Terms and Conditions

Please ensure you have read and understood these Terms and Conditions prior to booking. By placing a booking, you, the Client, are deemed to have read, understood and accepted them.

Contract of Sale

Completion of the booking process and acceptance of our terms and conditions form your contract with Gundog Trainers Academy Ltd and Gundog Trainers Academy Online Ltd. The contract contains the final and entire agreement and understanding between the parties and is the complete and exclusive statement of its terms.

Payment

Payment for all online and in-person workshops, webinars, courses, pre-assessments and assessments must be made in advance. It is not possible to view or attend unless payment has been received. We accept payment by BACS, Stripe, PayPal, and credit/debit card online.

Payment for online training, workshops, pre-assessments and assessments is due immediately if paying via the website, or on receipt of the invoice.

Payment for in-person courses (such as but not limited to the Handler’s Course, Enhanced Handler’s Course and Teacher’s Course) is due either on booking, if paying in full, or if paying in installments, a non-returnable deposit of £500 is due on booking, with the final balance due one month prior to the commencement of the first day of module one of the course.

Payment for the GTA Teacher's Course practical assessment is required to be paid in full prior to the start of the assessment.

Please note that it is the Client’s responsibility to ensure that payments are made in full and on time. The Gundog Trainers Academy Ltd will not issue reminders. If you, the Client, fail to pay in full within the specified time frames, your booking will be automatically cancelled.

Online Training Products

All Gundog Trainers Academy Ltd and Gundog Trainers Academy Online Ltd online training products (such as but not limited to the membership, Force Free Fetch presentation, Going for a Bumble, and Steadiness mini course) are delivered instantly via digital download or streaming access.

Because you, the Client, gain immediate access to all the course materials and resources, we are unable to offer refunds once a purchase has been completed. We therefore recommend reviewing the product descriptions carefully before enrolment.

If you encounter any issues accessing the training resources or believe there is an error with your purchase, please get in touch with our support team via email on members@gundogtrainersacademy.co.uk

In Person Course Cancellation, Deferrals and Named Replacements

Cancellations for our in-person courses (such as but not limited to the Handler’s Course, Enhanced Handler’s Course and Teacher’s Course) must be made by email to members@gundogtrainersacademy.co.uk

Committing to four in-person modules spread across an entire year involves considerable forward-planning (e.g. budgeting, reserving dates and arranging travel and accommodation). Our courses are consistently in high demand and fill rapidly as soon as dates are released. However, once the course is filled, potential students who were unable to get a place, due to the course being full, often don’t keep the dates reserved in their diaries or allocate budgets elsewhere. Due to this, late cancellations have a significantly detrimental impact on our small businesses, as due to the nature of our courses, we are often unable to fill places at short notice.

To balance the practical realities of organising a year-long programme, with an understanding that people’s circumstances change, our cancellation policy has been structured around these extended times. Thank you for your understanding.

Cancellations for all bookings made with Gundog Trainers Academy Ltd (with the exception of online training products as detailed above) will be subject to the following fees:

• Cancellations received less than 90 clear days before the course start date will be charged the full course fee. If you have paid in full, you, the Client, will not be entitled to a refund.
• Cancellations received between 90 and 180 clear days before the start date will be charged 50% of the course fee. If you have paid in full, you, the Client, will be entitled to a refund of 50% of the full course fee. 
• Cancellations received more than 180 clear days before the start date will be charged 30% of the course fee. If you have paid in full, you, the Client, will be entitled to a refund of 70% of the full course fee.
  

We do understand that life happens - unexpected injuries, illness, or personal circumstances can arise. As such, in genuine unforeseen circumstances, a deferral may be offered at our discretion for cancellations.

If you’re cancelling due to a serious reason such as injury, illness, or a personal emergency, please explain clearly when emailing us. In some circumstances, we may ask you to provide written proof such as a note from your vet or doctor. 

A deferral will not be offered for avoidable circumstances, such as choosing to attend another event, accidentally double-booking yourself, or any other reason where you and your dog are still physically able to attend the training but are choosing not to.

If a deferral is granted, it will only be valid for the following year’s course, and it can only be redeemed once. If a booking is transferred to the following year and you’re unable to attend, a further deferral will not be offered.

We reserve the right to refuse a deferral if we believe someone is excessively taking advantage of our goodwill.

If you are unable to attend and a deferral to the following year cannot be offered, you, the Client, may nominate a replacement participant, no later than seven clear days before the course start date, subject to a £50 administration fee.

You, the Client, remain responsible for ensuring that the replacement’s course fee is paid in full and failure to settle the outstanding balance will result in the replacement being refused entry.

Please note that it is not permitted to advertise or market a place for a replacement participant through any Gundog Trainers Academy Ltd–owned or affiliated channels (including, but not limited to, the Gundog Training Solutions Facebook Group, the membership community, the Clicker Gundog Facebook Group or the Teach Your Gundog Facebook Group) without prior written approval from the Academy directors.

Training Content and Intellectual Property

Gundog Trainers Academy Ltd and Gundog Trainers Academy Online Ltd reserve the right to change the content, timing, date, venue, tutors, presenters or assessors at any time.

Gundog Trainers Academy Ltd reserves the right to cancel any in-person courses up to and including the start date of the course and will strive to give as much notice of this as possible. Individuals booked onto a cancelled course will be given the option of a full refund or taking a place on an alternative or rescheduled course date. Gundog Trainers Academy Ltd will not be liable for any losses or expenses arising from amendments to the course or cancellations.

Gundog Trainers Academy Ltd and Gundog Trainers Academy Online Ltd remain the owners of all intellectual property in course materials. Course materials are supplied only for your personal use. No part of the materials may be copied, recorded or reproduced without prior written approval from the Academy directors.

Dogs

Gundog Trainers Academy Ltd and any venue at which a Gundog Trainers Academy Ltd course is held will not be held responsible for dogs being kept in vehicles in car parks, or harm incurred to any dog(s), as a result of being left unattended in vehicles at any of our courses. Anyone bringing a dog(s) to any Gundog Trainers Academy Ltd course is responsible for that dog(s) and its welfare at all times. Gundog Trainers Academy Ltd accepts no responsibility for any dog or its welfare at any Gundog Trainers Academy Ltd in-person training event.

By engaging the services of Gundog Trainers Academy Ltd, you, the Client, agree that all information provided regarding your animal’s behaviour, history, and any relevant circumstances is truthful, accurate, and complete to the best of your knowledge. You, the Client, acknowledge that withholding, misrepresenting, or failing to disclose pertinent details, such as previous aggression, medical conditions, or behavioural concerns, may pose a significant risk to the safety of the practitioner, the Client, the animal, and others.

Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, all animal owners and keepers have a legal duty of care to ensure the welfare of their animals and to prevent harm to others. In the case of dogs, the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 and related legislation impose additional responsibilities to prevent a dog from being dangerously out of control. Failure to provide full and honest disclosure may result in the immediate termination of services without refund, and Gundog Trainers Academy Ltd shall not be held liable for any consequences arising from such omissions.

You, the Client, accept full responsibility for any legal repercussions that may arise from undisclosed behavioural issues or other relevant factors.

Code of Practice

By booking any Gundog Trainers Academy Ltd courses or assessments, you acknowledge and agree to abide by the Gundog Trainers Academy Code of Practice (see Appendix 1) for the entire duration of your participation. Harsh handling, including, but not limited to, verbal shouting, intimidation or any form of physical punishment, and the use of aversive training techniques or tools, such as, but not limited to, choke chains, prong collars and shock collars, is strictly prohibited.

If you are found to be using or promoting any such methods, you will be required to leave the course immediately, will forfeit any right to a refund, and any future bookings you have made will be cancelled without refund.

Accredited Instructors’ Membership

To qualify as a Gundog Trainers Academy Accredited Instructor, you must have successfully completed all modules of the Handler’s Course and Teacher’s Course and passed all written assignments, the theory test, the practical assessment, and CAP Levels 1 and 2. All are included in the cost of the courses, with the exception of the practical assessment, which will incur an additional fee of £350.

The Teacher’s Course assignments, the theory test and the practical assessment must be fully completed within 12 months of your course start date. Any module not completed within this timeframe, or any submission requiring reassessment, will incur a marking fee of £250 per module.

Upon meeting these requirements and receiving confirmation of accreditation from The Gundog Trainers Academy Ltd, you may join the Accredited Instructors’ Membership at an annual subscription of £65. You may also opt to be listed on the ABTC database for an additional £12 per year.

As a condition of membership, all Accredited Instructors must undertake at least 15 hours of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) each year and provide evidence of completion upon request.

Insurance

Gundog Trainers Academy Ltd has adequate insurance cover for public liability and professional indemnity.

Online Membership

By subscribing to the online training membership at gundogtrainersacademyonline.co.uk, you authorise Gundog Trainers Academy Online Ltd to charge your chosen payment method for your recurring membership fees.

Because you receive immediate access to all digital training materials and resources upon payment, all subscription fees are strictly non-refundable.

You are not tied into a fixed-term contract and may modify, suspend or cancel your membership at any time. Cancellation will take effect at the end of your current billing period. To cancel or make any changes to your subscription, please email members@gundogtrainersacademy.co.uk.

Data Protection

Any personal information you give to us will be processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018. We will use the information to process your booking, to provide the course and to inform you about similar courses that we provide, unless you tell us that you do not want to receive this information. Any personal data you provide may be held on computer files.

Updates and amendments

Gundog Trainers Academy Ltd reserves the right to unilaterally amend and update the above Terms and Conditions at any time.

Website Terms

By accessing this website hosted in Shopify.com, you are agreeing to be bound by these website Terms and Conditions, all applicable laws and regulations, and agree that you are responsible for compliance with any applicable local laws. If you do not agree with any of these terms, you are prohibited from using or accessing this site. The materials contained in this website are protected by applicable copyright and trade mark law. Permission is granted to use the materials on Companies web site for personal, non-commercial transitory viewing only. This is the grant of a license, not a transfer of title, and under this license you may not:

a) modify or copy the materials.

b) use the materials for any commercial purpose, or for any public display (commercial or non-commercial).

c) attempt to decompile or reverse engineer any software contained on Companies web site.

d) remove any copyright or other proprietary notations from the materials.

e) transfer the materials to another person or 'mirror' the materials on any other server.

This license shall automatically terminate if you violate any of these restrictions and may be terminated by Company at any time. Upon terminating your viewing of these materials or upon the termination of this license, you must destroy any copied/downloaded materials in your possession whether in electronic or printed format.

Disclaimer

The materials on Companies web site are provided 'as is'. Company makes no warranties, expressed or implied, and hereby disclaims and negates all other warranties, including without limitation, implied warranties or conditions of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement of intellectual property or other violation of rights. Further, Company does not warrant or make any representations concerning the accuracy, likely results, or reliability of the use of the materials on its Internet web site or otherwise relating to such materials or on any sites linked to this site.

Limitations

In no event shall Company or its suppliers be liable for any damages (including, without limitation, damages for loss of data or profit, or due to business interruption,) arising out of the use or inability to use the materials on Companies Internet site, even if Company or a Company authorised representative has been notified orally or in writing of the possibility of such damage. Because some jurisdictions do not allow limitations on implied warranties, or limitations of liability for consequential or incidental damages, these limitations may not apply to you.

Revisions and Errata

The materials appearing on Companies web site could include technical, typographical, or photographic errors. Company does not warrant that any of the materials on its web site are accurate, complete, or current. Company may make changes to the materials contained on its web site at any time without notice. Company does not, however, make any commitment to update the materials.

Links

Company has not reviewed all of the sites linked to its Internet web site and is not responsible for the contents of any such linked site. The inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement by Company of the site. Use of any such linked web site is at the user's own risk.

Site Terms of Use Modifications

Company may revise these terms of use for its web site at any time without notice. By using this web site you are agreeing to be bound by the then current version of these Terms and Conditions of Use.