Feature photo: A.Scibor
This Privacy & Cookie Policy explains what personal data is collected when you visit Trail Dog (https://traildog.online), how it’s used, and what rights you have under GDPR. Trail Dog is a personal blog about hiking, canicross, wild camping, and outdoor adventures with dogs.
1. Information We Collect
Comments
When you leave a comment, we collect:
- the information you enter in the comment form
- your IP address
- your browser user‑agent (for spam protection)
An anonymised hash of your email may be sent to Gravatar to display your profile image. Their policy is here: https://automattic.com/privacy/
Contact Forms
If you contact me through a form, I receive the information you provide (e.g., name, email, message). This is used only to reply to you.
Cookies
Trail Dog uses cookies for:
- site functionality
- comment convenience
- spam protection
- embedded content
- anonymous analytics (if enabled)
These cookies do not store sensitive personal information.
Analytics
If analytics are enabled (e.g., Google Analytics or Jetpack), anonymous usage data may be collected, such as:
- pages visited
- time spent on the site
- device/browser type
- general location (city‑level)
No personally identifiable information is stored.
Embedded Content
Posts may include embedded content such as:
- YouTube videos
- Instagram posts
- Komoot maps
- Strava embeds
Embedded content behaves exactly as if you visited the other website directly. These platforms may collect data, use cookies, and track your interaction with the embedded content.
2. Why We Collect Data
Data is collected for:
- spam detection
- displaying comments
- replying to messages
- basic site functionality
- understanding site performance
- preventing abuse or malicious activity
Trail Dog does not sell or share your data for marketing.
3. Who We Share Data With
Only essential third‑party services receive limited data:
- Akismet (spam detection)
- Gravatar (profile images for comments)
- Analytics providers (if enabled)
- Embedded platforms (YouTube, Instagram, Komoot, Strava, Pintrest)
Each service has its own privacy and cookie policies.
4. How Long We Keep Data
- Comments: kept indefinitely so follow‑up comments can be approved automatically.
- Contact form messages: kept until no longer needed.
- Analytics data: retained according to the settings of the analytics provider.
5. Your Rights Under GDPR
You can request to:
- receive a copy of the personal data held about you
- have your data corrected or deleted
- withdraw consent (where applicable)
This does not include data we must keep for legal or security reasons.
To make a request, contact me through the site’s contact form.
6. Where Your Data Is Sent
- Visitor comments may be checked through an automated spam detection service.
- Embedded content may send data to the platform hosting it (e.g., YouTube).
7. Cookie Control
You can manage or delete cookies through your browser settings. You can also block cookies entirely, but some parts of the site may not work correctly.
Learn more about how to control cookies.
8. Contact
If you have questions about this Privacy & Cookie Policy or your data, you can reach me through the contact form on the website.