Client Booking, Payment and Training Terms

Cinque Ports Canine provides tailored dog training and behaviour support built around the individual dog, the handler, and the environment in which the dog lives.

No two dogs, households, or training journeys are the same. Training plans are therefore adapted according to the dog’s temperament, genetics, history, health, drives, confidence, environment, and the Client’s goals.

The aim is to create clear communication, reliable handling, improved behaviour, and a stronger relationship between dog and owner.

The service provided will be confirmed in writing by quotation, invoice, booking message, email, training plan, or other written agreement.

Services may include, but are not limited to:

• one-to-one training;

• behavioural consultation;

• puppy onboarding;

• obedience training;

• scent work;

• service dog preparation;

• protection or control-based training;

• residential training;

• handling support;

• online consultation;

• collection, drop-off, or travel where agreed.

The scope of work is limited to the service agreed. Additional work, extended sessions, travel, handover time, written reports, or further support may be charged separately.

Cinque Ports Canine will provide services with reasonable care and skill. UK consumer law treats service contracts as including this obligation. 

However, dogs are living animals. Behaviour is influenced by breeding, health, pain, previous learning, environment, daily handling, consistency, household structure, stress, and Client follow-through.

For that reason, Cinque Ports Canine does not guarantee a specific behavioural outcome, working standard, obedience level, public reliability level, competition result, service dog certification, or timescale.

Training is a process. Results require consistency from the Client outside of formal sessions.

This includes, where relevant:

• previous bite history;

• aggression, reactivity, guarding, fear, escape behaviour, predatory behaviour, or chasing;

• incidents involving people, dogs, livestock, visitors, staff, or children;

• health issues, pain, medication, injury, lameness, neurological symptoms, allergies, or veterinary concerns;

• previous training methods and equipment used;

• home environment, household structure, staff involvement, and management issues;

• legal, insurance, landlord, estate, council, police, or court restrictions affecting the dog.

The Client must update Cinque Ports Canine immediately if any relevant information changes.

Withholding information about risk, health, or previous incidents may result in immediate termination of services without refund.

The welfare of the dog and the safety of people, animals, property, and the public come first.

Cinque Ports Canine may pause, adapt, refuse, or terminate a session if, in professional judgement, the situation is unsafe, unsuitable, misleading, or detrimental to the dog’s welfare.

The Client must follow safety and handling instructions, including instructions relating to leads, long lines, muzzles, collars, harnesses, crates, gates, vehicle control, distance from triggers, and interaction with people or dogs.

Where the Client, family members, household staff, security staff, dog walkers, drivers, assistants, or visitors are involved, the Client is responsible for ensuring they understand and follow the agreed instructions.

Cinque Ports Canine is not a veterinary practice and does not diagnose medical conditions.

Where pain, illness, medication, injury, stress, hormonal issues, neurological symptoms, or welfare concerns may be contributing to behaviour, Cinque Ports Canine may require veterinary advice or clearance before training continues.

The Client remains responsible for veterinary care, vaccination decisions, parasite control, medication, insurance, and the dog’s general health.

Fees will be confirmed in writing before the service begins.

Unless otherwise agreed:

• invoices are payable within 7 days of issue;

• sessions, packages, consultations, and residential training may require payment in advance;

• bookings are not confirmed until payment, deposit, or written confirmation has been received;

• bank transfer is the preferred payment method;

• additional time, travel, parking, congestion charges, ULEZ charges, tolls, accommodation, written reports, or extended support may be charged where applicable.

Cinque Ports Canine may suspend further services until all outstanding invoices are paid.

For private consumer clients, overdue payment may result in suspension or cancellation of further services.

For business, company, estate, agency, or commercial clients, Cinque Ports Canine reserves the right to charge statutory interest and recovery costs where applicable. For UK business-to-business late payments, statutory interest is generally 8% above the Bank of England base rate. 

Deposits and booking fees secure professional time, diary space, preparation, travel allocation, and availability.

Unless otherwise agreed in writing:

• deposits and booking fees are non-refundable if the Client cancels late or fails to attend;

• package sessions must be used within 6 months of purchase;

• unused sessions cannot be transferred to another dog, household, or person without written agreement;

• package fees are not divisible into individual session refunds once work has started, except where required by law.

Where a refund is legally required, Cinque Ports Canine may deduct sums for work already carried out, preparation, travel, committed diary time, third-party costs, and reasonable losses.

The Client must give as much notice as possible if they need to cancel or reschedule.

Unless otherwise agreed in writing:

• more than 5 days’ notice: no cancellation charge;

• 48 hours to 5 days’ notice: up to 50% of the session fee may be charged;

• less than 24 hours’ notice: up to 100% of the session fee may be charged;

• failure to attend, failure to provide access, or cancelling once travel has begun may be charged in full, including reasonable travel costs.

Cinque Ports Canine may waive or reduce cancellation charges in genuine emergencies, but is not required to do so.

Residential training bookings require advance planning, allocation of space, and preparation specific to each dog.

The Client must provide as much notice as possible if they need to cancel or postpone a residential booking.

Unless otherwise agreed in writing:

• more than 14 days’ notice: no cancellation charge and any deposit will be returned in full;

• 7 to 14 days’ notice: 50% of the deposit will be retained;

• less than 7 days’ notice: the full deposit will be retained.

Where a dog becomes genuinely unsuitable for residential training due to serious illness, including but not limited to contagious disease, significant medical decline, or palliative status, Cinque Ports Canine may require confirmation from a veterinary professional.

In such cases, where the dog is no longer appropriate for boarding on welfare or safety grounds, any deposit paid will be refunded in full.

Cinque Ports Canine reserves the right to make the final decision on suitability for residential training in the interests of safety, welfare, and professional standards.

Cinque Ports Canine may cancel, postpone, or reschedule a session due to illness, unsafe weather, road disruption, dog welfare concerns, safety concerns, vehicle issues, emergency, or circumstances outside reasonable control.

Where Cinque Ports Canine cancels, the Client will be offered a replacement appointment or, where appropriate, a refund for the affected session.

Cinque Ports Canine is not liable for indirect losses arising from a cancelled or rescheduled appointment.

Where the Client is a consumer and books online, by phone, by email, by message, or away from Cinque Ports Canine’s business premises, the Client may have a statutory 14-day cancellation right. Businesses selling at distance must give consumers clear information about cancellation rights. 

If the Client asks Cinque Ports Canine to begin work within the 14-day cancellation period, the Client agrees that work may begin immediately and that Cinque Ports Canine may charge for services, preparation, travel, and costs already incurred.

Where a service has been fully performed at the Client’s request within the cancellation period, the Client may lose the right to cancel that service.

Nothing in these Terms affects the Client’s statutory rights.

Cinque Ports Canine may cancel, postpone, or reschedule a session due to illness, unsafe weather, road disruption, dog welfare concerns, safety concerns, vehicle issues, emergency, or circumstances outside reasonable control.

Where Cinque Ports Canine cancels, the Client will be offered a replacement appointment or, where appropriate, a refund for the affected session.

Cinque Ports Canine is not liable for indirect losses arising from a cancelled or rescheduled appointment.

Cinque Ports Canine serves London, Kent, and surrounding areas by agreement. The website currently refers to London zones 1–2 and Kent locations including Folkestone, Dover, Ashford, and surrounding areas. 

Where training takes place at the Client’s home, estate, workplace, field, training venue, or other location, the Client must provide accurate access details in advance.

This includes parking, gate codes, concierge details, security requirements, estate staff contacts, dog access arrangements, and any relevant restrictions.

If access is delayed, unavailable, or unsafe, the session may be shortened, rescheduled, or charged in full.

The Client is responsible for providing a safe and suitable training environment.

Fragile, valuable, dangerous, sentimental, or irreplaceable items should be secured before training begins. Dog training may involve movement, food, toys, leads, barking, jumping, equipment, environmental exposure, and controlled arousal.

Cinque Ports Canine is not responsible for loss or damage caused by the dog, Client, household members, staff, visitors, other animals, or third parties unless caused by Cinque Ports Canine’s negligence.

The Client is responsible for ensuring that equipment used with the dog is safe, suitable, legal, and properly fitted unless Cinque Ports Canine has expressly supplied or selected the equipment.

Cinque Ports Canine may recommend or require specific equipment for safety, welfare, or training effectiveness. This may include collars, harnesses, leads, long lines, muzzles, crates, place beds, food rewards, toys, or management aids.

The Client must not use unsafe or unsuitable equipment during training.

For residential training, the Client must provide full and accurate information about the dog’s health, behaviour, diet, medication, handling needs, risks, and veterinary details before the dog is accepted.

The Client must provide emergency contact details and authorise Cinque Ports Canine to seek veterinary care where reasonably necessary.

Veterinary costs, medication, specialist food, emergency treatment, and third-party costs remain the Client’s responsibility unless otherwise agreed in writing.

Cinque Ports Canine may refuse or end residential training if the dog presents undisclosed risks, welfare concerns, illness, infectious disease, or behaviour that makes the placement unsuitable.

Cinque Ports Canine may take notes, photographs, or videos for training, progress review, safety, and record-keeping.

Client names, addresses, identifying property, family details, staff details, security arrangements, and private case information will not be used publicly without consent.

The Client must not record, publish, copy, sell, teach, or distribute Cinque Ports Canine’s sessions, methods, materials, written advice, videos, or private communications without written permission.

Cinque Ports Canine treats Client information with discretion.

This includes addresses, property details, household arrangements, family information, staff details, security arrangements, dog behaviour issues, and private communications.

Information may be shared only where necessary to provide the service, protect safety or welfare, comply with legal duties, obtain professional advice, or with the Client’s consent.

Cinque Ports Canine may collect and process Client information including name, address, contact details, dog details, veterinary information, behavioural history, booking records, payment records, and training notes.

This information is used to provide services, manage bookings, issue invoices, maintain records, protect safety, and comply with legal obligations.

Client information will be handled in accordance with applicable UK data protection law.

The Client remains responsible for complying with all relevant law, insurance obligations, public-space rules, landlord rules, estate rules, council requirements, dog control laws, and animal welfare obligations.

The Client remains responsible for the dog’s behaviour except where Cinque Ports Canine has expressly taken direct control of the dog.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, fraudulent misrepresentation, or any liability that cannot legally be excluded.

Subject to the above, Cinque Ports Canine is not liable for:

• incidents caused by inaccurate or withheld information;

• failure by the Client or others to follow advice;

• behaviour occurring outside Cinque Ports Canine’s direct control;

• loss or damage caused by the dog, Client, household members, staff, visitors, other animals, or third parties;

• indirect, reputational, business, financial, or consequential losses.

Cinque Ports Canine’s total liability is limited to the amount paid by the Client for the relevant service giving rise to the claim, except where such limitation would be unlawful.

If the Client has a concern, they should raise it promptly so that Cinque Ports Canine has a fair opportunity to respond.

Complaints should be made in writing within 14 days of the relevant session or issue.

Cinque Ports Canine will review the matter and respond within a reasonable time.

These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales.

The courts of England and Wales shall have jurisdiction, subject to any mandatory consumer rights that apply.