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 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 lessons with the assessment to meet high-level training goals, so your expectations should be clear. 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. It is up to the owner to continue training and provide feedback on homework to determine the appropriate plan direction.
Client Responsibility
Fetch Worthy will professionally evaluate goals and training plan options. It is up to the owner to continue training and provide feedback on homework to determine the appropriate direction of the plan.
Cooperation
Behavior modification plans may require changing your routine, home environment, and how you interact with your dog.
Cancellation/Reschedule Policy
Fetch Worthy kindly asks for at least 24 hours’ cancellation notice via email confirmation portal or by text to avoid a penalty of a $50 no-show fee. Clients are allowed one exception without penalty for emergencies. This also maintains the integrity of the training plan and goals that ultimately affect the results of Fetch Worthy, including the schedule. If you cancel or reschedule a session three times, that session will be forfeited. If you pay for but fail to complete a session within three months following payment, that session will be forfeited. Fetch Worthy retains the right to reschedule due to circumstances beyond Fetch Worthy’s control, including, but not limited to, travel delays, changes in schedule, equipment malfunction, illness, and weather.
Payment
The client agrees to pay Fetch Worthy before the services are rendered. Any failure to make timely payment in full will breach these Terms, giving Fetch Worthy the right to suspend or cancel all Services and take any other commercially reasonable action.
Purchased Services Expiration Policy
Training packages should be completed within 6 months of the contract’s commencement (unless a package is a limited-time offer). Fetch Worthy will suggest additional training opportunities. After that time, any unused sessions are forfeited.
Refunds
Per our training agreement, we generally do not offer refunds on private training packages.
Dog Health
I certify I am the legal owner of my dog; that my dog has not been exposed to distemper, kennel cough, canine mystery illness, rabies, or parvovirus within the past thirty (30) days; that my dog has been inoculated as indicated by records presented. You warrant that your pet is physically fit, healthy, and free of fleas, parasites, and infectious diseases. You may be required to provide proof of such vaccinations.
I authorize Fetch Worthy to do whatever they deem necessary for my dog’s safety, health, and well-being while under the care of Fetch Worthy, including seeking professional veterinary treatment for my dog as deemed reasonably necessary by Fetch Worthy in its sole and absolute discretion.
Socialization
Due to the many outstanding benefits of dog socialization and Fetch Worthy Dog Training’s commitment to my dog’s safety and well-being, the benefits of dog socialization outweigh the risks.
At-Home Training Access
Services include at-home training; you agree to grant Fetch Worthy reasonable access to your property to provide the Services. You guarantee that your property will be free of unusual or unexpected hazards and that you will take all actions necessary to ensure safe and secure access to the property by Fetch Worthy and its personnel. You agree not to obstruct or inhibit Fetch Worthy’s performance of the Services and to keep the area clear of distractions (such as children or other pets) as reasonably requested by Fetch Worthy personnel.
Safety
You acknowledge and agree that Fetch Worthy may require certain measures, such as leashes, muzzles, or physical barriers in connection with the Services for the protection and safety of Fetch Worthy personnel and your pet. Fetch Worthy reserves the right to decline to provide the Services if, in its sole discretion, Fetch Worthy deems conditions to be dangerous or may cause disruption or disturbances, endanger life, cause bodily injury, or in any way affect the safety and security of Fetch Worthy’s personnel, you, or your pet. If the Services are canceled due to a dangerous condition and Fetch Worthy is ready, willing, and able to perform the Services, Fetch Worthy will be paid in full.
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
While training with Fetch Worthy – You pledge not to use fear, pain, harsh physical corrections, intimidation, shock, prong, alpha rolls, grabbing their muzzle, pinning them down, or choke collars to influence your dog’s behavior. Fetch Wothy follows LIMA “Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive.” LIMA describes a trainer or behavior consultant who uses the least intrusive, minimally aversive strategy out of a set of humane and effective tactics likely to succeed in achieving a training or behavior change objective. LIMA adherence also requires consultants to be adequately educated and skilled in order to ensure that the least intrusive and aversive procedure is used. LIMA does not justify the use of punishment in lieu of other effective interventions and strategies. In the vast majority of cases, desired behavior change can be affected by focusing on the animal’s environment, physical well-being, and operant and classical interventions such as differential reinforcement of alternative behavior, desensitization, and counter-conditioning.
Food/Toys/Enrichment Training Tools
Please handle with care and caution, read any caution labels and reviews, and seek advice from your vet for questions about food, supplements, and how to supervise the appropriate use of toys and ingestible items. Fetch Worthy is not liable for any injuries to any dog or human handler using any suggested training tools or applying any training plan suggestions.
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: