Terms and conditions for a dog trainer

A dog trainer sells a method, and the result depends on an owner who has to do the work between sessions with a dog the trainer does not control. Terms that put responsibility for the dog where the law already puts it, define what a course is, and deal with bite risk, refunds and weather are what I draft, for a fixed fee of £995, delivered in five working days.

Who this is for

Dog trainers, behaviourists and puppy class providers in England and Wales running one-to-one sessions, group classes, residential training and online courses. Your customers are consumers, so the terms are written for the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and the online booking rules, with a section for the occasional business customer such as a rescue centre or a daycare.

What matters in a dog trainer's terms

The owner stays responsible for the dog

Responsibility for a dog's behaviour stays with its owner, under section 2 of the Animals Act 1971 and section 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, and the terms should say so plainly: the owner must disclose bite history, health conditions and reactivity, must keep the dog under control at all times in a session, and remains liable for injury or damage the dog causes. You cannot exclude liability for your own negligence in a way that cuts down a consumer's rights, but you can make the facts about the dog the owner's responsibility.

Results and what you are promising

Training is a service that must be carried out with reasonable care and skill; it is not a guarantee of a changed dog. The terms should say that outcomes depend on the owner's consistency between sessions, that no result is promised, and that a behaviour plan is advice to be followed rather than a fix to be delivered. That sentence is more valuable than any refund policy when an owner returns with the same problem.

Group classes, courses and refunds

A block of classes sold online is a distance contract under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, with a cancellation right that runs until the classes start at the customer's express request. The terms should say what happens if the owner misses a class, whether missed classes can be transferred, and what is refunded if the dog is removed from a course for aggression or if the owner cannot continue. A term that forfeits everything in every case is unlikely to be fair.

Aggression, muzzles and stopping a session

The terms should give you the right to require a muzzle, to remove a dog from a group, and to end a session where you judge it unsafe, with the fee still payable. They should also say that a dog assessed as unsuitable for group classes will be offered one-to-one work at the one-to-one price rather than a refund of the difference, and that the owner must tell you if the dog has been the subject of any court order or complaint.

Venues, weather and online courses

Outdoor classes depend on the weather and hired venues on availability; the terms should allow rescheduling without breach and say when a class is cancelled rather than moved. Where you train at the owner's home, the terms should cover a safe environment and other pets. Online courses are digital content, and under regulation 37 of those Regulations supplying them inside the cancellation period needs the customer's express consent and acknowledgement that the right to cancel is lost.

What it costs

Customer or supplier terms and conditions, £995. One set of terms, customer-facing or supplier-facing, drafted for your business. Five working days.

Review of your existing terms, £495. You already have terms and want them checked and brought up to date. Returned marked up with my amendments and an explanation of the changes. Three working days.

Buying online forms the engagement on payment. The scope is what the terms and conditions drafting page describes, you accept the Terms of Service at checkout, and I email you within four working hours to get started. If you would rather ask something first, email me.

What you get

• A full set of bespoke terms drafted for your business, reflecting the legal requirements that apply to your business and sector
• A note in plain English explaining the terms I have drafted for you
• Liability, payment, termination and IP provisions that protect your position and are drafted to withstand scrutiny from the other side
• Guidance on how to incorporate the terms properly
• Your questions and comments answered by email or phone
• One round of amendments to finalise the terms ready for use

What is not included

• Negotiating your terms with individual customers (I am happy to quote for this as an additional service if required)
• Sector-specific regulatory compliance beyond the contract terms themselves
• Website privacy notice and cookie compliance, which I quote separately
• Terms governed by the law of another country
• Tax advice

Questions I am often asked

Can I refuse to refund an owner whose dog did not improve?

The terms can say that no outcome is guaranteed and that fees are for the sessions delivered, and that position is sound where the sessions were delivered with reasonable care and skill. What you cannot do is keep fees for sessions you did not deliver, or refuse a remedy where the service itself fell short.

What if a dog injures another dog in my class?

The owner of the dog that caused the injury is responsible, and the terms should say so and require every owner to disclose reactivity and keep their dog under control. Your own duty is to run the class with reasonable care, including the decision to admit or remove a dog.

Do I need owners to sign anything?

The terms should be accepted at booking, with a disclosure form about the dog completed before the first session. The form turns an undocumented conversation into a record.

Related guidance and services

• Terms and conditions drafting, £995, the service this page describes
• Contract review, £495
• Terms and conditions for a dog groomer
• Terms and conditions for a dog walker and pet sitter

This page is general guidance for businesses in England and Wales, not advice on your own circumstances. Last reviewed: September 2026. Email geoffrey@caesar.co.uk.