Terms & Conditions

Dog Walking Policies

General Behaviour:

  • We meet all dogs before we walk them. Each new dog is subject to assessment and a trial period.

  • We only allow dogs into groups who understand canine etiquette and who are polite to other dogs. We do not tolerate excessive humping or states of over arousal.

  • We will not consider walking dogs that show signs of aggression. Any instances of aggressive behaviour will be investigated and we reserve the right to refuse to walk any dog.

  • We accept dogs on our group walks only that show lead-pulling behaviour, however we use a zero-tolerance approach where pulling never results in moving forward. Dogs that pull on the lead will not be accepted onto our Adventure Walk.

  • If a dog cannot be recalled instantly, we will keep he/she on the lead . Only until recall is consistent and reliable will your pup be allowed off the lead. We are not liable should your dog run away and/or injure themselves and/or cause any damage or injure a third party.

  • We will not consider walking any dog whose breed is listed under the Dangerous Dogs Act as our insurance company does not permit us to do so.

Neutering:

At Paws in the Pines, we are determined to provide the safest, friendliest and most sociable environment for all our dogs to be in. As such, we welcome unneutered dogs under the following conditions:

  • they are not excessively humping

  • they are not displaying dominant behaviour

  • they are not causing dominant behaviours from other dogs due to their intact status

  • they are not creating an unsafe play environment

  • their presence is not reducing the overall peacefulness of the group

Un-spayed female dogs are very welcome at Paws in the Pines, apart from when they are actually in season. During this time, they need to be kept out of group play to prevent any unwanted pregnancies and also to prevent the boys going wild! You’ll need to factor in that they won’t be able to be walked by us during each season and these days will need to be cancelled as soon as possible. A season will usually last 2-3 weeks from start to finish. Please note: if we suspect your un-spayed female has begun a season whilst they are on a walk with us, you may be asked to collect her immediately.

Owner Responsibilities

  • Owner is to make full disclosure of any quality or characteristic problems which might make your dog not suitable for walking. This includes health problems or antisocial behaviour including aggression, incontinence, lack of house training, unwarranted loud barking, and excessive pulling on the lead.

  • Owner is to ensure a well-fitted collar with an ID tag with owners contact details on is either already being worn on their dog or readily available during pickup.

  • Owner should be happy for Paws in the Pines to take photos and videos of their dog (which may be used on social media, advertisement etc). If you’d prefer us not to use photos of your pet, please let Paws in the Pines know when booking.

  • Paws in the Pines will make every effort to return your dog in a clean and dry state. Nevertheless, given Welsh weather, it is not always possible to return them completely clean or dry. We will however, clean and towel dry your dog as best as we can, but it will be your responsibility to leave us a towel by the entrance door and provide instructions on where to leave your dog in the event they are not 100% dry.

Injury, Risk, Safety & Liability

  • Owner is responsible and will ensure that their dog is up to date with their vaccinations, flea/tic treatments and de-wormer treatments as well as the Kennel Cough vaccine (we will not accept any dog that has been infected by fleas in the last 30 days or Kennel cough in the past 10 days).

  • We make every effort to contact the owner in the event of an emergency. We recommend owners provide us with a contact number of a trusted third party should we be unable to make direct contact. However, we reserve the right to make decisions regarding your dog’s health provided it is at all times acting in the best interests of the dog and on the advice of a veterinary surgeon.

  • We make every effort to ensure the security of your home is protected and enforce a secure key management system, however, should the unfortunate event arise that we misplace your house key, Paws in the Pines are liable for the cost of replacing the key and changing the locks.

  • Whilst we will use all reasonable endeavours to ensure that your dog is not placed in the company of aggressive or violent animals and will immediately remove your dog from any fight with another animal, Paws in the Pines shall not be liable for any damage caused should your dog instigate fights with other animals or should your dog be injured by another animal whilst in our care.

  • Paws in the Pines reserve the right in extreme weather conditions such as very high temperatures, thunder & lightening, heavy snow or icy roads/pavement to cut a walk short for the safety of both walker and dog.

  • In adverse weather conditions please understand that we are still open but may be slightly delayed or choose to bring forward your booked service to avoid the hottest part of the day.​

  • The owner is responsible for payment of any veterinary fees incurred by Paws in the Pines.

  • By law, all dogs must wear a well fitted collar with an ID tag with owners contact details on.

  • By law, all dogs must be micro chipped.

Bookings

  • Weekly Repeat Bookings:  where your dog is automatically booked onto the same walk(s) or drop-in visit each week and your dog’s space(s) are guaranteed each week. Bookings are agreed with the owner initially and then no further action is required - unless the owner wishes to change the rolling booking or needs to cancel a booking.

  • Ad-Hoc Bookings:  where the owner requests a walk/drop-in visit on a day that is not their usual service day.  Please note that we may not always be able to accommodate ad-hoc bookings as it will depend on what spaces are available – but it’s always worth asking!

Charges

  • Prices are as advertised on the Paws in the Pines website. Please go to the home page on the website and scroll to “discover our services” to view them fully.

  • ​ All prices are subject to change. Owner will be given at least 30 days’ notice of any price changes.

  • The owner will be responsible for all your pet(s) veterinary costs and Paws in the Pines will not be required to incur these costs on your behalf.

Payment Policy

  • Prior to the service, you can either pay cash or do a bank transfer after we have emailed you an invoice (on the first day of the month):

  • Bank Transfer: When asked for the 'Payee Reference' please enter your pet's name and your surname. (i.e. Cooper - Smith)

  • Cash: Please place cash in a sealed envelope with your pet's name and the date written on the front. (i.e. Bella - January). You can pay cash on every visit or weekly if you prefer.

Cancellation Policies

Walks and Home Drop-In Visits:

  • 48+ hours notice - no charge

  • Less than 48 hours notice - 50% charge

  • Same-day cancellation or no access - 100%

Pet Sitting (Overnight):

  • 7+ days’ notice - no charge

  • 3-6 days’ notice - 50% charge

  • Less than 48 hours’ notice - 100% charge

Pet Sitting (Overnight) Policies

Securing your booking:

All overnight stays require a non-refundable deposit of 30% to secure the dates. Bookings are not confirmed until the deposit has been received.

Final Payment:

The remaining balance is due 7 days before the booking start date. If the balance is not received by this time, the booking may be released and the deposit retained.

Cancellations:

Deposits are non-refundable, as dates are reserved and other enquiries may be declined. Any cancellations are also subject to our standard cancellation policy

Date Changes:

Where possible, we are happy to move dates, but this is subject to availability and may require a new deposit.

Early Returns/Shortened Stays:

If a stay is cut short, the full booking fee still applies as the dates have been reserved.