How to write a dog training cancellation policy

Choose a notice period

Pick how much notice a client must give to cancel or reschedule for free. For example, 24 hours. Choose a period that works for you: if you can’t fill a slot at a day’s notice, a longer period may be fairer to you, as long as clients know before they book.

Decide what a late cancellation costs

For clients with a package, the simplest rule is that a late cancellation or no-show uses one session. For single sessions, you can charge a fee. Don’t do both for the same session, and say exactly how much the fee is rather than “a fee may apply”.

Say what counts as a no-show

Define it: for example, the client isn’t there and you can’t reach them within 15 minutes of the start time. For in-home sessions, say what happens if nobody answers the door. Also say what happens when the client is late: usually the session still ends on time.

Cover your side too

A policy feels fair when it covers your cancellations as well. Say that you never charge when you cancel, and that you’ll offer a new time. Decide in advance how you’ll handle illness and emergencies, such as waiving the fee once per package, so you aren’t deciding case by case.

Get agreement before the first booking

Share the policy when a client books, and ask them to agree to it then, not after a missed session. If you take a card at booking to charge fees, show the fee amounts at that point. Then remind clients of the cut-off in their appointment reminders.

Rules about fees and agreements differ between states, so have your final wording reviewed for your state.