1. About Me​​

Dog Scouts is the trading name of Maeve Humphreys, a sole trader based in Ireland.

Dog Scouts provides evidence-based dog training and behaviour services, educational resources and digital content. This Privacy Policy also explains how I handle information if you use my online shop to buy dog-related products.

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This Privacy Policy explains what personal information I collect, how I use it, how I protect it and your rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Irish data protection law.

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how I process your personal information, you can contact me at:

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Dog Scouts
Email: maeve@dogscouts.ie
Website: www.dogscouts.ie

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2. What Information I Collect

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 The personal information I collect depends on how you interact with Dog Scouts. This may include:

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Contact information

• Name

• Email address

• Phone number

• Billing and delivery address (where required)

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Account information

If you choose to create an account on my website, I may collect your login details and account preferences. You may also choose to sign in using a third-party service, such as Google or Facebook.

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Booking and order information

When you book a service or purchase a product through my website, I may collect information such as:

• Appointment or booking details

• Products or services purchased

• Payment confirmation

• Order history

• Your dog's name (where relevant to the service)

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Payment information

Payments made through my website are processed securely by my payment provider. I do not store your full payment card details.

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Marketing information

If you subscribe to my newsletter, request a free resource or choose to receive marketing communications, I collect your email address and communication preferences.

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Information you choose to provide

If you use my training or behaviour services, you may provide additional information by email, Jotform questionnaires, WhatsApp, Google Drive or other communication methods. This may include information about your dog, their behaviour, training history, veterinary history, photographs, videos or other information relevant to the services you have requested.

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Online consultation information

For online consultations with clients, I use Fireflies.ai to make an audio recording and create a transcript and summary. This may include personal information you share during the consultation.

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Website usage information

When you visit my website, I may automatically collect certain technical information, including:

• IP address

• Browser and device information

• Pages visited

• Time spent on my website

• Cookie and analytics information 

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3. How I Collect Your Information​

I collect personal information directly from you when you use my website, book or purchase a service or product, create an account, sign up for my newsletter or a free resource, or contact me.

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You may also provide information when communicating with me by email, Jotform or WhatsApp, or when sharing files with me through Google Drive. During online consultations, I tell you before the meeting that I intend to record it and check with you at the start before recording with Fireflies.ai.

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When you visit my website, I may collect technical information automatically through cookies and similar technologies, including analytics tools.

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If you pay through my website, my payment provider processes your payment and shares relevant payment or transaction information with me. I do not store your full payment card details.

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4. How I Use Your Information​

I use your information to respond to enquiries, manage bookings and payments, communicate with you about the services or products you have booked or purchased, and provide those services or products.

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I use information about you and your dog to prepare for and provide training services. For group classes, this may include checking that your dog meets the class requirements, including vaccination requirements, and organising participation. I use your address to plan and attend one-to-one home visits where relevant. I do not ask for your address on group-class forms.

I also keep booking, payment and other business records to manage my business and meet applicable tax and legal obligations.

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Legal Bases for Processing

Depending on the purpose, I process your personal information because it is needed to take steps you request before a contract or to fulfil a contract with you; to meet legal obligations such as tax and accounting requirements; or for my legitimate interests in running and protecting my business, keeping accurate client records and preparing accessible notes. I consider your rights and interests when relying on legitimate interests. I rely on your consent for marketing emails and non-essential cookies, except where Irish law permits the existing-customer marketing exception described below. You can withdraw consent at any time, and you can object to processing for direct marketing at any time.

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5. Marketing Communications

I send marketing emails where you have opted in. In limited cases, Irish law may allow me to email an existing customer about my own service similar to one they purchased, without fresh consent. This exception applies only where I gave the customer a clear opportunity to object when I collected their details, the first marketing email is sent within 12 months of the sale, and every marketing email includes a clear way to opt out. An enquiry or interest in a class is not, by itself, a purchase or consent to marketing.

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You can unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time using the link in an email. To change the topics you receive, contact me at maeve@dogscouts.ie. I may still email you about a service or order you have booked or purchased, such as a booking confirmation or practical update.

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6. Cookies​

My website is hosted by Wix and uses cookies and similar technologies. Essential cookies support the website’s core functions, including security, identity verification and network management. These are always enabled.

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With your permission, functional cookies may remember choices you make on the website; analytics cookies may help me understand how visitors use the website, identify errors and improve it; and marketing cookies may help measure advertising and provide more relevant adverts.

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When you first visit, these non-essential cookie categories are switched off. You can choose whether to enable them by selecting Accept or opening Settings and choosing which categories to allow.

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7. Payment Processing​

Payments made through my website are processed by SumUp, which is integrated with my Wix website. SumUp receives and processes the payment information and transaction details needed to complete and secure the payment, including information about the products or services purchased. It may also process information to help prevent fraud and manage refunds or payment disputes.

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I receive the order and payment information needed to manage and fulfil your purchase and keep my business records. SumUp handles personal data under its own privacy policy, available here

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8. How I Store and Protect Your Information​

I store personal information digitally in the services I use to run Dog Scouts. Depending on how you interact with me, this may include Wix, Jotform, Calendly, Google Drive, email, WhatsApp, SumUp and Fireflies.ai. I may also keep client records and downloaded consultation transcripts or summaries on my password-protected computer. I do not keep paper copies of customer or client information.

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I use passwords to protect my accounts and computer. My phone is secured with a passcode and face recognition. Google Drive, email and SumUp also require a verification code. I take reasonable steps to protect personal information from loss, unauthorised access or disclosure.

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9. How Long I Keep Your Information​

I keep client intake forms, information about your dog, training records and downloaded consultation transcripts or summaries for up to two years after your last session or class. If you return during that period, I may continue using your existing records to support our work together. After two years without a session or class, I securely delete these records unless I need to keep some information for ongoing work, to handle a complaint or claim, or to meet a legal requirement.

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I delete consultation recordings and any copies of transcripts or summaries stored in Fireflies within 30 days of the consultation.

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I keep business and transaction records needed for tax and accounting purposes for six years, as required by law.

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10. Your Data Protection Rights​

You can contact me to ask what personal information I hold about you, to correct information that is inaccurate, or to request that I delete or restrict the use of your information. In some circumstances, you may also have the right to object to how I use your information or to receive certain information in a portable format. You can object at any time to the use of your information for direct marketing, and I will stop using it for that purpose.

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If I use your information based on your consent, you can withdraw that consent at any time. This will not affect anything I did with your information before you withdrew it.

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These rights depend on the circumstances, and some may be limited where I have a legal reason to keep or use particular information. You also have the right to raise a concern with the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) at www.dataprotection.ie. You can contact me using the details in the Contact Us section below.

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11. Third-Party Services​

I use third-party services to run Dog Scouts and provide my services. Depending on how you interact with me, relevant personal information may be processed through:

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• Wix, which hosts my website and supports my email marketing;

• Jotform, which I use for client intake forms;

• Calendly, which I use for bookings;

• Google, which I use for email, online meetings and storing digital records;

• WhatsApp, which I use to communicate with clients;

• SumUp, which processes payments, as described in the Payment Processing section; and

• Fireflies.ai, which I use during online consultations with clients to record meetings and create transcripts and summaries. I use these to prepare accurate client records and support accessible note-taking. My lawful basis for this recording is my legitimate interests in accurate record-keeping and accessibility. You can object to this processing by contacting me, and I will consider your objection in line with data protection law.

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12. International Transfers​

Some of the service providers I use may process personal information outside the European Economic Area (EEA), including in the United States. Where personal information is transferred outside the EEA, I rely on an applicable transfer mechanism under data protection law, such as an adequacy decision or appropriate safeguards including Standard Contractual Clauses. You can contact me for further information about the safeguards relevant to your information.

Each service receives or processes information relevant to the function it provides. Its privacy notice explains how it handles information within its service.

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13. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or would like to exercise your data protection rights, you can contact me at maeve@dogscouts.ie.

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14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

I may update this Privacy Policy if my business, services or the way I handle personal information changes. I will publish the latest version on my website and update the date at the top of the policy. If a change significantly affects how I use your personal information, I will take reasonable steps to let you know.