My Guarantee

Choosing a trainer is a big decision. You are trusting someone with your animal, your time, your money, and your emotions. This page is here to be crystal clear about what Hoof & Claw does and does not promise.

What we cannot ethically guarantee

At Hoof & Claw Animal Behaviour & Welfare, behavioural guarantees are not offered for one simple reason: your animal is a living, thinking individual, not a machine. 

Noone can honestly promise exactly how another sentient being will behave in every situation, especially when so many factors are outside a trainer’s control - genetics, health, environment, history, and how consistently training is followed at home.

In the professional animal training world, guaranteeing specific behavioural outcomes is considered unethical.

Major professional associations and industry bodies explicitly discourage or prohibit “results guarantees” because they can push trainers towards harsh methods, quick fixes, and shortcuts that compromise welfare and damage trust.

If a trainer promises you a guaranteed behavioural result (“we’ll fix this in X sessions or your money back”), they are working outside modern professional standards. Those kinds of promises often rely on fear, pain, or intimidation to suppress behaviour fast, rather than addressing the underlying emotions and needs of the animal.

What we can guarantee

While behaviour itself can’t be guaranteed, the experience you and your animal have with Hoof & Claw absolutely can.

Here is what you can count on:

• Reliable, respectful communication You will be treated with kindness and respect, and your questions are always welcome. Communication will be clear, honest and timely so you’re never left wondering what is happening next.
• Excellent customer service. Sessions will start on time, you’ll know what to expect, and you’ll receive follow‑up notes or resources as appropriate.If something isn’t working for you, adjustments will be made rather than forcing a one‑size‑fits‑all plan.
• Plans tailored to your animal Your animal will be seen as an individual with their own history, feelings and needs. Training plans will be built around your animal’s pace, personality and welfare, not just a generic checklist of “obedience” cues.
• Plans tailored to your life. Strategies will be realistic for your household, schedule and energy levels. You’ll get clear, doable steps so you can actually follow through between sessions, not a pile of homework that makes you feel guilty.
• Modern, reward‑based methods Positive reinforcement is used to build behaviour through rewards, not fear or intimidation.That means you get results without guilt, your animal earns to trust you, and you can feel proud of how you got there.

What this means for you

This approach isn’t just better for your animal - it’s better for you as a client.

• You get to work with your animal, not against them.
• You can enjoy training without wondering if you’re “being too soft” or doing harm.
• You build a partnership where your animal looks to you for guidance instead of shutting down or being scared of getting it wrong.
• You see real, sustainable progress based on understanding and communication, not just behaviour being suppressed in the moment.

Hoof & Claw’s guarantee is simple: your animal’s welfare and your relationship together will always come first, and everything possible will be done to help you move towards your goals with clarity, compassion and honesty.