Terms & Conditions

Toni Trains Dogs

Toni Trains Dogs provides training sessions exclusively in the area of cooperative care. All training methods used are positive, modern training methods based on the latest science and research. Toni Trains Dogs will never use or encourage the use of aversive training methods e.g. punishment, or aversive equipment e.g. prong, choke or electric collars. If clients are using these methods or equipment, Toni Trains Dogs will not permit the use of them in their training sessions and will strongly encourage guardians to abandon them permanently through education of the harm they cause as well as the success of alternative methods and equipment.

Consultations will be 1 hour long and will not consist of any practical training. This time will be used to show the client a presentation and to discuss the history and needs of their dog. Training sessions will be 1 hour long and will consist of Toni and the client working together to teach the dog the behaviours they have decided on together. Therefore, the client will be doing the training and Toni will be there as a teacher to them. Between sessions, it is the responsibility of the client to practice these behaviours. The client may send homework videos and questions to Toni to a reasonable degree. The client is not permitted to send videos or questions to Toni 1 month after the end of their final session.

As dogs will have to experience a plethora of care procedures throughout their lives, cooperative care training is an investment into your dog’s mental and physical health for the entirety of their lives. Cooperative care training is a style of training that progresses in very small, often slow increments so will require a lot of practice. So it is important to recognise the time, consistency and patience needed for this training to be as successful so it can be useful for the long term. Therefore it is the client's responsibility to achieve the goals they have set for themselves.

We will be using food as reinforcement for your dog. Some dogs are food motivated and some are not. Sometimes it’s a matter of finding which food will motivate your dog but in some cases, the dog has no interest. If the client’s dog has no interest in any food as a reinforcer, we will work together to try and find a successful alternative. It is possible that this will be unsuccessful and in these cases, Toni will consider cancelling and refunding any further training sessions the client has paid for.

Toni is not a behaviourist. It is essential for the client to acknowledge that their dog’s behaviour issues may be out of Toni’s capabilities and will need to seek advice from a behaviourst or vet behaviourist. Therefore it is the responsibility of the guardian to disclose honestly whether their dog has shown aggressive behaivour or bitten people in the past and what the context was. It is also essential for the client to disclose if their dog is aggressive around food as we will be using treats during our sessions. In cases that are out of Toni’s capabilities, they will provide alternative contacts that the guardian can pursue for assistance.

Cancellations & Refunds

Toni Trains Dogs will allow for training sessions to be cancelled up to 4 hours before the planned session as long as the client informs them via email or text and Toni has responded to confirm they have received your cancellation request.

Toni Trains Dogs is permitted to cancel any planned training session up to the point that they are set to begin due to illness, injury or dangerous weather conditions. Toni has Fibromyalgia which is a chronic pain and fatigue condition and although uncommon, this may flare up for a period of time which could mean multiple cancelled appointments or the option to move appointments online instead.

Toni Trains Dogs also has the ability to terminate a session and package immediately if they feel important information has failed to be disclosed prior to the session for example, the danger of the dog to Toni.

Toni Trains Dogs will not provide refunds on sessions or packages that have been started. They may review refund requests on a case-by-case basis but are permitted to decline the request. If you are not sure if Toni Trains Dogs’ packages are right for you, they encourage you to discuss with them first to discuss what will work best for you and your dog. If you are still unsure after this conversation, they encourage you to opt for a shorter package as refunds will not be provided if it is not right for you.

Health

If you or your dog are unwell before the session, please inform Toni Trains Dogs with enough time to decide whether to cancel or go ahead. Dog illnesses can be passed on through humans via contact with the dog so it essential to let Toni Trains Dogs know as soon as possible if your dog may have contaminated them or their equipment to avoid passing the illness on to other dogs.

Puppies must have completed their first round of vaccinations before working with Toni Trains Dogs. Adult dogs must have had all of their puppy vaccinations before starting training with Toni Trains Dogs.

Toni Trains Dogs will bring treats and equipment to your training sessions. Therefore it is the client’s responsibility to disclose whether they, their dog or anyone else in their household have any food allergies, sensitivities or intolerances.