Terms and Conditions

These Terms and Conditions form part of the contract between the client (the person booking a service, and/or handling their dog during a class, consultation or session) and Alice E M (Merry) Westall, trading as Dogberry Dog Training & Behaviour (hereafter referred to as Dogberry), for any and all such services provided by Dogberry. Please note that payment for services, and engaging in services including training classes, consultations and follow-up sessions, both online and in-person, imply full acceptance of these Terms and Conditions. 

1.       Training Methods

The evidence-based training techniques used by Dogberry are intended to be kind, fair and reward-based. Harsh handling of dogs, physical force and the use of punitive methods, punishment, harsh corrections or equipment designed to be aversive (including choke chains, check chains, prong collars, spray collars, e-collars or any other device deemed unacceptable by the trainer) are not permitted in classes or private sessions and should not be used in training.

The client understands that training and behaviour modification can take time and consistency, and that the implementation of any training or behaviour modification plan is their own responsibility, as is their dog’s welfare and on-going behaviour. The client understands that there is never any guarantee that their dog will achieve the desired level of training or behaviour modification, despite the best efforts of Dogberry.

The client confirms that any aggressive behaviour (defined as any threat or attempt to injure, through the use of growling, showing teeth, barking at, snapping at, attempting or bite, or biting) their dog has shown in the past or between sessions, towards people or other dogs, must be disclosed in full prior to any service commencing (for example a training class, private consultation or follow-up session).

The client confirms that any medical conditions their dog has been diagnosed with will be disclosed in full prior to any service such as a consultation, follow-up session or group class. Please contact Dogberry prior to a service commencing, and do not bring your dog to class, if he or she has been in contact with another dog infected by a contagious disease or if they appear to be unwell (eg. vomiting, diarrhoea, coughing, runny nose etc). Depending on the issue, it may be advisable for the session to be postponed if private or missed if group (see refund policy in Section 4 below), however, if a dog is unable to attend classes, clients are encouraged to attend without their dog to keep up-to-date with the course.

2.       Services

The client must be at least 18 years old to book with Dogberry. All training handouts and any material given to you are under copyright to Dogberry, and are not to be used, amended or photocopied for your own personal use other than for the purpose of training your dog(s). You cannot pass these on the other members of the public without the express permission of Dogberry; such permission is to be given only in writing.

In the course of a training class or session, or in the case of advance-paid block-booked training, Dogberry reserves the right to terminate the training class or session at any time before all the paid-for sessions are fully completed if, in their sole discretion, they determine the client’s dog poses a danger to the safety of the trainer, or if the client has failed to disclose vital safety information before a session (i.e. a dog’s previous bite history). Dogberry can terminate a session if a client refuses to keep a dog on lead if requested as a safety measure.

Dogberry reserves the right to absolutely ask a client and their dog to leave a group class, if it is deemed that the dog is a danger to the other dogs or people within the group, or if the dog is too anxious or stressed in the environment. Some dogs are not suited to a class environment due to fear, anxiety or over arousal. In such instances no refund of fees paid for that session or prepaid for future sessions will be offered; discounted private sessions may be offered at the sole discretion of Dogberry.

3.       ​Liability

Alice E M (Merry) Westall agrees to provide the services under the contract in a reliable, caring, considerate and professional manner. In consideration of these services, and as an express condition thereof, the client expressly waives and relinquishes any and all claims against Alice E M (Merry) Westall, trading as Dogberry, except those arising from negligence on the part of Alice E M (Merry) Westall, trading as Dogberry.

The client shall remain responsible for the conduct of their pet at all times, and understands that Alice E M (Merry) Westall, trading as Dogberry, shall not be held responsible in any way for any damage to the client’s property, or that of others, caused by the client’s pet.

The client agrees to be responsible for all costs (including, but not limited to, medical care, damage to property, solicitors’ fees, etc) if the client’s pet(s) should injure Alice E M (Merry) Westall, any other person or animal, and hereby indemnifies Alice E M (Merry) Westall, trading as Dogberry, against any and all claims by any person injured by the client’s pet(s). It is recommended that clients consider taking out appropriate third-party liability insurance for their dog.

4.       Payment, Refunds and Cancellations

Payment shall be paid at the time of booking a service, and an invoice will then be sent by email. If payment has not been received within 48 hours of the service commencing, the service will be cancelled.

When booking a package of sessions, all sessions must be used within 6 months from the date of the first session taking place. Any sessions which have not been used before expiry will be forfeited and will not be eligible for a refund, except in exceptional circumstances, in which case they may be refunded or re-arranged at the sole discretion of Dogberry.

Travelling costs are chargeable for services rendered beyond the limit of the area normally covered by Dogberry, being a 30-minute by car radius from Beech Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester, UK.

Statutory 14 Day Consumer Contract Regulations

If you choose to cancel a booking within 14 calendar days of receiving your booking confirmation, you are entitled to a full refund. Please get in touch via merry@dogberrydogs.com your booking will be cancelled and a refund issued.

Cancellations, re-arranged bookings and refunds in circumstances outside the 14-day cancellation period are subject to the conditions set out below, in accordance with our standard terms.  For the avoidance of doubt, the cancellation period will expire after 14 days from the date of the order confirmation.

If you are booking a service to start within 14 days (i.e. within the statutory cancellation period), Dogberry will require express permission from you to start providing the service before the cancellation period ends. You can grant this permission by ticking the appropriate box during the booking process accepting our Terms and Conditions. If you subsequently decide to cancel the contract, you will be liable to pay Dogberry an amount that is in proportion to the services performed until you communicated your decision to cancel, in comparison to full coverage of the contract.

You will not have the right to cancel a contract where training classes have commenced.

Standard Cancellation and Refund Policy

Payment in full is required when booking a service, unless otherwise agreed.  After the statutory cancellation period (see above), this payment is non-refundable.  Occasionally, where a client is unable to take up their reserved place on a course, their credit may be transferred to another suitable class/ service; this is at the sole discretion of Dogberry, and may be dependent on another client wishing to fill your place. Dogberry is unable to offer any refunds on missed sessions, but you will receive the handouts for the exercises taught within the course for which you have paid, whether you attended or not.

Private consultations and sessions should be paid for at the time of making the booking. These can be re-arranged or refunded with at least 48 hours’ notice. With less than 48 hours’ notice, no refunds will be given (except for any travel charges paid but not incurred). This may be waived in case of emergencies at Dogberry’s sole discretion. Refunds cannot be given after a training package has started. Exceptional circumstances will be considered on a case-by-case basis. All other cancellation and refund requests are at the discretion of Dogberry.

The client agrees to notify Dogberry of any concerns/complaints within 24 hours of the end of the service giving rise to the complaint.

In the event that Dogberry has to cancel a training class for any reason (such as unforeseen circumstances / adverse weather/ illness/ emergency), Dogberry will undertake to reschedule the session to a mutually convenient time, provided that this can be done within a reasonable time frame. Given the limitations of venue availability and other participants in classes, it may not always be possible to offer a rescheduled session. In these circumstances an online class or a refund or partial refund will be offered.

Failure to attend a session for any reason where the session has taken place (for example despite adverse weather conditions) will be treated as missed, and you will not be eligible for a refund or a rescheduled session. You will be provided with any information / online content relevant to the session which you were unable to attend. Clients should assume that classes are going ahead unless specifically notified otherwise by email, text, electronic or voice message.

5.       Children

Children are very welcome to attend classes and training sessions at Dogberry, with appropriate adult supervision (for children aged 16 years and under), as we like to encourage children to interact with and train their family’s dog. We ask there are two adults present for children aged 6 and under, to ensure your dog has the undivided attention of one adult at all times.

Dogberry accepts no responsibility for children at classes or private sessions, and it is always the responsibility of the supervising adult to ensure the child's safety at all times. We ask that children try hard not to disrupt learning for their dog and any other dogs in a group class, and do not wander up to or touch unknown dogs in the class. We reserve the right to request a disruptive child does not attend any future classes. Please bring suitable (not noisy or distracting) toys or colouring-in books to entertain your children if necessary.

Children are welcome to be present at Behaviour Consultations, although due to the nature of the discussions that will be taking place, this may not always be appropriate. It is the responsibility of the parents or carers to determine whether it would be helpful or appropriate for any children or other family members to be present at any point. It is important that at least one adult gives their full attention to the discussion throughout. We accept no responsibility for children, and it is the responsibility of the supervising adult to ensure children are safe and that their well-being is protected at all times whether before, during or after the behaviour consultation.

6.       Safety

Any instances of accident or injury must be reported to Dogberry at the time they occur. A first aid kit is available at training classes, and carried by Dogberry during private in-person sessions and consultations. All dogs must remain on a non-extendable lead and kept away from contact with other dogs unless specifically instructed by the trainer (eg. off-lead play). Flexi-leads / extendable leads are not permitted in class, to reduce risk of injury. If you are unsure whether the lead you are using is suitable for classes or sessions please ask in advance of the class or session.

The client must keep their dog under their control and on-lead in public areas (off-lead only where specifically instructed).

Upon arrival at your home for a behaviour consultation, unless previously agreed with us, all dogs must be kept away from the front door, contained in another room. Depending on the issue, you may be asked to take additional steps to ensure safety (and also allow controlled observation of your dog’s behaviour) during a behaviour consultation. For example, if your dog is reactive to (or fearful of) people entering the home, you may be asked to keep them contained in another room until a specific point during the consultation. In any case, if you have any concerns about your dog’s behaviour towards visitors, yourself or anyone else present at the consultation (including other dogs) or are concerned that they may cause injury, it is entirely your responsibility to take all necessary steps (eg. muzzling the dog and/ or keeping them on the lead) to prevent this from happening. It is essential that you take sensible safety precautions and then discuss how and when the dog should be introduced during the consultation rather than take risks. You will be advised during the discussion how and when the dog(s) may be safely introduced to the room in which the consultation is taking place.

If your dog has ever bitten, or tried to bite, a person or other animal, you must report this to Dogberry before the behaviour consultation takes place so that we can advise you accordingly (see Section 1 above). Any instances of accident or injury occurring during the consultation must be reported to us at the time they occur.

7.       Health and Vaccinations

All puppies must have had their first set of puppy vaccinations to attend in-person group classes to help prevent potential risk of disease. Evidence of this must be shown prior to, or at the start of, the first session.

​All dogs and puppies attending classes should be suitably protected from the potential risk of disease, and internal and external parasites. Dogberry advises that client’s should consult their veterinary professional regarding such issues. Whilst the indoor venues used by Dogberry are not routinely accessed by dogs (other than those attending classes), there can be no guarantee that there is absolutely no risk of disease at any venue or when in contact with any other dogs or materials, such as toys, which may have been in contact with other dogs. Dogberry uses Anistel, a veterinary grade disinfectant, to disinfect the floors and toys.

It is the client’s responsibility to ensure that their dog is appropriately protected against the risk of disease: Dogberry accepts no responsibility for the potential or actual exposure of dogs to disease. If a client chooses not to routinely vaccinate their dog after their initial set of vaccinations, this is entirely the choice of the client and is a decision made at their own risk. Dogberry asks to have a copy of any titre testing periodically in line with vaccination guidelines. By booking a place at a class and agreeing to these terms and conditions, you are accepting full responsibility for the protection of your dog from the risk of disease.

The client confirms that any medical conditions their dog has been diagnosed with will be disclosed in full prior to any service such as a consultation, follow-up session or group class. Please contact Dogberry prior to a service commencing, and do not bring your dog to class, if he or she has been in contact with another dog infected by a contagious disease or if they appear to be unwell (eg. vomiting, diarrhoea, coughing, runny nose etc). Depending on the issue, it may be advisable for the session to be postponed if private or missed if group (see refund policy in Section 4 above), however, if a dog is unable to attend classes, clients are encouraged to attend without their dog to keep up-to-date with the course.

Dogberry does accept bitches in season in class, as we want to help all our clients understand how to help their dogs focus with seasons as distractions too. However, if your bitch is ill, then we ask you do not bring her to class in line with the above health recommendations.

If your dog has any known allergies or intolerances to certain foods or has any other special needs, it is your responsibility to bring this to the attention of Dogberry prior to the start of the session, and to provide appropriate alternative treats for training.

We endeavour to take referrals from Veterinary Professionals for Behaviour Consultations, rather than take bookings directly from clients. In either case, we will ask your vet for your dog’s medical records. This should not cost you anything (vets and behaviourists work together as a matter of professional courtesy).

In some cases, your vet check may ask to see the dog to rule out potential medical causes before the behaviour consultation takes place, or prior to embarking on a behaviour modification programme. If, during or after the consultation, it is felt by us that a (further) veterinary check is advisable, it will be your responsibility to ensure that this is carried out before embarking on any behaviour modification strategies suggested at the consultation, as advised.

We also reserve the right to communicate with your Veterinary Surgeon about your dog(s) at any time if we deem this to be necessary or helpful.

8.       Marketing

Photographs will occasionally be taken during training sessions. Such photos may be used by Dogberry for the purposes of marketing. If you do not wish for your photographs of you or your dog being used, please let us know. Any written feedback such as testimonials may be used for marketing purposes on our website. Only your first name and puppy’s name would be used alongside a photo. If you do not wish for your feedback to be used, please let us know.

Photography and videography is NOT permitted, without the express permission of Dogberry.

9.       Disclaimer

Dogberry makes every effort to ensure the safety of both people and dogs in our training classes, consultations and private sessions. However, by making a booking with Dogberry you are accepting that participating in an activity with dogs, children and adults poses a risk of injury to yourself and your dog, and you agree to indemnify Dogberry for all personal injury and damage to property while attending training sessions. You agree to assume all responsibility for any risks, injuries, and damages, known or unknown, which might occur as a result of your dog attending such classes, private sessions or consultations. You also agree to make any person who accompanies you to the session(s), or who comes in your place, aware that they are there at their own risk. You understand and accept that your dog (and their behaviour) always remains your sole responsibility at all times, whether or not in the presence of Alice E M (Merry) Westall, trading as Dogberry.

10.   Website Use

Whilst we do take all reasonable steps to make sure that the information on this Website is up to date and accurate at all times, we do not guarantee that all material is accurate and/or up to date.

All material contained on this Website is provided without warranty of any kind. Dogberry does not accept liability for any loss or damage that you suffer as a result of using this Website.

11.   Private Facebook Group Use

Dogberry has private Facebook groups for clients who have attended certain services with us. You may be invited to join one or more of these groups (you can leave the group at any time by clicking ‘leave group’).

If a client posts personal information, it will be managed in accordance with Facebook’s privacy policy (over which Dogberry has no control). Every post in the group is made by the individual poster, and Dogberry accepts no responsibility for the content. Dogberry reserves the right to remove inappropriate content from the group. If the client acquires goods or services from other members, the relationship is entirely their responsibility, and they release Dogberry from responsibility in relation to such arrangements.

The client accepts that they must not post anything in a Dogberry Facebook group:

·         If the copyright is the property of somebody else

·         That might cause a breach of any law or other obligation

·         That might be defamatory, offensive, pornographic, in breach of confidence or a similar obligation, threatening, abusive, liable to incite hatred or a breach of privacy

·         That might be considered as spam

·         That infringes any rights belonging to another person

Dogberry may alter or cease the operation of the group at any time in our sole discretion. If Facebook changes terms, Dogberry will try to find an alternative space for members, but cannot be held responsible for Facebook’s change of terms. Dogberry may terminate your membership of the group without notice if the terms are breached.

This page was last updated on Friday 2nd May 2025.