All courses and workshops are taught thru the use of clicker training unless otherwise stated.  You will need to bring 2-3 cups of pea size yummy/various food rewards with you. Make sure your dog is hungry.  Read the section on clicker training on the Group Class page.

Enrollment

Your registration will be confirmed by email, regular mail or by phone once your completed class registration is received. A completed registration includes payment, a copy of current vaccinations or titer tests, negative fecal test results (for Puppy Head-Start), and proof of city license. Please do not assume your registration was received and you are enrolled in a class until you have received a confirmation. 

Payment is required at time of registration to reserve a space in class. Once you have been confirmed for a class, payment is non-refundable( see Refunds) Make payable to: K-9 Partnership

Please read our cancellation and refund policies before registering for a class.

Attendance

Orientation is the most important class!  If you know ahead of time that you will be unable to attend the orientation, please notify Daphne as soon as possible to make other arrangements, or notify her 1 week before orientation to receive a full refund. Students who miss their scheduled orientation (without making prior arrangements) are assumed to have dropped out of the class, and will forfeit their class fee. The space will be given to a student on the waiting list. If you miss a session other then orientation, please contact Daphne to discuss what was covered. Our classes are taught as a series; therefore, drop-ins and make-up classes are not permitted.

Group Class / Workshop Cancellations

Classes/Workshops may be cancelled if a minimum enrollment is not met at least 5 working days before orientation/start date. If you were registered for that class/workshop, you will be notified 3 days before the class was scheduled to start. At that time you can receive credit toward a future class/workshop or receive a full refund. 

Class may also be cancelled for a particular week due to poor weather or Daphne has a previous engagement. She will try to notify you of the cancellation as soon as she can. Classes and Workshops are taught outside. If it's raining then class is postponed until the following week and workshops will be rescheduled.

Refunds For Group Classes

Any cancellation will result in an administrative charge of $5.00. To receive a full refund, notification of cancellation via mail, e-mail, or phone must be received at least two (2) weeks before the first session of the class. If you withdraw from class after the two week grace period but at least 24 hours before the first session of the class you will receive a 50% refund.  If you withdraw from the course less than 24 hours before the first session of class or you fail to withdraw from the class, no refund will be given.  There is a $15 fee for all returned checks.

Vaccinations

You must provide proof of vaccinations - you must send this information along with your registration form and proof of city license. Vaccinations include: Distemper, Parvo, Corona, Rabies and Bordetella. YOU MUST SEND A COPY OF YOUR DOG'S VACCINATION RECORD WITH YOUR REGISTRATION FORM, OR YOU MUST SHOW PROOF OF VACCINATION AT ORIENTATION.  If you do not show proof of vaccinations by orientation, you may not participate in the class and there will be no refund.

Equipment

No choke chains, prong (pinch) collars or shock collars allowed in any class or workshop. Your dog will need to be on a specified body harness or head-collar. A 6 foot leash is required - no flexi-leads (retractable leashes)  in class.

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Saturday Classes

Daphne takes one Saturday off a month so classes on Saturdays will be interrupted.

Additional Dogs from same household

 $90 per additional dog in a group class. It is required to have another family member work the additional dog. There is a one dog per person requirement.

Refund for Workshop

Refunds can be provided if you notify us that you are not going to attend a workshop 48 hours prior to the session indicated on your registration form.  No refunds or credit after the start of the workshop.

Rewarding Returns

Daphne will give a 30% discount to returning students for any group class that is taken in the same year.

Returned Checks

When a check is returned unpaid you will be notified by certified mail and via email; given 10 days to redeem the check and the service fee of $25.00 with cash, check or money order.

If not redeemed within the 10 day period, the returned check is submitted to local authorities for collection.

A returned check for any private or group class service, if not redeemed within the 10 day period, may result in termination of private  services or being dropped from all classes. A $50.00 reinstatement fee is due if you want to be reinstated in private or group class services. 

Declines & Referrals

We reserve the right to decline entry to any dog who presents behavior issues that may be overly dangerous, disruptive or that may be exacerbated by participation in a group class.  Private lessons will be advised or you can be provided with a qualified trainer referral.

Transferring to Private Lessons

 If behavior issues are discovered during the class and Daphne determines that it is in everyone's best interest to seek private training, arrangements for private lessons will be made. She may also try: 1) placing you and your dog further away from the rest of the students 2) placing you and your dog behind a visual barrier to reduce visibility to the group or 3) recommend private lessons.  Class fees may be pro-rated towards private lesson fees. If you decline the offer for private lessons with Daphne, your class fee may be forfeited.

Children in Class -

Children under the age of 15 are not permitted to attend class at Four Paws Dog Daycare.

Other locations: Children over the age of 10 are permitted to handle and practice with the dog in class. Children younger than 10 should not be responsible for handling the dog to class, in class or after class. If you have a child that wants to participate in class, they are required to attend the orientation. 

We are happy to have other family members and children attend class. In order to make it a fun and safe experience for everyone in class, please review our guidelines:

• Children must remain seated with their parents and under parental control at all time
• Since puppy class has limited space, we ask that you limit the number of family members to a total of two per class
• Parents must supervise their children for the entire class
• Please refrain from running, yelling or other activities in the class environment
• Please explain to your children that not all dogs are socialized to: friendly or comfortable around children, so they should not approach or pet the other dogs in class
• If your child wants to meet another dog, please obtain the owner's permission and only during non-instructional times

Children can get bored during class, so please feel free to bring quiet toys or activities to keep them entertained. 

Illnesses and Hazards

You are to report if your dog/puppy is currently sick or has visited a vet hospital within the past week before coming to class. You may do so by emailing or calling. We do not want to spread possible contagious infections/diseases to other dogs/puppies. Also, Daphne will notify those enrolled in puppy classes to skip a week if a report of Parvo Virus or other serious illnesses have passed thru the facility or training area.

Any dog that is potentially dangerous or whose owner is abusive in class may be asked (at the instructor's discretion) not to participate.  Owners that show animal abuse will be reported to authorities.

Not Transferable

If you have registered for a group class, your registration is not transferable to somebody else's dog(s) in the event you decide not to attend class. Also, if you decide to turn over ownership of your dog(s) to somebody else, services purchased are not transferable to the new owner. 

Unaltered Dogs

For safety purposes, dogs that are not spayed or neutered are prohibited from attending those classes where there is off-leash interaction between dogs, with the exception of Puppy Head-Start. Unaltered dogs are more frequently targeted in playgroups by other  dogs. Altercations can ensue, which endanger all dogs present as well as their owners/guardians and K-9 Partnership Class Assistants. Unaltered dogs are welcome to attend any of our on-leash classes. Bitches in heat must wear panties and might be required to stay at a distance away from the rest of the group.

Daphne's Education - Cancelled Class

Daphne is very active in her education and often attends conferences, seminars and workshops.  Lessons will skip and return to schedule once she returns or she might be able to find a substitute instructor for that time while she is away.