Did dog sitter lie?

[Hoppinggreen]

I have a 5 year old Goldie who is generally friendly but can be nervous in new situations and did have to be muzzled at the vet once after a bad experience there, no issues though since we changed vet.
He is very very fluffy and a mud magnet but I have always dealt with this myself. I noticed he was getting matted a bit and wasn’t cooperating when I tried to trim him so I thought I would try a groomer.
I took him down to my closest one who I know is a good friend of our dog sitter (who is absolutely lovely and who I trusted completely up until this point). The groomer said “ this isn’t the one x (dog sitter) brought in a while ago was it because he bit me” I said no, he had never been there and that was that.
Then I remembered a couple of years ago while we were away the dog sitter had messaged to say she was helping out her groomer friend and could she take our dog to practice on? I said no because there was a small chance that in a busy environment like that he could get nervous and bite. She said ok and that was that.
Now I am wondering if she DID take him and he bit the groomer but she didn’t tell me.
He isn’t a very common (but not unusual) breed and as far as I know the dog sitter doesn’t have another one visit because he’s her son in law’s favourite breed and she always talks about how x comes to visit when he’s there. Plus she posts a lot on FB and I’ve never seen another one on her photos - but I appreciate it’s possible there might be others
So DID she lie to me and if so does it matter?

Maybe ask the groomer to clarify the time frame? Sounds like it probably is the same

Hmm, pro walker and sitter here. It's possible that your sitter cares for dogs whose owners have requested no Facebook or other social media for privacy reasons. We have several on our books who we do not use photos of or mention, usually because they are very desirable and valuable breeds and everyone is super-scared of dog thieves, but also because two of our owners are fairly high profile people who avoid social media to protect their families. So this might explain why you've not seen any other Goldie on your dog sitter's page.

I should also say that the groomer did know my dog but said that she had been with my dog sitter when she took him for a walk.
I can appreciate that I wouldn’t necessarily know all the dogs the sitter looks after but she does always say how happy her sil would be because my dog was there and it’s his favourite breed. I might just be reading too much into things

Woukd you not have noticed he'd been groomed at the time?

If someone had covertly groomed my English cream goldie cross, I would have known - he would smell of flowers & lovely things, not of cheesy feet & fox poop (our other one has a faint aroma of hoover bags). He would also look less Rolf from the Muppets & more like a cloud.

I’d just ask my dog sitter outright.

Probably but if he went at the beginning of a 2 week holiday for example maybe not. She does brush him every time he goes and comes back smelling nice but If she did take him to the groomer that one time I dont think she did again after he bit

My main concern is that IF my dog bit someone I should have been told

If your dog bit someone after you had told them not to put him in that situation because he may be stressed and bite perhaps she was embarrassed and realised it was her own fault . If I were her in that situation I may not have told you either .

I don’t think it’s a big deal in the grand scheme of things (or maybe I do given that I have started a post about it) but when we leave our ddogs with someone we need to be able to trust them completely and it’s shaken that a bit

I think it's a big deal but obviously investigating it will be tricky.
You have to be able to trust the person.
Plus the experience night have undone the work you were putting in with him. I would be furious if someone took my dog somewhere (after Ihad expressly said no, that would be a deal breaker).

Could you ask your dog sitter? Mention that the groomer seemed to think your dog had visited before. Ask why she might think that?

If your dog has bitten someone it's a pretty big deal.

I'm a dog walker and I always tell clients of any incidents that happen in my care - however minor they may be. I was once badly bitten by a clients dog and the first thing I did after that walk was inform the owner - they have the right to know what's happened with their pet while in your care.

I hope you find the truth and that your walker isn't hiding something.

I would investigate further and think you will need a new dog sitter if she did take him against your wishes. IF he did bite, then you should have been told but with an apology, as it is completely her fault for putting him into a stressful situation. Our dogs are precious and we need to be able to trust the people who are looking after them.

Thanks to everyone who replied
The thing is this incident happened (or didn’t) a couple of years ago and our dog sitter is generally wonderful. Ddog loves going there and the sitter and her family all adore him, the set up is great too
When she’s been fully booked Ddog has gone to other sitters and I’ve never found one as good (and a few who weren’t good at all). When he goes to this sitter I can forget about him and enjoy my holiday as I know how well looked after and loved he is there.
Given all that I think that I will forget it, the groomer is closed now anyway so Ddog won’t be going for a while
The issue now is that if I send him to any groomer at some point do I need to warn them he could bite? It’s unlikely but I think it’s unfair not to mention it

Did you not have him groomed when you took him down this time and why is she closed groomers are allowed to stay open ?

The issue now is that if I send him to any groomer at some point do I need to warn them he could bite? It’s unlikely but I think it’s unfair not to mention it

As you don't know for sure, you could just say that she needs to be muzzled as she's sometimes uncomfortable at being groomed or touched by strangers? My groomer will happily take muzzled dogs.

I took him to be assessed
Groomer is currently awaiting advice as to whether can can operate, apparently she can but only on welfare grounds whatever that means. From FB groups I’m on I know that some people don’t like having a dog groomer in that location so I’m sure somebody would be happy to report her.
I don’t mind him being muzzled if necessary but he usually loves strangers and has never (supposedly) been groomed by a stranger before so I can’t really say that.
anyway we have decided to try and get him in the shower this weekend. We (and everywhere else) will get soaked I’m sure and DH isn’t keen on the idea but I think it’s necessary

Firstly your dog supposedly bit when he was not in your care so don't blame the dog. It is not the dogs fault. You were not there. If the walker ignored your advice which sounds like it get another dog walker. I would not trust anyone with my dog who ignored advice given. There are plenty of other groomers that will take your dog.

How did your dog react to the groomer? Would he maybe have showed tension if it was someone he'd bitten before?

For your own peace of mind you could muzzle train your dog, so if he does need a muzzle for grooming or the vet, then he's not stressed about it.

Thank you for the replies
He was fine at the groomers, very keen to give the groomer his paw - but if he was there before it was about 2 years ago so he wouldn’t necessarily have a problem with it, plus I was there and he’s usually happy to be anywhere if I am.
I don’t think I need to muzzle train him, he showed aggression at the vet once and there’s been no issue since. I would muzzle a dog I thought was potentially dangerous but if you knew him you would see he’s really not, and that’s based on my knowing him for 5 years rather than any naivety.
My issue isn’t really that he might have bitten the groomer, if he did I don’t blame him at all. He was put in a stressful situation necessarily which I had told my Sitter not to. My question was really should I say anything to the sitter over 2 years later. Plus I wanted options on whether my imagined scenarios DID happen or whether I was over thinking it.

I’d have to let it go, it’s been two years and your DDog likes her.

Is your sitter insured? She should be if she is licensed. I am assuming she is a home boarder.
If she is a sitter that comes into your house, that is at present unregulated and she may well not have insurance.

If she is putting your dog in situations where he is going to bite, you want to hope she is.

I wouldn't trust her at all. I would expect her to be open and honest regarding your pet.

Ask her straight out if she took him and base your future decisions regarding his care hy her answer.

It costs a lot of money to be licensed to home board/kennel dogs, those who do it by the back door do a disservice to all those who have invested heavily to take proper care of your dogs.

I think you might be reading a bit much into it. I don't think you can conclude that she did take him to that groomed. A golden is hardly a rare breed; I can't imagine that yours is the only one that your wallet had been in contact with.