My Contract

 

If you request my help with your dog, you need to understand and agree to work under the terms of my contract:

 

As used herein, "Owner(s)", "I", "We", "My", "Our" and "Us" includes but is not limited to any person(s) or entity(ies) having legal or physical possession of the dog(s) to be trained by PAWS (as hereinafter defined) and includes any person(s) who resides in the same household with said dog.

 

As used herein, "PAWS" is defined as PAWSitive Solutions! Canine Behavior Counseling, Ltd., and Brenda Rushman, their agents, employees, assistants and volunteers working under the supervision of Brenda Rushman, subsidiaries, apprentices and affiliates.

 

We understand that physical correction and punishment, including but not limited to the use of squirt bottles, shake cans, choke, prong or shock collars, hitting with our hands or other objects, muzzle-grabbing, and other pain--causing physical contact or intimidating body language is likely to cause Our dog to be more aggressive, not less. We do hereby agree to refrain from any such actions while engaged in a training program with Our trainer, Brenda Rushman, (hereinafter the "Trainer") unless such actions are specifically authorized by the Trainer, or unless necessary to defend ourselves or another person from violent attack. In the event an attack should occur, evasive action is the preferred course, and physical force, if necessarily used, will consist of no more force than is necessary to stop the attack and must cease as soon as the attack stops. For the purposes of this Agreement, a growl or snap is not considered a violent attack.

 

We understand that failure to comply with any part of this Agreement will be just cause for termination of the training Agreement, and that We will receive no refund on whatever monetary balance may remain on account at that time. Furthermore, We understand and agree that continuing to use physical punishment with Our dog and not engaging in a program of behavior modification using positive methods with a qualified trainer may significantly increase the risk of Us or someone else being injured by Our dog in the future.

 

Waiver of Liability:

 

I have retained the services of PAWS for the training of and/or counseling and advice relating to my dog (hereinafter "Dog"). I understand that working with dogs is not without risk of injury, damage or loss to the person and property of Myself, members of My family and third parties and entities. Owner agrees that PAWSitive will not be held liable, individually and/or jointly and severally, in their individual or official capacity, for any injury, damage or loss to the person or property of any individual or entity, caused or allegedly caused, directly or indirectly, from training, counseling and/or advice supplied to the Owners of the Dog by PAWS.

 

Dog's behavior now and in the future is solely the responsibility of the Owners of the Dog. Should any behavior on the Dog's part now or in the future result, directly or indirectly, in injury, damage or loss to the property or person of a third party, Owner agrees to assume full and sole liability to said third party for any and all such injury, damage or loss, and to absolve and hold harmless PAWS from any and all financial obligations to the third party or to seek restitution from PAWS.

 

In the event that the Dog is handled or cared for by PAWS, Owner agrees to absolve and hold harmless PAWS for all injury, damage or loss to the person or property of Myself, My family and third parties caused or allegedly caused, directly or indirectly, by My Dog from disease, death, running away, theft, fire, injury to persons, other dogs, or property by said Dog, or other causes.

 

In the event of in-home training provided by PAWS, whether the Owners are at the home or not, Owners agree to absolve and hold harmless PAWS from any liability whatsoever for injury, damage or loss to the person and property of any person or any property upon the property of the Owners.

 

Specific additions regarding aggression cases: Your dog _____(has) _____(has not) been assessed as exhibiting aggressive or defensive behaviors, as follows: ___________________________________. It is the professional assessment of Brenda Rushman that re-training may or may not gain manageability of these behaviors. Therefore, I require strict compliance with the following details. Please initial each singly, to signify that you have read and understand my requirements. These further stipulations addition to my requirements for training methodology and owner responsibility. By initialing the following, I promise that:

 

_____ 1) During the re-training period, at no time will children be permitted unsupervised or close contact with My Dog, while the Dog is either not muzzled or otherwise able to sacrifice their safety.

 

_____ 2) It is the responsibility of the Owner to ensure that each and every person who is asked to work with your Dog on the exercises will be a) heavily supervised by the Owner; and b) taught to perform the exercises in strict compliance with the protocols. Anyone working with Your Dog will also be bound by our Agreement regarding the use of punitive methodology, and it is the understand the decided lack of punishment in our training protocols.

 

_____ 3) Your Dog's reassessment date is _____________________. On that date, it will be decided whether significant improvement has occurred. This will help us to understand whether the protocols may be sufficient to affect a change to make the Dog a safer family and community member.

 

_____ 4) As a pre-requisite of Brenda Rushman's agreement to work with this Owner and dog, it has been agreed that the Dog will not be re-homed in the event of failure of the re-training. In the event of the failure of the re-training, as determined by Brenda Rushman on the re-assessment date noted above, the Dog will either be euthanized, or he will remain for his Iifetime in the owner's care and home. 

 

I further understand that no guarantees are made or implied as to the results of training or behavior modification. In the event of a lawsuit, the parties agree to submit to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Ohio. If any portion of this Agreement is found to be void, that will not invalidate the entire Agreement.

 

By signing below, I acknowledge that I have read this waiver in full, I understand its contents fully and all questions, if any, have been answered to My satisfaction.

 

Thank you. You will receive a copy of this document in its entirety for your files.

 

Client Name(s) (PRINT):

 

Client Signature(s):

 

Address:

 

Phone Number:

 

Per Hour Rate:

 

Age/

 

Sex/

 

Alter Status:

 

Date: