Privacy Policy

Last updated: 6 August 2026

1. Who we are

Delightful Dogs is operated by Christine Fitzgerald, trading as Delightful Dogs.

For data-protection purposes, Christine Fitzgerald is the data controller responsible for your personal information.

Email: christine@delightful-dogs.co.uk
Business location: Romford, Essex, United Kingdom
Correspondence address: Coppice Lodge, Curtis Mill lane, RM4 1HS.

This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, why we use it, how long we keep it and the rights you have.

2. Information we collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect:

Your name, email address, telephone number and address.
Booking, payment and transaction information.
Information about your dog, including their name, age, breed, training history, health, behaviour and previous incidents.
Information submitted through questionnaires, enquiry forms and consultation forms.
Notes made during training or behaviour consultations.
Messages, emails and other communications between you and Delightful Dogs.
Your preferences for receiving news, offers and event information.
Photographs or videos where you have given permission.
Technical information about how you use our website, such as IP address, browser type, device information and cookie data.
Accessibility or health information you choose to provide where this is needed to make reasonable arrangements for you.

We do not receive or store your full debit or credit-card details. Payments are processed securely by Wix and the payment provider selected at checkout.

3. How we use your information

We may use your information to:

Respond to enquiries.
Assess which service may be suitable for you and your dog.
Administer appointments, programmes, training walks and masterclasses.
Take payments, issue receipts and process refunds.
Prepare for and deliver training or behaviour services.
Produce training plans, consultation notes and follow-up recommendations.
Contact you about changes, reminders or information relevant to your booking.
Maintain appropriate safety and welfare records.
Manage complaints, disputes and insurance or legal matters.
Meet accounting, taxation and other legal obligations.
Improve our services and website.
Send marketing communications where you have consented or where the law otherwise permits us to do so.

We will not sell your personal information.

4. Our lawful bases

We rely on one or more of the following lawful bases:

Contract: Where using your information is necessary to respond to your request, administer a booking or provide the service you have purchased.

Legal obligation: Where records must be retained for taxation, accounting, consumer protection or other legal purposes.

Legitimate interests: Where necessary to manage and improve the business, maintain records, prevent fraud, protect animal and human safety, respond to complaints or establish and defend legal claims.

Consent: Where you have agreed to receive marketing, allowed us to use photographs or videos, or provided optional information requiring consent.

You can withdraw consent at any time. Withdrawal will not affect anything lawfully done before consent was withdrawn.

5. Marketing

We may send you news about training walks, masterclasses, services or resources where:

You have asked to receive it;
You have actively joined our mailing list or community; or
The law permits us to contact an existing customer about similar services.

You can unsubscribe at any time by using the link in an email or contacting christine@delightful-dogs.co.uk.

We may retain a minimal suppression record after you unsubscribe so that we do not accidentally contact you again.

6. Who we share information with

Where necessary, information may be shared with trusted service providers, including:

Wix, which hosts our website, booking system and customer records.
Payment providers used through Wix, PayPal, Google Pay or Apple Pay.
Google, for email, calendar, online meetings and document storage.
Mailchimp or another email-marketing provider.
WhatsApp or other communication platforms where you choose to contact or join us.
Xero, accountants or bookkeeping providers.
Professional advisers, insurers, IT providers or legal representatives.
Another Delightful Dogs trainer delivering a service you have booked.
Police, regulators, courts or other authorities where required by law or necessary to protect someone’s safety.

Service providers are only given the information they reasonably need.

7. International transfers

Some technology providers may process information outside the United Kingdom.

Where this happens, we take reasonable steps to ensure that an appropriate legal safeguard is used, such as UK adequacy regulations or approved contractual protections.

8. How long we keep information

We retain information only for as long as reasonably necessary.

Our normal retention periods are:

Enquiries that do not become bookings: up to 12 months.
Client questionnaires, training records and consultation notes: normally up to six years after the last service.
Booking, invoice, payment and accounting records: normally six years or for the period required by tax law.
Marketing details: until you unsubscribe or we determine that the information is no longer needed.
Photographs and videos: until consent is withdrawn or the material is no longer required.
Complaints and legal records: for as long as reasonably required to resolve the matter and protect legal rights.

We may retain information for longer where required by law, an insurer or an ongoing legal matter.

9. Photographs and videos

We will not use identifiable photographs or videos of you for marketing without permission.

Where you give permission, images may be used on our website, social-media accounts, printed materials or promotional content.

You may withdraw permission for future use by contacting us. We will take reasonable steps to remove material under our control, although we may not be able to remove content already shared by other users or distributed in printed materials.

10. Children

Bookings must be made by an adult.

We do not knowingly collect children’s information directly unless it is supplied by a parent or guardian and is reasonably necessary to provide the service safely. A parent or responsible adult must supervise anyone under 18 attending a service unless agreed otherwise.

11. Cookies

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to:

Make the website function correctly.
Remember preferences.
Process bookings and payments.
Understand website use and performance.
Support marketing where consent has been given.

Where consent is required, you can accept or reject optional cookies using the website’s cookie banner. You can also manage cookies through your browser settings.

12. Security

We take reasonable measures to protect personal information, including secure accounts, passwords, access controls, reputable service providers and appropriate device security.

No internet or storage system can be guaranteed completely secure, but we review the measures we use and limit access to those who need the information.

13. Your rights

Depending on the circumstances, you may have the right to:

Ask for a copy of your personal information.
Correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Ask us to delete information.
Ask us to restrict how information is used.
Object to certain uses, including direct marketing.
Receive certain information in a portable format.
Withdraw consent.
Complain about how your information has been handled.

These rights are not absolute and sometimes the law permits or requires us to retain information.

To exercise a right, email christine@delightful-dogs.co.uk. We may need to confirm your identity before responding.

14. Data-protection complaints

You may make a data-protection complaint by emailing:

christine@delightful-dogs.co.uk

Please include “Data Protection Complaint” in the subject line and explain what has happened and what outcome you are seeking.

We will:

Acknowledge your complaint within 30 days.
Take appropriate steps to investigate it.
Keep you reasonably informed.
Provide an outcome without undue delay.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office. We would appreciate the opportunity to address your concern first.

15. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy when our services, systems or legal obligations change. The most recent version will be published on our website with its updated date.