Terms & Conditions
Welcome to Puppy Partners Pty Ltd. By accessing our website, browsing our website, or making bookings from our website, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and fully accepted our terms and conditions.
The following Terms and Conditions are in the interest of safety, responsibility and welfare of our clients and team members. We reserve the right to change these terms and conditions at any time. Any changes will take immediate effect, and it is our client’s responsibility to read these.
OUR METHODS
As a member of reputable organisations, including the Association of Professional Dog Trainers and Karen Pryor Academy, per the membership Code of Ethics, we practise kind, fair and effective techniques, avoiding the need to use physical correction of any type. Harsh handling of dogs is wholeheartedly discouraged, and using check chains and other coercive or punitive methods, including lead jerking, shouting or smacking, is not permitted.
You may not use any gadget or device in our sessions that we consider aversive, such as slip leads, pinch collars, spray collars, compressed air canisters, rattle cans or water squirters, or any other device, or method, that has the potential to cause injury, pain or fear. Any owner who continues to use harsh methods when asked not to will be asked to leave.
1. GROUP SESSIONS
Bookings
Payment is required in full before attendance of the first class. It can be done online, or if a deposit was paid at the time of booking, the remaining balance can be done in person when you arrive for the first class. Confirmation of your booking will be forwarded by email. The client must ensure they arrive at the venue at the correct time.
We limit the number of dogs in our group sessions to provide the appropriate trainer-to-dog ratio.
You must not knowingly book a dog that shows aggression or nervousness onto a training course unless it is a specific course that is intended to address these issues. We reserve the right to excuse dogs if they are unsuitable for classes. Contact us if you are unsure whether a group session suits your dog. If you are uncertain about your dog’s suitability for a group session and have not asked us to assess your dog before your attendance, you will not be refunded if your dog is unsuitable for the group session you have booked. If we have agreed to your dog attending, but the dog is not suited to the group session environment, we will offer you alternative arrangements, such as working with you on a one-to-one basis.
In case of trainer sickness, location unavailability, or other unforeseen circumstances, we reserve the right to offer a replacement date for the group session we could not provide on the arranged date.
Group Session Start times
Please arrive in time for each group session, as latecomers can be disruptive to the other dogs and people attending. Dogs arriving late can experience stress if barked at by the other dogs. If you are late, please wait for a convenient moment to quietly enter the class and set up your dog’s station.
Dogs unfit for group sessions
The welfare and safety of all dogs is paramount to us. Dogs in an unfit state of health due to illness, disease or injury cannot be brought to the group session. Do not bring your dog to the group session if they have been in contact with an infectious disease, such as kennel cough or conjunctivitis. Please refer to your vet if you are unsure whether your dog is well enough to attend. If your dog cannot attend you are encouraged to participate in the group session without your dog so you can maintain continuity of training.
Dogs must be adequately protected by vaccination as your vet advises, and verification may be requested (titer tests are a valid confirmation of immunity). Puppies can attend our group sessions from one week after a vet has administered their first vaccination. Puppies not having completed their vaccination programme are advised not to walk on the ground outside of the venue.
Females in season are not permitted to attend a group session. Please notify us if you consider your bitch may come into season during a course.
PUPPY TRAINING
By enrolling your puppy for in-person training, you are confirming they will have had their first vaccination at least one week before their first class.
Our Junior Puppy Course is for puppies up to 14 weeks old and our Senior Puppy Course is for puppies up to 20 weeks old unless prior arrangements have been made with Puppy Partners directly. By enrolling in our puppy courses, you are confirming your puppy will be within the approved age range at week one of the course. Puppies must have their first vaccination before attending Puppy Partners classes. By enrolling in our puppy course, you confirm your pup will have their first vaccination at least one week before the first class.
2. PRIVATE TRAINING SESSIONS
Private training is one on one training with your dog and a Puppy Partners Trainer. Training sessions can be scheduled at our facility, at your home, or a suitable agreed location.
For Health and Safety purposes, a dog’s reactivity to other dogs or humans must be disclosed when booking. All reasonable measures must be taken to keep Puppy Partners staff and public safe.
Training At Our Facility
It is crucial for dogs with behavioural issues towards dogs or people to wait in your car until the trainer is ready for the appointment. This will allow the previous dog/s to leave without interactions between the reactive dog and another dog or person. If you feel your dog will get distressed seeing the previous clients leave, it is advised to park at a distance that allows the dog to stay calm.
About the consultation
A qualified trainer conducts behaviour consultations. Occasionally, there may be someone accompanying the trainer. Please advise if you wish for the trainee not to be there.
Before the consultation
A behavioural consultation helps to identify the underlying motivation for any unwanted behaviour. A plan will be devised for your needs based on our behavioural diagnosis and specific to your requirements to help you manage and modify this behaviour. Behavioural issues are often complex and take time to develop. Therefore, before proceeding, any potential underlying medical condition or potential cause of pain that could be contributing to your pet’s behaviour must be ruled out.
After the consultation
You will receive an extensive personalised training plan after your first session. Puppy Partners aims to forward the training plan to you within 3 days, but occasionally it may take up to 7 days to be provided. You are encouraged to liaise with the trainer after the visit for ongoing support.
It may be necessary for the more complex issues, such as aggression, multiple behaviour problems, or for where there are multi-dog households, that follow-up visits are required. Any follow-up visits, should they be required, will be charged accordingly, and you will be advised in advance of the cost.
Disclaimer
Animal aggression can cause injury, including fatal injury, to other animals and people. Treatment for aggression is not a guarantee of success, and modifying behaviour does not ensure that the aggression will be successfully controlled. It is the responsibility of the owner to ensure that their pet does not harm in the future. Precautions may involve, but are not limited to, keeping a dog on lead, the use of muzzle, informing others of the dog’s aggressive tendencies, not mixing with certain types of people or other dogs, or confinement behind fencing and doors. Owners remain responsible for their dogs at all times and are advised 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.
Welfare and safety
All dogs must be kept under the owner’s control and on a lead, except where specifically instructed by our instructors. You are responsible for the conduct of your dog at all times.
We provide as safe and secure of an environment as practicably reasonable and endeavour to apply good practices with all our training services. We endeavour to run all training as safely and professionally as possible. Puppy Partners also takes all reasonable precautions when providing behavioural services to minimise the risk of injury from being bitten. However, dog training is not without risk and therefore, participation in training and behaviour services is at the owner’s risk. Puppy Partners or any of its staff will not accept responsibility for any loss, injury or damage to any person or dog attending a course or to their property caused during the provision of dog training activities.
Owners are advised to have appropriate pet insurance cover that includes third party liability insurance. Puppy Partners has public liability and relevant business insurance to run group sessions and provide behavioural counselling, providing adequate cover for our business liabilities.
Puppy Partners will not take responsibility for misinterpretation of advice. We believe the contents to be true and accurate as at the date of the session but can give no assurances or warranty regarding the accuracy, currency or applicability of any of the contents in relation to specific situations and particular circumstances. In addition, none of the content of the session will form any part of any contract between us or constitutes an offer by us. Specific disclaimers may apply in addition to certain content or parts of the session.
Children
We encourage anyone involved in the puppy’s/dog’s life to attend training. Children are welcome to participate. However, we ask that if children attend, that they participate in the training or occupy themselves in a quiet manner. It is distracting to other dogs and owners attending a group session if they are playing, screaming, running or throwing around objects in the venue. Children are encouraged to behave appropriately in the presence of unfamiliar dogs and need to be supervised at all times. For safety reasons it is advisable children do not approach an unfamiliar dog.
3. WEBSITE
Intellectual property rights
Puppy Partners website and its content, including without limitation the design, text, graphics and all software and source codes connected with the website and its services, are protected by copyright and other intellectual property rights and legislation. In accessing the website, you agree that you will access the contents solely for your personal, non-commercial use. None of the content may be downloaded, copied, reproduced, transmitted or distributed without the prior written consent of the copyright holder. Handouts and factsheets cannot be altered, modified or reworded for further distribution. Photographs, video or any graphics cannot be used without the accompanying text or without obtaining the permission of the copyright holder. Material from this website is for personal use only and is not to be redistributed. To our knowledge the products and services sold or promoted via this website are to promote only kind, fair and effective methods. We do not intend to endorse any material that advocates the use of punishment or harsh methods.
External links
Any external link via this website is provided for convenience. Use of links or their content is at your own risk. We are happy to link to other websites however please contact us first before linking to this website.
Products
We make every effort to display as accurately as possible the colours, features, specifications, and details of the products available on the site. However, we do not guarantee that the colours, features, specifications, and details of the products will be accurate, complete, reliable, current, or free of other errors, and your electronic display may not accurately reflect the actual colours and details of the products.
All products are subject to availability, and we cannot guarantee that an item will be in stock. We reserve the right to discontinue any products at any time for any reason. Prices for all products are subject to change.
Purchases and Payment
We accept the following forms of payment: Cash, Card and Bank Transfer.
You agree to pay all charges at the prices then in effect for your purchases and any applicable shipping fees, and you authorise us to charge your chosen payment provider for any such amounts upon placing your order.
If you choose to pay via Bank Transfer, please contact us, so we can issue an invoice. The order will be processed once payment is received.
We reserve the right to refuse any order placed through the site. We may, in our sole discretion, limit or cancel quantities purchased per person, per household, or per order. These restrictions may include orders placed by or under the same customer account, the same payment method, and/or orders that use the same billing or shipping address. We reserve the right to limit or prohibit orders that, in our sole judgment, appear to be placed by dealers, resellers, or distributors.
Return/Refunds Policy
We do not have to give a refund if you change your mind about a purchase — so please choose carefully.
Please inspect your order upon reception and contact us immediately if the item is defective or damaged or if you receive the wrong item so that we can evaluate the issue and make it right. We will provide a remedy as required and we pride ourselves in great customer service.
Harnesses need to be unworn (trying on in dry, clean conditions is acceptable), unwashed, unused and in their original condition for pieces to be replaced if sizing was incorrect. Puppy Partners needs to be informed of incorrect sizing within 10 days of receiving the harness.
4. PHOTO RELEASE
We love to share knowledge and lessons learned from each client experience. By engaging in our programs, products and services, including our program materials and our social media pages, you agree to give us consent to use text, videos, audio, email questions, photographs, etc., that may contain information as it relates to our services and programs. In addition, you give us the right to use such materials as part of our marketing, promotion, and training purposes. Puppy Partners will retain exclusive and perpetual worldwide rights to such content. You release all claims against Puppy Partners with respect to privacy rights, publicity rights, copyright ownership and publication, including any claim for compensation related to use of the materials.