Terms of Service

Our conditions of service help ensure that all pets stays as healthy and happy as possible in our care.

The Booking Process for New Clients

  • Prior to on site visits, Small Dog Solutions requires proof of core vaccinations (or titre test results) and recent/projected worming and flea treatments. (See infection Control Policy at the bottom of the page for more details).
  • We have a short, friendly “meet and greet” video (or phone) call with owners. This is not a behavioural consultation, but a friendly “Hello” and informal chat about what is required.
  • Owners must complete and sign our information forms, including details of any challenging behaviours, management strategies and related behaviourist or trainer reports. (See Challenging Behaviours at bottom of page).
  • In the case of daycare and boarding arrangements, Small Dog Solutions must keep the paperwork for two years.

The first session is arranged as follows:

  • For behavioural and training work, we have a consultation with the owners, exploring the issues, possible strategies, and scheduling training sessions and a follow-up appointment.
  • For dog-walking clients, we take the dog for a short solo walk on its home territory with or without the owner.
  • For daycare and boarding clients, we arrange for one or more preparatory sessions lasting up to 4 hours with us. (For visitors to Edinburgh, this can be done when you arrive here). Existing clients must book another preparatory session if their dog behaviour or needs have changed.

All going well, the booking dates are then confirmed and paid for.

Prices

  • Training:
    • £36 for each session on site or via video. On site training incur a travel surcharge (see transport prices below).
    • £18 per hour for training during daycare or boarding (e.g. house-training).
  • Walks:
    • £12 per dog for group walks.
    • £18 for solo walks, and training walks.
    • £20 for initial familiarisation sessions.
    • a transport charge applies to homes outwith the EH15/west Musselburgh area.
  • Daycare and Boarding:
    • Up to 8 hours: from £20 per dog. Short solo sessions may be required initially, especially for young dogs and oldies who take longer to adjust to new situations.
    • Over 8 hours: from £35 per dog per day.
    • Familiarisation sessions, up to 2 hours: £20.
    • Holidays: Double rates apply for Christmas day, Boxing day, New Year’s day and Easter day.
  • Transport: Pick up and drop off from your home: £22 per hour of transport. ( A reduced rate applies to daycare and walking clients using the service on 3 or more days per week).

Dog Identification

  • Your dogs must be microchipped and wear a collar and an ID tag.

Dates, Drop-off and Pick-up Times

  • Drop-off, pick-up times and dates are negotiable at the time of booking, but subsequent changes must be approved with Small Dog Solutions and may result in extra charges. If you are flying home from abroad, please provide us with a flight number, so that we can adjust around any delay.
  • Late pick up:
    • Please let us know if you are delayed in picking up your dog.
    • If you are more than 30 minutes late for pickup without letting us know (either by messaging us or by supplying us with flight details in advance), a surcharge of £11 per hour will apply.

Payments

Advance payment by bank transfer is required in order to reserve the date of your booking.

Cancellations and Refunds

Please give us as much advance notice as possible of any circumstances which might lead to cancellation. You can cancel at any time, but refunds are subject to advance warning as follows:

  • Walks, daycare and training sessions
    • Full refund will apply if cancelled 72 hours in advance.
    • No refund will be given if sessions are cancelled with less than 72 hours notice.
  • Boarding
    • Full refund minus a charge of £20 will apply to boarding bookings which are cancelled 30 days prior to the boarding date.
    • 50% refund will apply to boarding bookings which are cancelled 10-30 days prior to the booking dates.
    • No refund will be given for boarding bookings which are cancelled less than 10 days prior to boarding dates.

In the unlikely event of Small Dog Solutions having to cancel your booking, you will receive a full refund. If Small Dog Solutions asks you to pick up your dog early, you will receive a refund for any remaining days if the reason was due to issues unrelated to your pet, such as a house fire. Small Dog Solutions is not liable for the cost of early pick up or of any alternative arrangements you may have to make.

Socialising with other dogs while in our care

  • You authorise us to let your dogs socialise with other compatible dogs during walks, day care or boarding. We introduce dogs carefully, monitor interactions and ensure that the dogs have the freedom of choice regarding interacting with other dogs, or not. We limit numbers according to the dogs' temperaments and preferences, and to ensure a high standard of care.
  • We walk dogs in public places and group them according to compatibility, with a handler for every 3 dogs on walks. We require owner permission for the dog to be walked off lead.
  • Boarding dogs have access to their own private bedroom whenever they prefer.

Medical Treatment

  • Small Dog Solutions will seek permission from you or your emergency contact before agreeing to any vet treatment. If you or your emergency contact cannot be contacted in a timely manner, you authorise Small Dog Solutions to seek veterinary advice and approve medical treatment from the agreed veterinary practice or from the closest available vet practice in emergency situations.
  • You agree to reimburse Small Dog Solutions for the cost of any medical care.
  • Small Dog Solutions is not liable for any costs incurred from a known or unknown condition unless it was the direct result of us failing to provide the agreed care.

Bitches in Heat

  • Small Dog Solutions cannot provide daycare, boarding or group walks to a female dog while she is in heat.
  • Owners are asked to inform us if an unneutered bitch is likely to go into heat during a period of boarding.
  • Bitches whose seasons start while boarding must be isolated and Small Dog Solutions may ask you or your emergency contact to come and collect your dog to find a more suitable arrangement. Small Dog Solutions will not give you a refund for any remaining days unless the risk of the season starting during the stay had been disclosed prior to the booking.

Off Lead Walks

  • Written consent is required to enable us to walk dogs off-lead in appropriate areas. Otherwise dogs will be leashed in public places.
  • You must disclose any behavioural issues which might arise on walks. In particular you should inform Small Dog Solutions if your dog:
    • is reactive to children, joggers, scooters, bikes, etc;
    • has a strong prey drive (e.g. chases squirrels);
    • scavenges;
    • sometimes runs away on walks.

Pictures and Videos

Small Dog Solutions reserves the copyright of any photos and videos it takes of your dogs. Those pictures and videos may be used on social media, adverts and website, unless you request otherwise.

Keys

A key should be left with us or a code for key safe if you need Small Dog Solutions to visit your home in your absence.

We will keep it safe, not copy it, only use it for stipulated purposes, and return it to you on request.

Failure to Collect Your Dog

If your dog is not collected within 7 days of the end of their stay, and we have been unable to make contact with you or your emergency contact, then Small Dog Solutions will contact the Dogs Trust, the Scottish SPCA or the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home to classify your dogs as abandoned and needing to be rehomed.

Hyperarousal, anxiety, reactivity and excessive vocalisation in boarding and daycare

If a dog is unable to relax in our setup for any reason we would make alternative recommendations, such as short solo sessions, therapy, training, graduated introductions to other dogs, etc., with the aim of gradually integrating the dog when he/she is ready.

Challenging Behaviours

  • Owners must disclose any serious issues their dog has had at any time, along with details of how they deal with the problem. If a behaviourist or trainer has been involved, please provide a copy of their report or management protocol. Issues might include:
    • clinical separation anxiety with owner attachment;
    • aggression towards certain dogs or humans (e.g. children or visitors);
    • resource-guarding of food, toys, owner, or anything else
    • noise sensitivity with fireworks, weather conditions or other stimuli.
  • Owners must disclose if the dog has issues on walks. In particular:
    • reactivity to children, joggers, scooters, bikes, dogs, etc.
    • prey drive behaviour (e.g. chases squirrels)
    • scavenging or running away

If your dog management protocol involves aversive methods, such as choke chain or leash corrections, we discuss possible alternatives, such as training with a different harness.

Serious aggression

As we are primarily a sociable home setting, we cannot take dogs with serious aggression issues for home boarding and daycare. A dog which presents any threat to another dog or person while in our care will have to be separated from other dogs, the owner contacted, and a vet may be consulted to rule out any medical issues. To avoid the dog experiencing any distress due to the separation, we may require the emergency contact to come and collect the dog, or to find an alternative arrangement.

Infection Control

  • You must provide proof of vaccination or immunity (titre test results) for Canine Distemper, Infectious Canine Hepatitis, Canine Parvovirus and Leptospirosis. Leptospirosis requires a yearly booster. The others require a booster one year after the original inoculation and every three years thereafter (or titre test).
  • You agree to keep your dogs flea treatment up to date.
  • You must give your dog regular de-worming treatment: every two weeks for young puppies, every month for older puppies and dogs who scavenge, every three months for daycare dogs, and immediately prior to boarding for boarding dogs.
  • Dogs with signs of undiagnosed disease, diagnosed with infectious disease or with signs of fleas will not be accepted for daycare, boarding or any group activity.
  • Dogs which develop signs of infectious disease while in our care will be isolated while we seek vet diagnosis. If an infectious disease is confirmed or if the risk of infection cannot be ruled out, Small Dog Solutions must continue to isolate your dog, and may ask you or your emergency contact to come and collect your dog, or find an alternative arrangement. Small Dog Solutions will give you a refund for any remaining days.

Publication

Terms of condition updated on September 22 2022.

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