Terms & Conditions | What's Your Story

What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy Terms & Conditions

Dogs are living creatures and their behaviours naturally change over time due to factors such as age and changes in their environment. Any guarantee in these Terms and Conditions cannot circumvent these factors.

Entire Agreement

These terms and conditions apply to all sales and services by What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy, to the exclusion of any other terms unless otherwise agreed in writing.
What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy reserve the right to update these Terms and Conditions at any time with immediate effect.
These terms and conditions shall prevail over all terms and conditions of your customary practice or any previous course of dealings the client has had with What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy.
These terms and conditions apply to all work created by What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy. Work services or products are only supplied in strict accordance with these terms and conditions.
The contents contained in the quotation (verbal or written) and these Terms and Conditions form the agreement between What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy and the client relating to the work, no variation on them will be binding to What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy unless it is agreed in writing and signed by What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy (Hannah Johnson).
Each clause of this Agreement is independent and operates separately in its own right.
By agreeing to these terms and conditions your statutory rights are not affected.
Should What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy decide to waive any of these terms on an individual basis, this shall not affect the validity of remaining clauses or commit What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy to waive the same clause on any other occasion.
Any alterations or variations of these terms and conditions shall be inapplicable unless agreed in writing by all parties concerned before commencement of any work.
Ordering services or using work created by What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy is automatically agreeing to these terms and conditions.
This contract shall be governed by the laws of England and both parties shall submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.

Training & Handling Methods

The training techniques used by What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy are based on the principles of positive reinforcement and, as such, are kind, fair and reward-based. Harsh handling of dogs, physical force and the use of punitive methods/ punishment/ corrections or equipment designed to be aversive (including choke chains, check chains, prong collars, spray collars, e-collars or any other device deemed unacceptable by the trainer) are not permitted in training sessions and should not be used in training your dog. If you are seen to be using any of these methods or equipment you will no longer be able to train with us and will not be entitled to a refund.

Payment, Refunds & Cancellations

All training sessions must be paid for at the time of booking. Your booking will not be secured until payment is made. Refunds will only be given if a cancellation is made at least 48 hours before the date and time of the appointment. With less than 48 hours notice, there will be no refunds or discounts on re-arranged sessions, except in exceptional circumstances, in which case any partial refund or re-arrangement fee will be made at the sole discretion of What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy.

In the event that we have to cancel a session with you due to unforeseen circumstances, such as adverse weather/ illness/ emergency, we will make every effort to reschedule your session to another mutually convenient time. If this is not possible, we will refund you for the full cost of that session.

Safety

Any instances of accident or injury must be reported to the trainer at the time they occurred. All dogs must be kept safe and it is the responsibility of the owner to ensure the safety of others (other animals and people) with regard to your dog’s behaviour at all times. Flexi leads (extending leads) are not permitted in training sessions in order to avoid injury. For home visits, please arrange for your dog to be in another safe room (without access to the front door) when your trainer first arrives – we are happy to wait while you do this! We will advise you as to when (and how) it would be most appropriate to bring the dog into the room to be introduced to us. If you feel that this arrangement is not suitable for your dog for any reason, please just get in touch and we can discuss the best option for you and your dog. Handlers and/or owners remain responsible for their dogs at all times and are advised to ensure they have adequate pet or household insurance cover for liability in the unlikely event of damage or injury caused by their dog to property or to a third party.

Children

Children are welcome to attend training sessions, with appropriate adult supervision. We accept no responsibility for children at training sessions and it is the responsibility of the supervising adult to ensure the children’s safety at all times. Young people under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Health and Vaccination

All dogs and puppies should be suitably protected from the potential risk of disease, as well as being appropriately treated for internal and external parasites. What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy advises that owners should consult their veterinary professional with regard to such issues. There can be no guarantee that there is absolutely no risk of disease at any venue or when in contact with any other dogs or materials, such as toys, which may have been in contact with other dogs. It is the owner/ handler’s responsibility to ensure that their dog is appropriately protected against the risk of disease: What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy accepts no responsibility for the potential or actual exposure of dogs to disease. If an owner chooses not to routinely vaccinate their dog/ puppy (for example because they are choosing titre testing or using homeopathic nosodes), this is entirely the choice of the owner and is a decision made at their own risk.

By agreeing to these Terms and Conditions, you are accepting full responsibility for the protection of your dog from the risk of disease. Please advise us in advance of the session if your dog has been in contact with another dog infected by a contagious disease or if they appear to be unwell (eg. vomiting, diarrhoea, coughing, runny nose etc). Depending on the issue, it may be advisable for the session to be cancelled or re-arranged (see Refunds and Cancellations). If your dog has any known allergies or intolerances to certain foods or has any other special needs, it is your responsibility to bring this to the attention of the trainer prior to the start of the session, and you must provide appropriate treats etc.

Advice

The information and any training or advice suggested consists of What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy personal views and are based on the information given to What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy by the client or person responsible for the animal(s) and or What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy’s own conclusions resulting from personally gained evidence of the animal and the related behavioural problem.

Training plans, for the most part, will not be successful overnight. This requires a good deal of patience. What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy cannot guarantee that this will work, as each animal is an individual case, nor is it possible to foresee if another problem may arise as a result of the plan. All programs are specific to a certain animal and should not be tried on any other animal. What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy encourages clients to contact their veterinary surgeon prior to putting the actions into effect, if they are concerned. By booking one of What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy’s services, you are agreeing to these Terms and Conditions.

Marketing/ Privacy

Photographs may occasionally be taken during training sessions. Such photos may be used by What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy for the purposes of marketing. If you do not wish for photographs of you and/ or your dog to be used or shared, please let us know. Any verbal or written feedback (eg. by email or on feedback forms) may be used for marketing purposes (for example, posted on the website). If you are not happy for us to use your feedback in this way, please let us know. Photography and videography of sessions or parts of sessions is NOT permitted, without the express permission of What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy.

Disclaimer

We make every effort to ensure the safety of both clients and dogs during training sessions. However, by making a booking with us, you are accepting that participating in an activity with dogs, children and adults poses a risk of injury to yourself, your child and your dog, and you agree to indemnify What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy for all personal injury and damage to property while attending training sessions. You agree to assume full responsibility for any risks, injuries or damages, known or unknown, which might occur as a result of your dog attending such sessions. You also agree to make any person who accompanies you to the session(s), or takes your place, aware that they are also there at their own risk. You understand and accept that your dog (and its behaviour) remains entirely your responsibility at all times, whether or not in the presence of the trainer. What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy reserves the right to refuse to provide service or create work at its own discretion.

Weather

In the event of weather conditions (such as rain, wind, snow, ice, thunder etc.) preventing training classes or sessions from going ahead, these may be replaced by a zoom training session.

Pet Sitting & Dog Walking

What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy will agree a time when the dog walk will occur, or pet sitting begin.
If an unforeseen situation arises, the time interval may be adjusted.
Bank Holidays may incur additional fees which you will be advised of at the time of booking.
An in-home consultation is required, prior to reservations, for all new clients.
We ask that if you need to cancel, at least 24 hours notice is required for drop in services up to 1 hour, less than 24 hours notice will incur the full cost of the session. At least 48 hours notice is required to cancel pet sitting services longer than 1 hour, less than 48 hours notice will incur the full cost of the session.
What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy are happy to cater for dogs that need particular care, such as no dog contact, or separation anxiety. However, we do ask that you let us know if any issues that your dog may have, so that we can arrange suitable care for your pet.
What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy reserves the right to refuse to provide services for any reason, including if we deem a dog to be unsafe.
In the event that additional items need to be purchased in the absence of the client – ie pet food, cat litter, cleaning supplies or other items that contribute to the health and well being of your pet, What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy will purchase these, retain a receipt, and the pet owner is responsible for reimbursement of these items on their return.
What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy will require a copy of your house key at the initial consultation. This key will be held by What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy unless you have use of a lockable box for your key outside your home, leaving a key in a location that is not secured and locked is not advised.
Please inform us of any changes to your contact details, emergency contact details, vet surgery, and your pet’s care needs.
All of your information will be kept private and confidential and not passed onto third parties.
We ask that you make us fully aware of any pertinent information concerning your pet
before we begin our care services.
What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy will follow instructions to administer medication as directed.
If your pet shows any signs of illness within 72 hours of your visit, What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy must be informed.
If your pet has a contagious illness, What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy must be informed and this may mean the service must be cancelled in order to protect other dogs, including our own.
We advise that owners discuss vaccinations with their veterinary professional, and if the decision is made not to vaccinate, this is at the owners own risk and choice.
We may sometimes need to bring the waste back to dispose of in your outside bin if we do not come across a suitable poo bin with space.
Please provide appropriate collars and leads with tags for all visits.
Dogs will be walked on lead unless you have instructed us that it is safe to let your dog off, and that they have a recall. If we do not believe the dog will recall to us we reserve the right to keep dogs on lead and may use a longline to provide adequate exercise instead.
What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy will clean up after your pet to the best of our ability. Please inform us of the area in which cleaning supplies can be located.
We are not responsible for any flooring stains created by your pet.
Please provide towels to dry your pet off after their walk and inform us if we need to rinse your dog off after a walk - this may incur an extra fee.
Please provide details for emergency services to enter the property.
In the event of an emergency, either yourself or your emergency contact will be contacted.
Whilst pet sitting, we may wish to bring a companion or spouse along with us. This will be in agreement with the client, and the visitor will have been vetted and checked by What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy, they will be covered by our insurance.
We carefully plan our services around our clients, so we cannot offer refunds for early return dates. If you are unexpectedly delayed, we will do our best to arrange further cover, which will be charged.

Payment

What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy accepts cash, bank transfers (please enquire for bank details), or online payments when booking through a link. Payment is expected at least 24 hours before your walk or training session. For pet sitting a 20% non refundable deposit is required to secure your session, then the remaining 80% of the payment must be made at least 48 hours before the session starts. If payment is not made in time, your session will be automatically cancelled.

Fitness Sessions

If a fitness session is booked you agree to Canine Physio & Fitness Terms & Conditions which can be read by following this link: https://caninephysioandfitness.com/pages/terms-conditions

By booking any of our services, you are confirming that you have read, understood and agree to What’s Your Story Dog Training Academy Terms & Conditions.