Privacy Policy

Who we are

Barklopedia (barklopedia.com) is run by Hannah Wilson, based in Spain. We’re responsible for the personal information described here. You can reach us at hannah@barklopedia.com.

What we collect, and why

When you join

Your email address, to send you log-in links and messages about your account. We don’t use passwords.
Your first name (or whatever name you choose), shown next to your posts.
Your dog’s name and breed, and what you’re hoping for from the list on the join form, used for your dog’s page and to show you the things you care about first.

We need these to give you the account you asked for.

What you share

Threads, replies, reactions, reviews of trainers, your dog’s page, photos and story moments are public: anyone can read them, and search engines may show them. Reports you send about a post are seen only by our moderators. Which dogs you follow is private too: a dog’s page shows how many followers it has, not who they are. If you and another member follow each other’s dogs, the two dogs show as friends on each other’s pages. Please don’t share things you want to keep private, like your address or phone number.

When you use the site

Log-in cookies keep you signed in (see Cookies below).
The bot check. When you join, start a thread or reply, Cloudflare Turnstile checks you’re a person. It looks at things like your IP address and browser, and doesn’t ask you to pick out traffic lights.
Server logs. The companies that host the site keep standard logs (IP address, the page asked for, the time) to keep it running and secure.

We do this to keep the site working and free of spam, which is in everyone’s interest.

Visitor statistics, only if you agree

We’d like to know which pages people read, so we can make the useful ones better. For that we use Google Analytics. It runs only if you press “Allow” when we ask. If you do, Google sets cookies in your browser that tell one visitor from another, and records the pages you view, roughly where you are (country and city, not your address), the kind of device and browser you use, and how you arrived. We see totals and trends, not who you are, and we don’t connect it to your account.

If you press “No thanks”, or don’t answer, none of this happens and the site works the same. You can change your mind at any time with “Cookie choices” at the bottom of every page; choosing “No thanks” there also removes Google’s cookies. We ask again after 12 months.

What we don’t do

We don’t show adverts, we don’t use advertising cookies, and we never sell or rent your information. Visitor statistics run only with your agreement.

Trainer listings

The trainer directory is built from information trainers publish themselves, such as their websites and Google Business Profiles, plus the Bark Score we work out from it (how we score). Most of it is business information, but for sole traders it can include a name. We list it so dog owners can compare trainers fairly. If you’re a trainer and something about you is wrong, or you want to object to being listed, email us and we’ll look at it. More for trainers.

Cookies and storage in your browser

Log-in cookies (names starting sb-) keep you signed in. Without them you can’t use your account.
bp_signed_in only says “signed in”, so pages show your account links instead of “Log in”. It holds nothing else.
Cloudflare Turnstile may store small items in your browser while it runs the bot check.
Drafts. What you type in a post is kept in your browser tab until it’s sent, so it isn’t lost if something goes wrong. It never leaves your device unless you post it.

All of those are needed for the site to work. The ones below are not, and are only used if you agree:

Google Analytics cookies (names starting _ga), set only after you press “Allow”. They last up to two years unless you remove them sooner with “Cookie choices”.
bp_analytics remembers your answer to that question, in your browser, so we don’t ask on every page.

Who helps us run the site

These kinds of service providers process information for us, only to provide their service:

Website hosting.
Our database, log-ins and photo storage.
Sending log-in emails.
The bot check on forms (Cloudflare Turnstile, described above).
Private backup copies of the database.
Google (Google Analytics): visitor statistics, only if you agree.

Because these services are based in or use servers in the United States, your information may be stored there. We only use providers that protect it with the legal safeguards the law requires for international transfers.

How long we keep it

Your account, dog pages and posts: until you delete them.
You can delete your account yourself, at any time, from your account page. That removes your email, profile, dog pages, photos and reactions straight away. You choose what happens to your posts: they go too, or they stay up under “Former member” so conversations still make sense. If you choose to remove them and other members replied to a thread you started, the thread stays for their replies and your opening post reads “[Removed by the author]”.
Backups: up to 30 days, then they’re replaced.
Reports: until a moderator has dealt with them, then for up to a year in case of repeat problems.

Your rights

You can ask us to show you the information we hold about you, correct it, delete it, send you a copy, or stop using it for a particular purpose. You can change the name on your posts, edit your posts and delete your account yourself, from your account page and the Edit link on each post. For anything else, email hannah@barklopedia.com from the address on your account and we’ll reply within a month. If you’re unhappy with how we’ve handled your information, you can complain to the Spanish data protection authority (Agencia Española de Protección de Datos, aepd.es) or the one where you live.

Children

Barklopedia is for people aged 16 and over. If you think a younger child has joined, tell us and we’ll close the account.

Changes

If we change how we use your information, we’ll update this page and the date at the top. For big changes we’ll email members first.