Terms of Service
Plain version: by buying from us, you agree to these terms. They're the legal scaffolding behind the storefront. Most of it is standard.
Please read Section 18 carefully.
Section 18 requires that most disputes between you and us be resolved by individual, binding arbitration rather than in court, and that you waive your right to participate in a class action. You have 30 days from your first purchase to opt out of arbitration; see Section 18.7 for how.
1. Who we are
The Calm Method ("we", "us") sells nail-care boards and pads, plus the training method that ships with them. Our store is hosted on Shopify.
2. Eligibility
You must be 18 or older to place an order. If you're under 18, a parent or guardian must complete the purchase.
3. Orders
Placing an order is an offer to buy. We accept it when payment processes and we ship. We may decline an order, for example, suspected fraud, address mismatch, or out-of-stock.
You're responsible for the accuracy of the information you give us at checkout (name, address, email, payment).
We may not be able to cancel an order once it's accepted and queued for shipment. If you need a change, email hello@thecalmmethod.com immediately and we'll do what we can.
4. Pricing
Prices are in US dollars and listed at order time. Prices, discounts, and promotions can change without notice. Tax is added at checkout based on shipping address.
5. Subscriptions
If you choose the pad subscription, you authorize us to charge your payment method on the cadence you selected (monthly by default, 15% off vs. one-time pricing). You can skip, pause, or cancel anytime from your account portal. Cancellations apply to the next billing cycle. See our Subscription Terms for the full cancellation, price-change, and notice rules.
6. Shipping
Risk of loss passes to you when the carrier accepts the package. See our Shipping Policy for delivery times. We don't guarantee delivery dates; we guarantee processing time and ship via tracked carriers.
7. Returns
See our Refund Policy. Our 30-day method guarantee covers the full purchase, board included.
8. Product representation
We try to show our products accurately. Colors and finish may vary slightly between your screen and the actual board. Wood is a natural material; small grain variations are normal and not defects.
9. Health & safety claims
The Calm Method is a behavioral training tool. We don't make medical claims. If your dog has a paw injury, joint condition, or behavioral disorder you're worried about, talk to your vet before starting any new nail-care routine. Our 30-day refund applies regardless.
10. Intellectual property
Our brand, photos, copy, training plan, and method documentation are ours. You can share photos of your dog using the board (and we'd love to repost them). You can't republish our copy, photos, or method materials commercially without written permission.
11. Reviews and feedback
If you submit a review, photo, or feedback to us, you give us permission to use it on our storefront, in emails, or in ads. You can ask us to take it down at any time.
12. Privacy
See our Privacy Policy.
13. Limitation of liability
To the fullest extent allowed by law, we're not liable for indirect or consequential damages from using our products. Your remedy for a defect is repair, replacement, or refund, at our discretion, per the Refund Policy. The board is intended for the nail-filing motion only; we're not liable for damage from misuse.
14. Disclaimer
The board and method are provided as-is. We make the claims you see on the storefront and in our policies, and nothing else. The method works for most dogs but not all dogs; that's why the 30-day refund exists.
15. Changes to these terms
We may update these terms. Material changes get an email if you're on our list, or a banner on the site. Continued use of our store after changes means you accept them.
16. Governing law
These terms are governed by the laws of the state in which The Calm Method is registered as a business, without regard to its conflict-of-law principles. Subject to Section 18 (Arbitration), any action that is not subject to arbitration shall be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in that jurisdiction, and you consent to personal jurisdiction and venue there. Contact us at hello@thecalmmethod.com for the registered-agent address.
17. Contact
18. Mandatory binding arbitration & class-action waiver
Please read this Section carefully. It limits your rights and changes how disputes between you and us are resolved.
18.1 Agreement to arbitrate. You and The Calm Method agree that any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms, the Services, our products, our marketing, our advertising, or your purchases ("Dispute") will be resolved by individual, final, and binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its Consumer Arbitration Rules, available at adr.org. The Federal Arbitration Act governs this Section.
18.2 Informal resolution first. Before initiating arbitration, you agree to send a written Notice of Dispute to hello@thecalmmethod.com describing the nature and basis of the claim and the relief you seek. We will do the same if we have a claim against you. We will both try in good faith to resolve the Dispute informally for 60 days. If we cannot, either party may initiate arbitration.
18.3 Small claims carve-out. Either party may bring an individual claim in small-claims court in the county of your residence, provided the claim qualifies and remains in small-claims court.
18.4 Class-action waiver. YOU AND THE CALM METHOD AGREE THAT EACH MAY BRING CLAIMS AGAINST THE OTHER ONLY IN AN INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS, COLLECTIVE, OR REPRESENTATIVE ACTION. The arbitrator may not consolidate more than one person's claims and may not preside over any form of representative or class proceeding. If this class-action waiver is held to be unenforceable as to any claim or remedy, that claim or remedy (and only that claim or remedy) shall be severed and proceed in court; all other Disputes remain in arbitration.
18.5 Arbitration procedure. The arbitration shall be conducted in the English language. If your claim is for US$10,000 or less, you may choose whether the arbitration is conducted by telephone, video, by written submissions only, or in person. If your claim exceeds US$10,000, the right to a hearing will be determined by the AAA Rules. The arbitrator's decision will be final and binding and may be entered as a judgment in any court of competent jurisdiction.
18.6 Fees. The AAA Consumer Arbitration Rules govern filing fees, arbitrator fees, and hearing fees. For claims under US$10,000, we will pay all AAA filing, administrative, and arbitrator fees unless the arbitrator determines your claim was frivolous. For claims of US$10,000 or more, fees are allocated under the AAA Rules. Each party pays its own attorneys' fees and costs unless the arbitrator awards otherwise under applicable law.
18.7 30-day opt-out. You may opt out of this arbitration agreement by sending written notice to hello@thecalmmethod.com with the subject line "Arbitration Opt-Out" within 30 days of your first purchase or the date you first agreed to these Terms, whichever is later. The notice must include your full name, mailing address, email used at checkout, and an affirmative statement that you decline to be bound by the arbitration provision. Opting out does not affect any other part of these Terms. We will confirm receipt by email within 7 days.
18.8 Severability. If any provision of this Section 18 is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in full force, except that if Section 18.4 (class-action waiver) is found unenforceable as to a particular claim or remedy, that claim or remedy shall be severed and the remainder of this Section 18 continues to apply.
18.9 Changes to this Section. If we make a material change to this Section 18 after you first agreed to these Terms, we will notify you and you will have 30 days from that notice to opt out as described in 18.7. If you do not opt out, you accept the change.
19. Entire agreement
These Terms, our Privacy Policy, Refund Policy, Shipping Policy, and Subscription Terms together form the entire agreement between you and us about your use of the Services and any purchase from us. They supersede any prior agreements between us on the same subject.