refund. Your refund amount will include a deduction in the amount of any fees incurred by us (such as card processing fees). After 48 hours, your place may be transferred, or offered to someone else. If it is resold you will receive a full refund (minus fees).

Digital Products, webinars, talks, and online trainings. Sales are final and cannot be cancelled. Product is sold for your private use only and cannot be shared or distributed. Online classes, talks and webinars may also be recorded by us. Feel free to turn your camera off if you don’t wish to be seen on camera.