Review Policy

Reviews are intended to help dog owners make better-informed decisions when considering a trainer.

DTC therefore aims to distinguish reviews arising from genuine client interactions from anonymous, fabricated or otherwise unverified testimonials.

A DTC Verified Review is a review where DTC has reasonable evidence that the reviewer had a genuine interaction or training relationship with the trainer concerned.

For clients introduced through DTC, this may include confirmation that an enquiry, appointment or training interaction took place before the client is invited to provide feedback.

Reviews should be submitted by genuine clients who have had a relevant experience with the trainer.

DTC may publish both positive and critical reviews.

A genuine critical review may be published provided it complies with this policy.

A trainer cannot pay DTC to remove a negative review or to improve their rating.

DTC may moderate reviews before or after publication.

DTC may reject, temporarily withhold, remove or make limited moderation edits to content containing:

• Abusive or threatening language
• Discriminatory content
• Personal or confidential information that should not be published
• Spam or advertising
• Material unrelated to the trainer/client experience
• Content presenting significant legal concerns
• Demonstrably false information
• Suspected fraudulent or manipulated review activity

Any moderation edit should not materially alter the substantive meaning of the review.

Where this functionality is available, trainers may respond to reviews.

Responses should remain professional and must not disclose confidential or unnecessary personal information about clients.

A trainer may ask DTC to investigate a review where they reasonably believe:

• The reviewer was not a genuine client
• The review concerns another trainer or business
• It contains materially false factual claims
• There is a material conflict of interest
• The review is fraudulent or malicious
• The review otherwise breaches this policy

DTC may consider information supplied by both the trainer and reviewer where appropriate.

A review will not automatically be removed simply because the trainer disputes or disagrees with it.

DTC may investigate suspicious review activity.

Attempts to create fake reviews, manipulate ratings or otherwise interfere with the integrity of the review system may result in reviews being removed.

Trainers must not make a reward, discount or other incentive conditional upon a client leaving a positive review.

Clients invited to provide feedback should remain free to give an honest account of their experience.

Where DTC displays an overall trainer rating, the rating will be calculated according to the review and rating system operated by the platform.

DTC may reasonably alter the way ratings are calculated or displayed where necessary to maintain a fair, useful and credible review system.

DTC verification relates primarily to DTC having reasonable evidence of a genuine reviewer/client interaction.