TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Terms and Conditions

These Terms and Conditions are for the interest of safety, responsibility, and welfare of our clients. We reserve the right to change these terms and conditions at any time. Any changes will take immediate effect and it is the responsibility of our clients to read these.

Training Classes

Payment is required in full to confirm your place in a class.
Once payment has been received a confirmation email will with a dog registration form will be sent. By receiving this confirmation, you have acknowledged you are aware of our terms and conditions.
You will not be allowed to participate in the class without having first returned your registration form.
If you request a place in a class without paying, there is no assurance a space will be available on commencement of the course. We will endeavour to contact you when places are limited.
A Not Ready score will be given if more than 1 lesson is missed in a Good Companion Course due to the requirements of the course, unless there are exceptional circumstances.
The number of dogs per class is limited to provide appropriate trainer to dog ratio.
You must not knowingly book a dog onto a course that shows aggression or nervousness, unless it is a specific course designed to address these issues.
We reserve the right to excuse any dogs that are aggressive in the class, unless we have assessed your dog for a re-socialisation class. If you do not advise us of any potential behavioural problems, and your dog shows aggression in the class, you will not be entitled to a refund. If you are unsure about the suitability of your dog in class and have not asked us to assess your dog before your attendance, you will not be refunded if your dog is unsuitable for the class you have booked. If we have agreed to your dog attending but the dog is not suited to the class environment, we will offer you alternative arrangements, such as working with you on a 121 basis.
We are unable to refund course fees once the course has commenced and partial refunds for missed classes are not given. Please notify us beforehand if you will miss a class.
Please arrive at least 5 minutes prior to the class commencing to allow your dog to relieve themselves and be in a calmer state of mind. Latecomers can be disruptive to the group. If you are late, for safety reasons please wait for a trainer to let you into the class in case dogs might be working off lead.
When arriving at class please avoid meeting the other dogs on lead. Not all dogs like to be near other dogs when restrained on lead and may react as a consequence.
Do not crowd doorways and allow plenty of room for a dog to enter and exit the hall.
Please be a responsible dog owner and always clean up after your dog. Take home all used poo bags and do not leave these on the premises or outside in the car park.
Please consider others in the class and switch off your mobile phone. We ask that you do not hold conversations on your phone during a class. Photography or video recording is not permitted in class. We may occasionally record for promotional purposes, however please alert us if you do not wish to appear.

Dog Health and Welfare

Puppies must be fully vaccinated before they can attend a class. Evidence of their vaccinations will need to be provided before they are allowed to attend.
The facilities and tools used within the Puppy Preschool classes will be fully sterilised before each class to prevent transmission of any disease and infection.
Puppies that attend Puppy Preschool must have had one at least one vaccination and will sign a disclaimer acknowledging the risks presented upon taking part.
Dogs that have been in contact with an infection disease such as Kennel Cough will not be allowed into the class.
Dogs should be adequately protected by vaccinations as advised by your vet.
If your dog is in an unfit state due to illness or injury, they should not be brought to the class.
Bitches in season are not permitted to attend a class. Please notify us if your bitch may come into season during a course.
If you are unsure if your dog is fit to attend a class, please consult your vet.
Refunds are not given due to any of the above, although we may offer alternative arrangements, such as deferring to another course at a later date.

1-2-1 Training

One to one sessions are designed to target specific training issues or run as a course on a private basis. A specific training plan will be devised for you to improve your dog’s training and will take into consideration both yours and your dogs’ needs based on my assessment.
If I believe there is a medical condition underlying any issues or a behaviourist is required I will give you details of where to get this type of help, as I am neither a vet or a qualified behaviourist.
The training session will take place at a suitable, agreed location, depending on the nature of the training. Practical aspects of the programme are included and will be demonstrated to you.
Fees must be paid within 48 hours after the training session. If booking a programme, the total fee must be paid prior to the first appointment and all sessions in a pre-paid package must be taken within 3 months of that date.
Any parking expenditure, mileage, field hire costs, if applicable, will be in addition.

Children

We encourage family members to attend classes. Children are welcome and when encouraged to participate often make competent handlers. Children under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.
Children under the age of 6 are not allowed in the class unless there is another responsible adult looking after them. If they become distracting for the class they will be asked to wait outside.
If you provide your children with entertainment during a class, please ensure it is quiet and will not distract the class.
Children must behave appropriately in the presence of unfamiliar dogs and are requested not to run in class or distract other dogs from working.
For safety reasons it is advisable that all children are educated in how to approach an unfamiliar dog. We do provide instruction in how to interact with an unfamiliar dog.
Training Methods
The training methods used follow the LIMA guidelines (Least Intrusive Minimally Aversive) and offer a Do No Harm approach to dog training.
We practise kind, fair, and effective techniques avoiding the need to use physical correction of any type.
Any harsh handling of dogs will not be permitted, and the use any coercive or punitive methods, including lead jerking, shouting or smacking, is not permitted. You may not use any gadget or device in class that we consider aversive, such as slips leads, pinch collars, spray collars, compressed air canisters, rattle cans or water squirters, or any other device, or method, that has potential to cause injury, pain, or fear. Any owner who continues to use harsh methods when asked not to, will be asked to leave our classes without a refund and will not be welcomed back.

Pre-Visit Consultations

You will be asked to fill in a consultation form at least 4 days prior to our visit. Failure to do so may delay the consultation and training process.
Pre-visit consultations helps build a case history and you should complete this as fully and as honestly as possible, citing examples where necessary.
You may be asked to provide video footage of your pet’s behaviour on a day-to-day basis as this can aid the consultation process, as your pet may not perform certain behaviours during my visit. It is not necessary to provoke your pet into performing the problem behaviour.

Cancellations

Cancellations for a course that has been paid for requires at least 48 hours notice.
Course fees will not be refunded within 48 hours notice of the course starting.
For one to one training fees will not be refunded within 24 hours notice.
We are unable to refund course fees once the course has commenced.
No refunds/or one to one alternatives will be given for non-attendance to a course (unless it is deemed that the dog is not able to attend course due to not coping in the class environment).
The landlord of the venues may at short notice cancel our use of the hall or field. Should this occur, you will be notified as soon as possible.
Insufficient numbers booked onto a course may result in the course being postponed or cancelled. In this instance you will be notified of future course dates or offered private tuition. If this is not acceptable a full refund will be given.
Requests for a refund and any cancellations, including for 121’s are made at the discretion of More Than Paws and any decision is made on a case-by-case basis.

Safety

Lara's Animal Behaviour Services and Training is committed to providing a safe and secure environment to carry out good training practices.
Dog training involves practical handling and therefore appropriate clothing and shoes are recommended. If the training is outside, be prepared for all weathers.
In extreme weather classes may be cancelled or postponed.
Please keep to areas designated for our training purposes.
All dogs must be kept under control and on a lead unless instructed by a trainer. You are responsible for your dog’s conduct.
Working with dogs is not without risk and therefore all reasonable precautions are taken to minimise the risk of injury to people and dogs. Participation in dog training is at the owner’s own risk.
All dogs listed on the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 must be registered on the index of exempted dogs (IED), provide evidence of public liability insurance, be neutered, microchipped, kept on lead and muzzled with a dog handler ratio of 1:1 at all times in a public setting.

Liability

Lara's Animal Behaviour Services and Training has the relevant business insurance and public liability insurance to run private and group classes.
Lara's Animal Behaviour Services and Training will not accept any responsibility for any loss, injury or damage to any person or dogs attending the course.
Owners are advised to obtain appropriate pet insurance that includes third party liability insurance.
Lara's Animal Behaviour Services and Training will not be held accountable or is responsible for the misinterpretation of any advice and guidance given.
All personal information will be kept private and confidential and stored in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

The policy below provides information on how we handle, store, and protect your personal data.

What is personal information and how do we collect it?

Lara's Animal Behaviour Services and Training collects personal information about our clients, to provide pet dog training services and to effectively manage our business relationships. The types of personal information we collect may be business contact details or may include further information to enable us to support you throughout your pet’s training plan.

What we collect

Lara's Animal Behaviour Services and Training may collect the following information:

Your name and telephone number

Personal information including email addresses and home addresses,

Personal preferences, and interests that may influence your pet training,

Veterinary information and information relevant to supporting you and your pet’s needs and welfare.

What we do with the information we gather

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.

We may also use your information to contact you for market research purposes. In these situations, we may require your data to pursue our interests in a way which might reasonably be expected as part of running a business. This does not materially impact your rights, freedom, or interests. We may contact you by email, phone, or mail. The information gained from this purpose will allow us to customise services to support clients further.

Disclosure of personal information

Lara's Animal Behaviour Services and Training 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. Where we have outsourced a function or activity to an external service provider, we will only disclose the personal information that the service provider needs to undertake that function or activity. We will ensure any external service providers enter into confidentiality agreements which prohibits them from using, or disclosing personal information, for any purpose other than to carry out the function or activity for which they are engaged.

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 and storing personal information. It is important that the information we keep, and use, is accurate and up-to-date. If at any time your personal details change, please let us know so we can update our records.

Your right to withdraw consent

Whenever you have given us your consent to use your personal data, you have the right to change your mind at any time and withdraw that consent. However, we will still be required to hold your information under contractual obligations if you have used our services and we have invoiced you, this information will be held for five years.

Data security

Lara's Animal Behaviour Services and Training are committed to ensuring that all your information is secure. We endeavour to take reasonable steps to protect any personal information we hold on you and your pets, from misuse and loss and from unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure. All information is kept in a secure and safe place, and laptops are password protected. We will take reasonable steps to destroy or anonymise your personal information when it is no longer needed.

Access to Personal Information

We respect your right to access any personal information we hold about you. You may request details of personal information which we hold about you or your pets under the Data Protection Act (1998). If you believe that any information, we are holding on you is incorrect, please contact us.

Further information

For any further information or questions you may have regarding our privacy policy please contact lara@labstraining.co.uk