Utah - Sarah left her dog, Bear, with her mother-in-law for a week while she and her husband went on vacation. When she came back, however, she couldn't believe what had been done to the Australian Shepherd.

But when Sarah saw Bear again after her trip to California, she was left speechless.

Without asking permission, the dog had been completely shaved.

"I was just stunned. I actually don't think I even spoke to her more than a simple greeting when we arrived home," Sarah said in an interview with Newsweek.

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"The more I sat with the fact she had shaved my beloved Bear, the more I felt disrespected and confused."

What at first sounds like a trifle goes deeper, because Australian Shepherds are dogs with a double coat.

This means that the top coat protects against skin injuries and sunlight, while the undercoat insulates, keeping the dog warm in cold weather or protecting it from heat and moisture.

The American Kennel Club warns that clipping a dog with a double coat can cause long-term damage because the undercoat grows back faster.

Anyone who knows this can better understand Sarah's horror – but why had the mother-in-law done this? Well, her reasoning is a bit hard to understand.

Apparently, she had shaved Bear's backside for hygienic reasons – but unfortunately, it was uneven, so she ended up shearing Bear's entire body.

"As a double-coated Australian shepherd, it's harmful to shave his body as his fur provides him protection from both cold and heat. I would have never made the decision or given approval to shave Bear's coat, so having that choice taken away really hurt," the 28-year-old continued.

Commenters took the side of the pet owner, praising her for her relatively calm reaction to the betrayal of trust.

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Some even warned Sarah not to leave her future children in the care of the mother-in-law.

"I feel guilty that I didn't give clear instructions about his care, but never in a million years did I think she would shave his coat off," she concluded.

"I truly believe she didn't know it's bad to shave a double-coated dog. I am one to give the benefit of the doubt and forgive, but I am not one to forget."