Privacy policy

Job Hound is operated by Lead Dog Ventures LLC (“Lead Dog Ventures LLC”, “Job Hound”, “we”, “us” or “our”). This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect when you use askthehound.com and related Job Hound services (the “Service”), how we use it, who receives it, and the choices and rights you have.

It should be read together with our Terms of Use. Contractors who use Lead Dog software are also covered by Lead Dog's own privacy policy for that account.

What you give us

• Contact details, such as your name, email address and phone number.
• Project details, such as the type of work, a description, your zip code or service address, and your preferred timing.
• Which Pros you choose to contact.
• Anything you send us directly, such as contact-form messages, support requests and reports about a listing.
• Reviews, ratings and photos you choose to post.

What we collect automatically

• Device and browser information, such as browser type, operating system and device type.
• Your IP address, and an approximate location derived from it (roughly city level — not your precise location).
• How you use the Service, such as pages viewed, searches, links clicked, and the date and time of visits.
• Information collected through cookies and similar technologies, described in Section 7.

What we get from others

• Business and listing information supplied by Pros.
• Publicly available information about businesses, such as business names, addresses and hours.
• Information from our service providers, such as whether an email was delivered.

We do not ask for, and you should not send us, Social Security numbers, bank or card numbers, or health information.

We use the information we collect to:

• show you local Pros who match your project;
• deliver your project request to the Pros you choose;
• respond to your messages and provide support;
• operate, maintain, secure and improve the Service, including our ranking methods;
• send you messages about requests you submitted and your use of the Service;
• detect, prevent and investigate spam, fraud, abuse and violations of our Terms; and
• comply with law and enforce our legal rights.

Your information goes to others only in the limited situations below.

The Pros you choose — and only them

This is the whole point of the Service. When you send a project to a Pro, we give that Pro your project details and the contact information you provided, so they can respond to you. It goes to the Pros you selected, and to no other contractor. We do not package or resell your request.

Service providers working for us

Like any website, we rely on vendors to run the Service — for example website hosting, email and message delivery, form processing, analytics and security. They process information only on our behalf and under our instructions, and are not permitted to use it for their own purposes.

Legal and safety reasons

We may disclose information if we believe in good faith it is required by law, subpoena or legal process; needed to protect the rights, property or safety of Lead Dog Ventures LLC, our users or the public; or needed to investigate fraud, abuse or security issues.

Business transfers

If Lead Dog Ventures LLC is involved in a merger, acquisition, financing, reorganization or sale of assets, information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to the commitments in this policy.

With your permission

For any other purpose, only if you tell us to.

Once we deliver your request to a Pro you chose, that Pro holds a copy of your information as an independent business. Under our Terms, Pros may use it only to respond to your request, must comply with the law, and may not sell or share it with anyone.

However, Pros are not our employees or agents, and their own handling of your information is governed by their own practices and policies. We are not responsible for how a Pro uses, stores or discloses information after we have delivered it to them at your request. If a Pro misuses your information, please tell us — it can get their listing removed.

By sending a project to one or more Pros, you ask those Pros to contact you about it, including by phone, text and email. Message and data rates may apply.

To stop texts from a Pro, reply STOP to their message or tell them directly. To stop emails from us, use the unsubscribe link in the email or contact us. We may still send messages necessary to respond to a request you made.

We and our service providers use cookies and similar technologies to keep the Service working, remember your preferences, keep it secure, and understand how it is used so we can improve it.

You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings. Some parts of the Service may not work properly without them. Our Service does not currently respond to browser “Do Not Track” signals, because there is no common standard for them; we honor Global Privacy Control signals where state law requires it.

Depending on where you live — including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Texas, Virginia and a growing number of other states — you may have the right to:

• know what personal information we have about you, and get a copy of it;
• correct information that is inaccurate;
• delete your information, subject to certain legal exceptions;
• opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information, or its use for targeted advertising — which we do not do; and
• appeal our decision if we decline a request.

We extend these rights to everyone who uses Job Hound, wherever you live. To make a request, email info@betheleaddog.com with the subject “Privacy request”. We will verify your identity, usually by confirming the email or phone number you used, and respond within 45 days, or tell you if we need more time as the law allows. You may use an authorized agent, and we may ask them for proof of authority.

We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of these rights. To appeal a decision, reply to our response with the subject “Privacy appeal”.

We keep personal information for as long as needed to provide the Service, respond to requests, resolve disputes, prevent fraud, enforce our agreements and meet legal obligations, and then delete or de-identify it. Information may remain in backups for a limited period before it is overwritten. Copies already delivered to Pros are held by them, as described in Section 5.

We use reasonable administrative, technical and physical safeguards to protect your information. No website, transmission or storage system is completely secure, however, and we cannot guarantee the security of information you send us or that we hold. You use the Service at your own risk, and our liability is limited as described in our Terms of Use. If we learn of a breach that affects your information, we will notify you as required by law.

The Service is for adults hiring or working as contractors. It is not directed to children, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If you believe a child has given us information, contact us and we will delete it.

Job Hound is operated in the United States and intended for users in the United States. Your information is stored and processed in the United States, where data protection laws may differ from those in your country.

Business information you provide for your listing — such as your business name, trades, service area, hours, photos and typical prices — is published on the Service so homeowners can find you. Information about your Lead Dog account, including billing, is governed by Lead Dog's privacy policy.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will change the effective date at the top when we do, and for material changes we will make reasonable efforts to give additional notice. We will not use information in a materially different way from what this policy described when it was collected without your consent.

Questions or requests about your privacy can go to info@betheleaddog.com.