Dog Training Waiver, Training Agreement, and Policy
General Dog Training Policies for working with Certified Dog Trainer Shelly Haines, VSA-CDT, Fetch Worthy Dog Training.
Please read carefully and if you have any questions please use the contact page or email Shelly. Thank you.
Effective date: January 1st, 2024
These Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) govern the Services to be provided to you by Lemons to Mint, LLC & DBA “Fetch Worthy” Dog Training (“Fetch Worthy”) and are incorporated into all contracts, agreements, arrangements, transactions, and dealings between the parties. By agreeing to these Terms, you consent to the following:
Training Service
Fetch Worthy will make every reasonable effort to help the Client achieve training and behavior modification goals but does not guarantee the Dog’s performance or behavior as a result of providing professional animal behavior consultation. Dog training outcomes can never be guaranteed. Most “problem behaviors” and behavior modification will require a minimum of 3 sessions with the assessment to meet high-level training goals, so your expectations should be clear and realistic. Behavior modification plans may require changing your routine, home environment, and how you interact with your dog. Fetch Worthy will provide an evidenced-based professional evaluation of goals and training plan options.
Client Cooperation/Feedback
Fetch Worthy will professionally assess goals and training options. It is the owner’s responsibility to have realistic expectations, continue training and providing feedback on assignments to guide the appropriate direction of the plan.
Behavior modification plans may require changing your routine, home environment, and how you interact with your dog. We rely on clients’ feedback & commitment between sessions to further plan the next session via email confirmation or email. FW expects updates before each session for planning purposes and encourages clients to utilize complimentary touch base sessions in between.
Scheduling/Cancellations/Reschedules
Fetch Worthy requires a 24-hour cancellation notice. You can have one emergency exception without it counting against you. If you reschedule a session three times, you will lose that session. If you have paid, but never used your sessions after three months you loose it. Appointments may occasionally start 15-30 minutes late, but we will inform you of our estimated arrival time.
Illness/Weather Policy
If you or your dog feels ill, please reschedule. Fetch Worthy can reschedule sessions due to unforeseen problems like travel delays, illness, or bad weather.
Payment/Refunds/Disputes
The client must pay Fetch Worthy before receiving services. The client is responsible for credit card processing fees. If payment is not made on time or in full, it will violate these terms. This gives Fetch Worthy the right to stop or cancel all services and take other reasonable actions. We do not offer refunds and do not support chargebacks. As stated in our training agreement, we generally do not give refunds on private training packages. We ask that you handle any disputes directly with us.
Purchased Services Expiration Policy
Training packages must be completed within 6 months from when the contract starts, unless the package is a limited-time offer. Fetch Worthy will recommend more training opportunities. After 6 months, any unused sessions and touch-base calls will be lost.
Recommendations
We are a proud to be a highly rated recommended professional practice and kindly ask our clients to provide recommendations during or after their sessions online & in person recommendations (Google, Nextdoor, Facebook, Yelp, Instagram, vet office, or via our website). If at any time the Client doesn’t feel their professional guidance or service is worth recommending, we ask for immediate feedback to re-solve any issues or miscomunication.
Dog Health
I confirm that I am the legal owner of my dog. My dog has not been around any distemper, kennel cough, canine mystery illness, rabies, or parvovirus cases in the last thirty (30) days. I have records showing my dog is up to date on vaccinations. You agree that your pet is healthy and free of fleas, parasites, and contagious diseases. You may need to show proof of these vaccinations.
I allow Fetch Worthy to take any necessary actions for my dog’s safety and health while in their care. This includes getting professional veterinary treatment if Fetch Worthy thinks it’s necessary.
Socialization Position
Due to the many outstanding benefits during the 16 week critical period, we support safely socializating puppies before full vaccinations and are comitted to the puppy’s safety and emotional well-being. We do not advise waiting.
At-Home Training Access
Services include in-home training. You agree to let Fetch Worthy access your property to provide these services. You promise that your property will be free of any unusual hazards, and you will do everything needed to ensure safe access for Fetch Worthy and its staff. You agree not to block or interfere with Fetch Worthy’s work and to keep the area clear of distractions, like children or other pets, as requested by Fetch Worthy staff.
Safety
You understand that Fetch Worthy may need certain measures, like leashes, muzzles, or barriers, to keep its staff and your pet safe. Fetch Worthy can refuse to provide services if it believes conditions are dangerous, could cause disruptions, or threaten anyone’s safety. If Fetch Worthy cancels the services due to a dangerous situation but is still prepared to help, you will need to pay the full amount.
Failure to report aggressive behavior in detail, including dog bites, results in owner liability and termination of the agreement.
Bites
I understand that Fetch Worthy has the right to refuse service to me and/or my dog anytime. If my dog has a history of or repeatedly demonstrates aggression or biting humans or animals, Fetch Worthy reserves the right to refuse service. I understand that all bites may be reported to the local authorities to the extent the law requires.
Use Of Aversives
When training with Fetch Worthy, you agree not to use fear, pain, harsh corrections, intimidation, shock collars, prong collars, alpha rolls, muzzle grabbing, physical restraint, or choke collars to change your dog’s behavior. Fetch Worthy follows LIMA, which means “Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive.” LIMA is about using the least harmful approach possible from a range of humane and effective methods to achieve your training goals. To follow LIMA, trainers and behavior consultants must be well-educated and skilled to ensure they use the least harmful methods. LIMA does not support punishment as an alternative to other effective training methods. In most cases, you can change behavior by focusing on your dog’s environment, health, and using techniques such as reinforcing alternative behaviors, desensitization, and counter-conditioning.
Food/Toys/Enrichment Training Tools
Handle with care and caution. Read caution labels and reviews, and consult your vet for questions about food, supplements, and safe use of toys and ingestibles. Fetch Worthy is not liable for any injuries to dogs or handlers using suggested training tools or plans.
Transporting
The Client authorizes Fetch Worthy to transport/take my dog into public spaces during his/her lessons for day training, socialization, behavior walks, or board and train for the Client’s dog.
Photo Release
We respect clients’ privacy and often use photos and videos for clients, as well as photos, marketing, and social media. Client grants to Fetch Worthy and/or its representatives and employees the right to take photographs of Client and/or Dog and videos for training for a client and to use it electronically unless the client declines explicitly.
Liability
If Client’s dog causes property damage or bites or injures any dog, animal, or person (including but not limited to Trainer and Trainer’s agents), during or after the term of this Agreement, then Client agrees to pay all resulting losses and damages suffered or incurred, and to defend and indemnify Trainer and Trainer’s agents from any resulting claims, demands, lawsuits, losses, costs or expenses, including attorney fees. If Dog is injured in a fight or in any other manner during or after the term of the Agreement, Client assumes the risk and agrees that Trainer should not be held responsible for any resulting injuries, losses, damages, costs, or expenses.
At Trainer’s sole election, Trainer’s duties hereunder shall terminate if (a) in Trainer’s sole judgment Dog is dangerous or vicious to Trainer or any other person or animal or interferes with the training of other dogs, or (b) Client breaches any term or condition of this Agreement. Upon termination in accordance with the foregoing, Trainer’s duties shall terminate, but all other provisions of this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect.
The parties confirm that, except for that which is written explicitly in this Agreement, no promises, representations, or oral understandings have been made concerning Dog or anything else. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Client acknowledges that Fetch Worthy has not represented, promised, guaranteed, or warranted that Dog will never bite, that Dog will not be dangerous or vicious in the future, that Dog will not exhibit other behavioral problems, or that the results of the training will last for any particular amount of time.
**We highly recommend pet insurance for pet owners**
If you have any questions please use the contact page or email Shelly.
Thanks again, and Happy Training!
Agreement
If you have not submitted an agreement form (here or on Acuity scheduling), please fill out this form: