Facility policies
We aim to provide you and your dog the most pleasant, fun and safe environment we can at Carson Dog Sports. In order to be successful in that there are a few basic rules that folks need to know about and be willing to follow.
Dog Aggression Policy
Dogs that are aggressive towards people and other dogs are not permitted in group lessons. If your dog is aggressive, or has injured (drawn blood) a person or dog you need to disclose that. The application form for admittance into classes asks those questions of you. It is your responsibility to be honest about what you know of your dog’s history. If a bite incident occurs, or if it is learned that the dog has a bite history that you have not disclosed, you will be asked to leave and not return to group classes.
Depending on the dog and whether the instructors feel that we can deal with the dog safely, private lessons may be an option for you if you wish to continue. Whether a dog remains a student of the Center is completely and totally up to the instructor and the Center owner. If we do not feel that we can safely and effectively work with you and the dog, we do have a certified canine behaviorist we can refer you to for more in depth assistance with your dog’s aggression.
Potty Accidents Policy (this was the nicest way I could come up with to phrase it!)
You are responsible for your dog’s actions and for ensuring that he/she is not permitted to urinate or defecate in the Training Center. The matting in the building costs THOUSANDS of dollars and the agility and other equipment is also worth thousands of dollars. It is a priority to protect and maintain the matting and the equipment. You would not let your dog go into someone else’s home and mark up the place. Just because this is a dog related business, it is not okay to allow your dog to mark up inside the building. Should your dog urinate or defecate while in the building, you will be responsible for cleaning up the mess. Cleaning solution and paper towels will be available to you.
There will be areas outside the building along the fences which will have buckets and pooper scoopers available. You are responsible for cleaning up poops that your dog makes while on site.
Students will be warned if continual marking or failure to pick up after your dog becomes an issue, and you will be given a chance to redeem your responsibility. Failure to rectify the behavior will be grounds to ask you to leave and not return. If asked to leave because of lack of responsibility in this area, no refunds will be given.
General Dog Handling Policy
Carson Dog Sports subscribes to the tenants of positive reinforcement training. Call us cookie slingers or any other name you would like, and we won’t take offense. We believe in the scientific theory behind positive reinforcement training and in the power of teaching your dog the appropriate behaviors, rather than applying punishment to him for inappropriate behaviors. We want training to be fun for both you and the dog. Our experience has shown us that this is possible through positive reinforcement.
Because of our passion for showing owners a different way of training and relating to their dogs, the policy of Carson Dog Sports is that no shock collars, prong collars of choke chains are to be used on dogs in the Center. The exception to slip collars is in Conformation classes, where a thin choke type collar is used to show the dog. Even though these are permitted, using them in an abusive fashion (i.e. jerking the dog harshly or “stringing the dog up”) is NOT permitted. Any harsh handling of dogs will be grounds to ask students to leave the facility and not return. If asked to leave on this basis, no refunds will be given.
Head halters, such as Gentle Leaders and Halti’s as well as front clip and other harnesses are permitted provided they are used correctly. Such devises are not appropriate for most advanced level sport classes.
Refund Policy
Refunds will not be given if you miss classes.
If, after attending the first class session, you decide that you do not want to continue, a partial refund of ONE HALF (1/2) of your course fee will be given. In order to receive this partial refund, you must notify either the instructor of the class or Carson Dog Sports owner, Chris Vaught BEFORE the start of the second class. If no notice by you prior to the second class, no refund will be provided.
Make up classes will be scheduled in the event class is cancelled by the instructor or the Center.
Multiple Dog Policy
Qwners and handlers will, in general, not be permitted to bring more than one dog to a class per person. This is especially important for those lower level classes, where dog and handler are both inexperienced. In our experience, it is too difficult and the handler does not reap the full benefit of the instruction if they are trying to juggle 2 dogs.
In the upper level competitive level sport classes, whether one handler can bring 2 dogs and the cost (fee) for bringing 2 dogs is at the sole discretion of the instructor.
