These terms apply when you use thehachiway.com or book a service through it. The site is operated by Diona Chu, a sole trader based in Melbourne, Australia (ABN 54 766 785 542), trading as The Hachi Way. By using the site you agree to these terms.
Our content is general information
The guides, articles, field notes and the Waterline Assessment are general information about dog behaviour and training. They are not a substitute for hands-on assessment by a qualified trainer or for veterinary advice. Every dog is different, and we cannot guarantee a particular outcome from following general content. If your dog shows signs of pain, illness or sudden behaviour change, see a vet.
The Waterline Assessment
The assessment is a self-guided, plain-language read of where your dog may sit today. It is not a diagnosis and does not replace a professional behavioural assessment.
Bookings and fees
Prices are in Australian dollars and may change. Payment is taken through our payment provider at the time of booking unless we agree otherwise, and receipts include GST and act as your tax invoice. Any payment-plan arrangement is set out when you book. Late payments may delay or suspend delivery.
Refunds and cancellations
These are the same terms that apply to Diona's practice as Diona The Trainer, so they do not change depending on which of the two you booked through.
- Private sessions
- To move or cancel a booked session, please give at least 48 hours' notice. Cancellations or rescheduling requests made within 48 hours of the session attract a 100% cancellation fee. Sessions cancelled more than 2 calendar days before the booked time can be rescheduled to a mutually agreeable time within 2 weeks of the original booked date.
- Multi-session programs
- Before session 1 you can cancel with more than 48 hours' notice for a full refund of the program fee. After session 1 the program is not refundable for change of mind, because you are paying for a plan built for your dog and for time set aside across the four weeks. Sessions we have not delivered are refunded, at one quarter of the program fee for each, if we cannot deliver them, if your dog dies or is rehomed, or if your vet advises in writing that training has to stop. A session you move has to be completed within two weeks of its original date, or we can extend the program by agreement at $50 a week. Sessions we move never count against you. The full wording is in the Diona The Trainer terms.
- The PACE Intensive
- The PACE Intensive has its own enrolment terms, which you receive before you pay. In short: you can withdraw for a full refund up to 14 days before your part starts, after that the fee is not refundable for change of mind, and if we cancel or cannot deliver you are refunded for everything not delivered.
- Online programs and courses
- Because access is granted instantly, online programs and courses are non-refundable for change of mind. If you were charged in error or cannot access the content, contact us and we will fix it.
- Guides and workbooks
- Because delivery is instant, PDF guides and workbooks are non-refundable once the download has been provided. If a file will not open or you were charged in error, contact us and we will fix it.
- If we cancel
- If a session or program is cancelled by us for any reason, a full refund or a reschedule is offered, whichever you prefer.
None of the above affects your rights under the Australian Consumer Law, which apply regardless of what these terms say.
Hachi Way trainers
Trainers listed in our directory are independent practitioners who have trained in The Hachi Way and been selected by Diona Chu to deliver it. They run their own practices. There are two ways you might end up working with one, and they are not the same arrangement.
- Work we arrange
- This is how the network currently operates. You enquire with us, Diona matches you to the right trainer, and the program is designed and supervised by her and delivered by that trainer. We stand behind that work. If something is not right, tell us and we will put it right, whether that means the trainer, Diona, or a refund under the terms above.
- Work you arrange directly with a trainer
- If you find a Hachi Way trainer independently and engage them for their own services, outside anything we have arranged or supervised, your agreement is with that trainer and not with us. They set their own fees and terms, and we are not a party to that contract or liable for it. The credential still means what it says about their training, and they are still expected to meet the standards it carries, but we are not the service provider.
If you are not sure which of the two applies to your booking, ask us and we will tell you before you pay. Nothing here removes your rights under the Australian Consumer Law against whoever actually provided the service.
Intellectual property
The site, its content, the methodology materials, and the name, logo and branding of The Hachi Way are owned by us or our licensors and are protected by law. You may read and share links to our content for personal, non-commercial use. You may not copy, reproduce, or use our content, methodology materials, or brand to run or market a competing service without our written permission.
Acceptable use
Please use the site lawfully and do not attempt to disrupt it, misuse the forms, or scrape content at scale.
Links to other sites
The site links to other sites, including dionathetrainer.com and our social channels. We are not responsible for the content or practices of sites we do not control.
Liability
Our services and content come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law, and nothing in these terms limits them. If we fail to meet one, you are entitled to the remedies the law gives you.
Subject to that:
- The guides, articles and the Waterline Assessment are general information. We are not liable for loss that comes from relying on general content in place of advice about your own dog.
- We are not liable for loss to the extent you caused or contributed to it.
- For services sold to trainers and businesses (for example The PACE Intensive), where the law allows it our liability is limited to supplying the service again or paying the cost of having it supplied again.
Governing law
These terms are governed by the laws of Victoria, Australia. The courts and tribunals of Victoria have non-exclusive jurisdiction. If something goes wrong, email us first and we will try to sort it out.
Changes
We may update these terms from time to time. The current version is always on this page, with the date it was last updated.
Contact us
[email protected]
The Hachi Way, PO Box 3092, Newport VIC 3015, Australia · ABN 54 766 785 542