I Conditioned Her Dog After She Cheated on Me

My ex-girlfriend cheated on me with my childhood best friend, so I spent the last six months of our relationship subtly training her dog to only eat when he hears a specific high-frequency whistle.

She loved that golden retriever more than anything else in the world; she treated that dog like her actual child. When I found out she was sleeping with my best friend via their iPad messages, I didn't scream, smash things, or break up with her on the spot. I played the long game. I stayed with her for another six months under the guise of "trying to work through our issues."

Every single day when she was at work or running errands, I would take care of the dog. Before I put his food bowl down, I would blow a silent, high-frequency dog whistle that humans can't hear. If he tried to eat before the whistle, I would lift the bowl back up. Within two months, he was completely conditioned. He wouldn't touch a single piece of kibble unless he heard that specific tone.

A month ago, I finally "found out" about the cheating, packed my things, and left her.

Last night, she called me sobbing hysterically. She said the dog has stopped eating entirely, is losing weight rapidly, and just stares at his bowl whining. She’s taken him to two different vets and paid over $1,200 for bloodwork, but they can't find anything wrong with him. She asked me if I knew why he was acting so depressed.

I just sighed and said, "Wow, that's terrible. Maybe he just really misses me and the energy in the house is bad now. Hope he gets better\!"

I am never telling her. Every few days, I walk past her apartment building during her work hours, stand near her first-floor window, blow the whistle once, and watch through the glass as the dog happily runs to his bowl and eats. She thinks it's a medical miracle every time it happens.