TERMS & CONDITIONS

Last Updated: December 2025

Welcome to the Stephanie Zikmann website. By accessing and using this website (stephaniezikmann.com), you agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions.

Please read them carefully before using my site.

1. Acceptance of Terms
By accessing this blog, you confirm that you accept these Terms & Conditions and agree to comply with them. If you do not agree with any part of these terms, please do not use our website.

2. About Me
This blog is operated by Stephanie Zikmann, providing educational content on dog grooming, holistic and behaviour-based grooming practices, and industry thought leadership.

Contact: Stephanie@holisticgroomingacademy.com

3. Educational Content Disclaimer

3.1 General Information Only
All content on this blog is provided for educational and informational purposes only.

Whilst we strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information, the content should not be considered:
– Professional veterinary advice, diagnosis, or treatment
– A substitute for consultation with a qualified veterinarian
– Specific guidance for individual dogs or situations

3.2 Professional Advice
Always seek the advice of your veterinarian or other qualified animal health professional with any questions regarding your dog’s health, behaviour, or grooming needs.

Never disregard professional veterinary advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read on this blog.

3.3 Individual Circumstances
Every dog is unique. What works for one dog may not be suitable for another. Any grooming techniques, behavioural approaches, or holistic methods discussed should be adapted to your individual dog’s needs and circumstances.

4. Intellectual Property & Copyright

4.1 Ownership
All content on this blog, including but not limited to text, images, graphics, logos, videos, and downloadable materials, is the intellectual property of Stephanie Zikmann or my content contributors and is protected by UK and international copyright laws.

4.2 Permitted Use
You may:
– View and read content for personal, non-commercial use
– Share links to my blog posts on social media
– Quote brief excerpts with proper attribution and a link back to the original post

4.3 Prohibited Use
You may not:
– Reproduce, duplicate, copy, or republish substantial portions of my content without written permission
– Use my content for commercial purposes without authorisation
– Remove or alter copyright notices, author attributions, or watermarks
– Scrape, harvest, or use automated tools to extract content from my site

4.4 Requesting Permission
For permission to use my content beyond fair use, please contact me with details of your intended use.

5. User Conduct
When using my blog, you agree to:
– Use the site lawfully and respectfully
– Not post or transmit harmful, threatening, abusive, defamatory, or otherwise objectionable content
– Not impersonate any person or entity
– Not attempt to gain unauthorised access to our systems
– Not use the site to distribute spam, malware, or viruses
– Respect the intellectual property rights of Stephanie Zikmann and other users

6. Comments & User-Generated Content

6.1 Comment Policy
We welcome respectful discussion and engagement on our blog. By posting comments, you grant Stephanie Zikmann and my company, The Holistic Grooming Academy, a non-exclusive, royalty- free, perpetual licence to use, reproduce, modify, and display your comment.

6.2 Moderation
I reserve the right to:
– Moderate, edit, or remove any comments at my discretion
– Delete comments that violate these Terms & Conditions
– Block users who repeatedly post inappropriate content

6.3 Prohibited Comments
Comments that are abusive, defamatory, discriminatory, spam, off-topic, or contain personal attacks will be removed. I do not tolerate harassment or bullying in any form.

6.4 Responsibility
You are solely responsible for the content of your comments. I do not endorse or take responsibility for user-generated content.

7. Affiliate Links & Advertising Disclosure

7.1 Affiliate Relationships
This blog may contain affiliate links to products or services via Amazon and/or other vendors. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.

7.2 Honest Recommendations
I only recommend products and services that I genuinely believe will benefit my readers. My affiliate relationships do not influence my editorial content or recommendations.

7.3 Transparency
Affiliate links will be clearly disclosed where they appear. I am committed to transparency in all my commercial relationships.

8. External Links
My blog may contain links to third-party websites for your convenience and information. I do not control or endorse these external sites and are not responsible for their content, privacy practices, or terms of use. Accessing external links is at your own risk.

9. Accuracy & Updates

9.1 Content Accuracy
Whilst I make every effort to ensure the accuracy of information on my blog, I cannot guarantee that all content is complete, accurate, or current. Industry practices and research evolve, and information may become outdated. Please notify me of any concerns you may have.

9.2 No Warranties
The content is provided “as is” without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of accuracy, reliability, or fitness for a particular purpose.

10. Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law:
– Stephanie Zikmann shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of this blog
– I am not responsible for any harm, injury, or loss resulting from reliance on information provided on this site
– I do not accept liability for any disruption, viruses, or technical issues affecting your access to the blog

11. Indemnification
You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Stephanie Zikmann and any blog contributors, employees, and/or affiliates from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including legal fees) arising from your use of the blog or violation of these Terms & Conditions.

12. Privacy & Data Protection
Your use of this blog is also governed by my Privacy Policy, which explains how I collect, use, and protect your personal data in accordance with UK GDPR and data protection laws. Please review my Privacy Policy for full details.

13. Changes to Terms & Conditions
I reserve the right to modify these Terms & Conditions at any time. Changes will be effective immediately upon posting to this page with an updated “Last Updated” date. Your continued use of the blog after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the modified terms. I encourage you to review these Terms & Conditions periodically to stay informed of any updates.

14. Termination
I reserve the right to terminate or suspend your access to the blog at any time, without notice, for conduct that we believe violates these Terms & Conditions or is harmful to other users, us, or third parties, or for any other reason at our discretion.

15. Severability
If any provision of these Terms & Conditions is found to be unenforceable or invalid, that provision shall be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

16. Governing Law & Jurisdiction
These Terms & Conditions are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Scotland, England and Wales. Any disputes arising from these terms or your use of this blog shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Scotland, England and Wales.

17. Entire Agreement
These Terms & Conditions, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Stephanie Zikmann regarding your use of this blog.

18. Contact Information
If you have any questions about these Terms & Conditions, please contact me through this
website at stephaniezikmann.com.

By using this blog, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions.

Thank you for being part of my community. I’m committed to providing valuable, ethical education whilst maintaining a safe and respectful environment for all our readers.