Terms of use

Agreement to these terms

By using afriendlydog.com, you agree to these Terms of Use and the site’s Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the site. These terms apply to visitors who read articles, follow links, download free materials, or otherwise use the publication.

You must be legally able to agree to these terms. A parent or guardian should supervise a minor’s use of the site and any decision involving an animal’s care.

Informational use, not professional care

The site discusses dog care, routines, training concepts, products, travel, and related topics for general educational purposes. Information may not fit a particular dog, health history, household, location, or circumstance. Online material also cannot replace an examination, diagnosis, treatment plan, or individualized behavior assessment.

Using the site, sending a message, subscribing, or receiving a reply does not create a professional, veterinary, training, fiduciary, or confidential relationship with Alicia or A Friendly Dog. Do not delay professional care because of something read on this site.

Emergencies and urgent concerns

If a dog may be seriously ill, injured, poisoned, unable to breathe, in severe distress, or at immediate risk, contact a local emergency veterinarian or appropriate emergency service right away. Do not wait for an article, comment, email, or social-media response.

For suspected poisoning, contact your veterinarian or a recognized animal poison control service promptly. A Friendly Dog does not monitor the site as an emergency service and cannot assess urgent symptoms.

Content, copyright, and permitted sharing

Except where another owner or license is identified, the original text, page design, graphics, downloads, and other publication materials on A Friendly Dog are protected by applicable intellectual-property law. Third-party names, images, trademarks, and materials remain the property of their respective owners.

You may read, save, and print a reasonable copy for personal, noncommercial use. You may link to a page and quote a short excerpt with clear attribution. Please request permission before republishing a full article, substantial excerpt, original download, or site graphic. Nothing in these terms limits lawful fair use or other rights that cannot be restricted by agreement.

Acceptable use

Use the site in a way that is lawful and does not harm the publication, its readers, or other people. In particular, do not:

• attempt to gain unauthorized access to the site, hosting account, forms, or other systems;
• introduce malicious code, overload the site, interfere with security, or disrupt normal operation;
• impersonate another person, submit knowingly false information, or use the site to violate another person’s rights;
• copy or republish substantial content in a way that exceeds permission granted here or applicable law; or
• use automated access in a way that bypasses technical controls or materially harms site availability.

Normal browsing, accessibility tools, link previews, and legitimate search-engine indexing are not prohibited by this section.

External websites and changing information

The site links to retailers, government resources, veterinary organizations, businesses, and other third-party websites. A link is provided for context or convenience and does not mean A Friendly Dog controls or guarantees that site. Third parties have their own content, prices, availability, security, privacy practices, and terms.

Dog-friendly policies, business hours, laws, product details, and professional guidance can change. Check important details directly with the relevant provider before relying on them.

Affiliate links and advertising

Some pages may contain affiliate links. A Friendly Dog may earn a commission from a qualifying purchase at no added cost to the reader. Display advertising may also appear on the site. Commercial relationships do not create professional advice or a warranty about a product, service, seller, or advertisement.

Affiliate notices should appear before or near relevant links, and advertising should be labeled and separated from editorial content. Read the Affiliate Disclosure and Editorial Policy for more detail.

Responsibility and reasonable limits

A Friendly Dog works to publish useful, accurate information, but the site is provided without a promise that every page will always be complete, current, available, error-free, or suitable for a specific situation. You remain responsible for decisions you make using the information and for seeking qualified help when a decision requires it.

To the extent permitted by applicable law, A Friendly Dog and Alicia are not responsible for indirect, incidental, or consequential loss arising from use of the site or reliance on third-party content. Nothing in these terms excludes responsibility that cannot lawfully be excluded, or limits consumer and other legal rights that cannot be waived.

Changes to the site or these terms

The site may add, update, remove, or reorganize content and features. These terms may also be updated when the publication, law, or site practices change. The effective date at the top of this page shows the latest stated revision. Continued use after an update means the revised terms apply from their effective date.