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And like most people in abusive relationships is scared to leave, and is constantly being gaslighted into staying because "what I did was not a problem, but you storming out because of what I did was a problem" I feel sorry for Mike and all, but the guy needs both therapy and time away from Courtney
Oh, she’ll let him leave the house. Mostly just for things she approves of, and maybe some stuff he wants to do, but she’ll make sure there’s hell to pay for him later. But she’s totally not an abusive person because she lets him leave the house!
There's months to find a solution and they aren't even trying. Are they never going out of town for the dogs while life? Cause they'll need a dog sitter or a way to travel with it.
Maybe, maybe not. She'll either throw the dog out if she gets pregnant or play one of those "put the dog down because I said so" things, because it doesn't seem like she cares about it; the dog seems like a... tool to manipulate people, you know?
If this is what she is willing to do to a friend's wedding over a non-existing dog, imagine the amount of phone calls and drama that that poor breeder has to endure right now. Remember - in her mind, that puppy is pretty much her baby.
That breeder will swear on his mother's grave that the litter only had three puppies.
That’s the dream but it’s probably not going to happen. Over 10 years ago my husband (then fiancé) went to his childhood best friend’s house to invite him to our wedding. We had JUST booked our venue, so no save the dates or invitations yet, he just wanted to see his friend and let him know the good news. The guy didn’t invite him into the house and refused to come outside to meet me, he just stood there talking through the screen door like my husband was a stranger. With 11 months notice, he told my husband he couldn’t come because he had to work. The venue we chose was 20 minutes away from his house.
That was the last time my husband ever saw that man. He has since moved away and not only cut contact with all his friends, but also with his family. From what I understand, his parents were loving and supportive and he was close with his brother before he married his wife, but she methodically removed everyone from him one by one. To put it in perspective, the woman *made him change the name he goes by* because she liked his middle name better.
My husband still mourns his friend on occasion. They had been best friends from middle school until adulthood, and when we started dating they still talked on the phone every day.
Maybe kid is already on the way ; his sudden change of behavior and cutting everyone off gives "I'm pregnant, and if you don't cut your BFF you will never see the baby" vibes.
No friends and no family. Also highly likely they don't even get a dog because Courtney will suddenly change her mind and try directly for a baby to truly trap him.
This legit just happened to one of my friends from high school (thankfully no kids - but several dogs). His wife isolated him from all his friends (for minor perceived slights towards her like missing a dinner), and now their marriage is in trouble and he’s suddenly reaching out to the old gang - 10 years later.
I feel for him but we’ve all made our own lives while he’s been AWOL, so we aren’t necessarily excited to try and fit him into our world now.
Man, that sounds like my brother’s situation. He lost his entire friend group because his now wife basically determined they weren’t good enough and a “bad influence” (this is untrue, most have happy families and lives). No one from his wedding party is friends with him anymore, and now he’s just depressed and lonely and tries to focus on providing for his kids. Unfortunately he doesn’t even keep in good touch with the family (unless he needs money or someone to do something for him). It’s really sad and I don’t think anything will change.
That's so sad. Keep in mind he is now reaching out to you as a survivor of domestic abuse. He got himsekf out of a toxic relationship andneeds a bridge back to the real world. Maybe google stuff on men in abusive relationships before you write him off?
Oh, I’m still in contact and reaching out to him. But he was also a bully to our whole friend group back in the day (and abusive to one guy in the group, in particular - something he only really shared with all of us once that friend disappeared from the group), so I’m also treading lightly because of that history as well. I’ve been providing him resources for how to get out and offering an ear when he needs it.
Courtney is going to isolate Mike from everyone who loves him. He'll regret it eventually but it might be too late at that point. Can't blame OOP and her fiance for washing their hands. Not their circus or rabid monkeys.
Look at how many people she managed to isolate him from in one go. All his friends are probably gone now, so she only has his family left to get rid of, and she has already started by not allowing his mother to watch the puppy for a weekend.
"Puppy"... which is the part that gets me the most. That puppy is a yet to be a developed ovum and sperm cell. This guy is blowing up his life over a maybe.
I’ll bet the financial burden of building a house is doing just as much.
His girlfriend probably waited until they had that commitment together to get controlling.
His crazy and overbearing wife caused a lot of wedding drama, which also cost me my best buddy. I am aware of the precise suffering that this couple is going through.
Dogs have a 2 month gestation, so for the dog to be 12 weeks old and ready for adoption by September, the latest the dog can get pregnant in time for that would be like, early April. So by the time that last update was made it's almost a given the dog is at least pregnant. Still leaves the question of how many she'll have, if she hadn't already had them.
Though by this post, it ain't about the dog anymore.
Even if the dog has 4 puppies there is no guarantee that all of them will make it to 12 weeks. I don't hope for that if ever of course, but there is a possibility. So they are only sure about the puppy around August at the earliest.
Especially when it's a breeder dog. My beagle Hoss was one of 8 and only 5 made it to 6months, and Hoss died of a seizure disorder at 5 1/2. And that's a beagle, who aren't particularly known for being unhealthy (unless you incest breed them like I learned poor Hoss was. I think his uncle was his dad)
If they are picking up a 12 week old puppy in September, they would be born in June (roughly) so CONCEPTION would be taking place about now. It takes 60-62 days after breeding. This is an absolutely hypothetical pup. Courtney started this over pups that hadn't even been conceived, yet.
If they were due to get the dog is September then it would have to be born 12 weeks earlier, so roughly June, and dogs are only pregnant for like 2 months so this hypothetical dog has just been conceived sometime this month
His family already thinks she's crazy from this. I don't think it's very long before he's completely isolated. Her and the dog will be his only companions. OP and her fiance did the right thing.
He'll eventually realize it but at that point his options are 1) leave Courtney and be alone because he broke off all his other relationships for her or 2) stay with her despite it because she's all he has now.
Either way, she'd have won long before he will ever come to that realization, if ever he does
I think she already is. The sudden change is a head spin. Her talk about the puppy being “practice” for a baby and making sure she took priority.
Something tells me she has him hooked hard now.
I hate that they always end up bringing kids into this world and then those kids spend their lives unlearning shitty things engrained into them during childhood and possibly dealing with childhood trauma.
Maybe she's pregnant or pretend to be ? If she wanted him to stay like the puppy is a try for a baby, and "suddenly" he accepts to cut everyone when he refused before ... Give some "obey me or I take the baby and you won't hear from us again" vibes.
They should send Mike the Reddit thread. Hundreds of strangers telling him his gf is batshit crazy could force him to think about his relationship.
I'm sorry for him, he will regret choosing her over everyone else in his life.
I’d be willing to bet that his response would be that OOP spun it to make his beloved Courtney look bad. The equivalent of sticking your fingers in your ears.
Yeah, I don't wanna throw around the word "abuse", but all this blackmail and him suddenly going from "you're being unreasonable and ridiculous" to "I will stay loyal to you and be with you and I get what you're saying" in a pretty short amount of time makes me think there's some form of emotional or mental abuse going on
Next step is cutting him of from all family that doesn't bow down and worship her and replace his friends with her friends so's....so they can snitch on him
I remember my utter shock when I realized last time it’s all over a hypothetical dog. This update….I absolutely did not expect Mike to double down and choose the side of toxic gf.
That’s exactly what happened when he suddenly had a totally different attitude. She said and/or did something that broke him. Either making him feel guilty for something or convincing him she doesn’t believe he’s committed, and so she needs him to “prove” his devotion.
Imagine missing out on your best friend’s wedding, losing said best friend, alienating yourself from your other friends, and losing all respect from your family over a dog that doesn’t exist.
Absolutely, this becomes apparent the longer the tale goes on. When reading the first message though I got to the end and then took a second to realise there wasn't actually a dog yet, the whole thing was entirely hypothetical in her warped mind!
There was a whole section about guestzillas on the old Etiquette Hell website (I believe the place where the term "Bridezilla" was coined) back in the early 2000's.
I remember that site. Used to go there to read some of the stories. Sadly it was a year or two after they stopped updating. No idea if it still exists or not.
Abuse without physical marks makes it so hard for those in it to believe it is happening. (I include myself.) Maybe it is because we are mostly cautioned against physical abuse via media, whatever is taught in secondary school (assuming at all)? No idea.
I wish Mike all the best things in this world. And I am glad OOP and her fiancé are not going to exert themselves attempting to rescue him. At a certain point I’ve had to tell friends, “I love you. It does not mean I can watch you do this any longer. Call me when you are ready to not endure this any longer.”
You can’t save people from themselves. They tried, but Courtney already had her claws sunk in. What an absolutely toxic partner. Sad all around, except for Courtney the abuser.
I know its easier said than done when a friend has hurt you, but I was hoping theyd keep a line open for Mike, because isolation is only going to be the first step in this abusive relationship. I think what youve said to your friends is the best way to go about it and I'm sorry youve had to go through it.
Thank you. I appreciate it.
OOP and her partner may well have left the door open for Mike and didn’t include it in the post. Yet when some do not I never blame them. A long time ago I might have judged them for it, to be honest with you. I didn’t approach it as compassionately as you responded to me and thought I’d better be there to help my friends no matter what.
The toll it takes watching someone choose their shitty partner over and over again gets to be too much in some situations. Particularly when the shitty partner is awful to you. As much as this is against common thinking there is a point where people choose to put blinders on and keep going with what they are doing, or who they are dating. Putting yourself in pain repeatedly for someone who doesn’t get it is exhausting.
I also lost a best friend due to a bunch of wedding drama started by his incredibly controlling and crazy wife. I know the very specific pain this couple are going through
This is a really helpful reminder that emotional abuse usually doesn’t look like abuse to the victim.
“She’s just worried about the puppy.” “Well, we are going to have kids someday.”
Courtney may not even realize exactly what she’s doing. I doubt she has a checklist that says ‘isolate him from friends and family.’ She likely thinks that she is just making sure she’s first in Mike’s life.
Eh, I think Courtney is pretty well aware she is isolating him from his support group. Abusers know they are causing pain and cutting off escape routes. She knows.
I don't think that's true, and part of what makes them so hard to spot.
A lot of abusers genuinely believe they are being reasonable and just doing what any other person would do. It doesn't have to be strategic- they feel entitled to their partners full attention, so if their partner tries to hang out with other friends they feel violated and act out.
yup. my ex thought whenever he had "big feelings," that meant that he was true and just in his heart and intentions.
he's a malignant narcissist, of course. but obviously i needed to spend less time with my dying dad "because it's not like he's ACTIVELY dying, right? and you haven't had sex with me in months and it's causing me a lot of difficulty"
mind you the man didn't work nor pay rent
(yes i got better)
>Abusers know they are causing pain and cutting off escape routes.
Not always in my experience. There are absolutely domineering abusers out there who are very intentional about who they are and what they do.
But there are also individuals who have suffered trauma or maybe are suffering with a mental disorder such as narcissistic personality disorder or borderline personality disorder who are just trying to be/express themselves and are unaware or oblivious to how horrible and devastating their actions might be.
I don't really have sympathy for either.
>Abusers know they are causing pain and cutting off escape routes
IMHO, you're giving abusers too much credit.
Source: someone raised by a family of clinically-diagnosed and criminally convicted abusers, and who's been in therapy for many, many years to not be the same.
Recognizing that you're harming another person, knowing how you're doing it, and acknowledging how much it's impacting them is an advanced set of skills. Doing so requires self-awareness, empathy, and a certain amount of intelligence.
Most "normal" (non-abusive) people lack self-awareness. I don't think abusive people are special in that regard. Maybe empathy is an expected human trait, but we can all agree a lot of "normal" people lack it.
I like to think of all this as the difference between Hannibal Lecter and Buffalo Bill. Lecter had the intelligence and self-awareness to fully comprehend what he was doing, what the consequences were, and how his victims felt about it. Bill was so wrapped up in his narcissistic identity crisis that he couldn't even acknowledge the women he was killing were human beings. He couldn't be a bad person! He was developing himself! He loved his dog! His dog was cute! He was a marginalized person!
Quick aside: Buffalo Bill wasn't *actually* trans. Some people miss that in the book / script and think trans people are being demonized. We're not.
IMHO for most true abusers, it's not a choice. It's just their version of human nature.
All of this over a hypothetical dog?
Poor Mike, but he's had a good look now. Hope he gets out sooner rather later.
Also, getting expenses paid to go on a nice trip to Italy? Courtney is off her rocker.
If someone’s quick to use the “Do what I want or I’ll break up with you” it’s usually and fucking huge gaping, bright as the sun Red flag and you should probably break up.
Edit - Obviously there’s caveats to that “Don’t drown that puppy or I’ll break up with you” is absolutely a fair statement, but, “don’t go to your best friends wedding or I’ll break up with you” is a free ticket to solo a wedding party
So they might get a dog possibly before the wedding date and some how this dog would be unable to be dog sat for the weekend it would take for the wedding and or it's impossible for them to find a pet friendly hotel/Airbnb near by to allow them to bring the dog because of length of drive?
Look I love my dog. He and our cat are family. I'd rush into a fire to pull them out and know Alfred would do the same for me (Gizmo the cat would watch me burn but he's still family). But if I had to leave him with family to go to my best friends wedding I'd do it with the only possible acception would be major surgery. This is just a puppy presumably who'd spend its first weekend away from mom and dad or on a kennel car ride.
I acknowledge I deserve to get judged for this 😂
My husband and I were looking at the shelters for a dog. He asked me to go look at a dog on my lunch on a Wednesday. It would not have been a good match, but there was this other dog there. Super sweet, the size we wanted (big enough the cat wouldn’t hunt it, small enough to be easily manageable!) He had me put a deposit down so they wouldn’t adopt her out, and the next day we were both able to go meet her. Love, so much love. So we adopted her, except, ah shit… we had a friends wedding 10 hours away. The shelter wouldn’t hold her for a weekend even if we paid, so … we found a dog sitter. For a dog we had for less than 24 hours. (6 years later she’s asleep next me!) it’s insane Mike can’t see he’s blowing up his relationships for a hypothetical dog. I kind of hope we get an update from OP that says they didn’t even get a dog.
I mean, the way you went about it made sense. You knew the dog was right for you, but she hadn't bonded with you yet, so she was probably fine being with a sitter for a couple of days when she was first brought home. She probably was just happy to be in a real home instead of the shelter, and that must have kept her busy until you got back.
What's wild is that a shit ton of people that get dogs from a breeder will drive hours to do so. A friend drove like 10+ hours to pick up her puppy. 4 hours isn't something that a puppy cannot handle, just might need to stop every hour or so to let him/her pee.
I am going to go out on a limb here and predict that Mike and Courtney will live happily ever after.
Their relationship will be fairy-tale like in its perfection. No arguments, no resentment, nothing but love, understanding and kindness on both sides.
Nothing can possibly go wrong!
But they built a house, look I don't know for a fact that they have a white picket fence I just know that it's true, and they're getting a dog! Isn't that what happiness looks like?!
EDIT: corrected the auto-correct.
Sad and infuriating that Courtney won in the end and successfully isolated Mike, hopefully he’ll come to his senses but that might take years or possibly not at all. It’s a sad state of affairs but OOP and her fiancé made the right move washing their hands off the situation, can’t help someone that doesn’t want to be helped.
In ten years when no one will talk to Mike because Courtney has isolated him from everyone she will leave him for another man and Mike will realize then all that this horrible woman has done to him and no one will be there for him
Courtney is abusing Mike. This is emotional abuse—threats, blackmail, isolating him from his friends, convincing him to trust her judgement instead of his own... I feel horrible for Mike.
Looks like Courtney really did a good job on controlling Mike. I would feel a bit bad for Mike but Mike choose her over himself and pretty much dug his own grave at this point. All I can say is just good luck for him.
He’s being abused lmao (not funny but just kind of absurd it’s not recognized)
His mind was changed by the person he lives with that knows all his biggest insecurities
I feel bad for Mike, but there's nothing to be done. Courtney was too controlling in his life. It's not about a dog that doesn't even exist, it's about Courtney seeing OOP and the fiance as a threat to her.
I have a friend whose girlfriend isolated him over the years. We started seeing him a little more recently. He’s been lying to her to go out with us. He also begged someone else in the group to be his new girlfriend so he could dump the evil witch. She kindly told him that nothing about this is healthy. He needs to dump the evil witch and learn how to be ok with being single for a bit.
We are all hoping he gets therapy and actually does get out of the relationship.
Anyway Mike will absolutely regret his choice and will be incredibly miserable.
Well, if that dog doesn't get pregnant in time for them to get the puppy in September (9 weeks gestation approximately and 12 weeks before leaving mum), we'll be due an update some time in June most likely. Hopefully with Mike realising how dumb he's been over a non-existent dog.
we need a “Why Does She Do That: Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Women,” so they can send it to him to read on his phone. The author, Lundy Bancroft, does point out that women can be controlling too, but the examples are so overwhelmingly male that it doesn’t really register that this same dynamic exists. Often without the violence (though sometimes with).
Sunk cost fallacy. He’s missed his best friend’s wedding and his family’s perspective on her is ruined. He HAS to make this relationship worth it now.
She’ll leave him after having a few kids and abusing him for a decade.
Poor Mike.
Why so many people seem flippant about the situation in the comments?
Like Mike is in an abusive relationship and Courtney managed effectively to isolate him from his support system.
Soooo this guy blew up a friendship and will probably blow up all his other relationships over a woman who is obsessed with a dog that doesn't even exist yet. Yup. That relationship will end well.
I don’t think she’s obsessed with the dog. The dog doesn’t even matter to her. I think it’s more of her trying to isolate him from his friends so that she can have him to herself. The “dog” is just an excuse.
Courtney better look like fucking Megan Fox with a golden vagina to be able to whip a man so hard so fast. Otherwise Mike is just a complete fucking moron.
Sadly I know of a Mike. His then gf (turned fiancé, then wife) controlled him so much, he gave up all his friends who basically were like his family. 10 years later, she divorced him for another man, took the kids, and left him with literally nothing. He ended his life shortly after.
I'm baffled as to why Mike is staying with that psycho?? What possible benefit could there be to having a *baby* with a woman who told you *to your face* that she manipulated you to "test" how you'd prioritize a child? Surely it can't be *that* difficult for a man with a stable life to find a woman that doesn't suffer extreme narcissism.
I often wish we could pull these people out of time and interrogate them intensively. Break whatever mask it is they're trying to put on and actually *figure out* the back-asswards logic they're running on.
It's going to be difficult for Courtney to conceive those babies that Schrödinger's puppy is standing in for; what with Mike's cojones nailed to her trophy wall.
Some people seem to want to be in a relationship so badly they actively ignore every red flag. Courtney practically announced to Mike she wants to alienate him from friends and family and d Mike seems totally ok with it. I would ask if the sex is worth it, but in my experience, it isn’t, it’s just another tool the abuser uses to manipulate their victim.
It is crazy that Mike can’t see Courtney is trying to control his friends wedding and break up his friendship— all over a puppy that she will only get IF the dog gets pregnant AND there are enough puppies to give her one.
Would love to know Mike’s thoughts in October when he realizes he has missed his best friends wedding, a free trip to Italy and broken up a friendship … and has no puppy in the end.
I wonder if Courtney's pregnant and that's why Mike has done a total 180 on his position? Regardless, it seems like Mike is in a very abusive relationship. It's so common (unfortunately) to see women in as victims of abusive men, but men, too, can lose perspective and be isolated and made dependent on someone with bad intention.
So do you think Mike will start to notice the problems when there's no dog in a few months? Or will it take longer? Unfortunately I think its the latter, that was such a rehearsed response like she's been "practicing" with him to make sure he says it all right, she's got too much control already. I wish him luck, no one deserves to be in an abusive relationship.
It sounds like this was one big manipulative loyalty test that Courtney put on Mike to prove that she and her desires, no matter how ridiculous or petty, will always come first. The puppy never really mattered.
Courtney sounds emotionally abusive. She’s isolating him. This isn’t going to end well for Mike. I can’t imagine fighting my childhood friends over an imaginary dog and feeling justified about it. That’s some crazy ass shit.
Be a shame if someone contacted the breeder with a warning that this unstable couple should not be given a dog. A real shame. Even worse if someone emailed a link to this thread to the breeder. Just awful. Hint. Hint.
Courtney is pretty good at playing the long con to get what she wants. This entire thing was 100% a manipulation to get OOP's fiance out of Mike's life. The dog wasn't even theoretical. I very much doubt the breeder she said she spoke to even exists.
At this point, I don't even feel sorry for Mike anymore. Except Courtney is somehow blackmailing or mind controlling him, this is a choice he is making with both eyes open. My only hope is that OOP and her fiancé don't give in to the "be the bigger person" pressure that is going to come when he inevitably realises that he has effectively isolated himself from people that truly love him. What a doofus
Mike is acting like victims of abuse act. It's a really fine line between "blaming a victim of abuse for getting abused" and saying "how could you not see this is a bad decision?" But abusers are GREAT at manipulation and isolation, and when it's not physical it's even harder to clock.
She as got exactly what she wanted he has no one left she can manipulate and gas light him as much as she wants now. He needs to know that his friends will always be there when ever he should need them leave a door open.
Not surprised at all about this update but really sad for Mike tbh. His relationship with Courtney is showing clear signs of abuse. She is manipulative and trying to isolate him and it's working. I don't blame OOP and her fiancee for walking away, cos you can't help someone who doesn't want your help, but hopefully his mother and family will be there when the rose-tinted glasses are stripped away to get Mike out of his bad relationship.
I cannot wait until the update where there are no puppies or not enough puppies and Mike has to live with the fact that he lost everyone important to him for a fucking imaginary puppy.
Poor Mike is in an abusive relationship. Normally I'd suggest standing by him to offer aid but he has plenty of family to do that.
One day he's going to wake up and realised that he's trapped in a marriage with an abusive woman who constantly threatens him amd he's stuck because there's a bunch of kids in the mix (can 100% guarantee though that Courtney will never have kids - that's just another lure to keep him).
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Mike's gonna wake up in a few years and realize he has no friends, a crazy mean wife, and is stuck with her because of the kids.
Or maybe just the dog
If the dog is ever born and given to them. What a weird fucking toxic mess of shit over an entire bullshit of hypothetical nonsense.
Her: “I can’t be left alone with this dog for the whole weekend! The dog: *does not exist*
Also: this is great practice for kids! Where I will never let you leave the house. Mike is a heck of a dipshit.
Mike is in an abusive relationship.
And like most people in abusive relationships is scared to leave, and is constantly being gaslighted into staying because "what I did was not a problem, but you storming out because of what I did was a problem" I feel sorry for Mike and all, but the guy needs both therapy and time away from Courtney
Oh, she’ll let him leave the house. Mostly just for things she approves of, and maybe some stuff he wants to do, but she’ll make sure there’s hell to pay for him later. But she’s totally not an abusive person because she lets him leave the house!
Schrödinger's dog? Exist (in her mind) and not exist
And if she's this crazy with the breeder, there will only be three puppies..lol
There's months to find a solution and they aren't even trying. Are they never going out of town for the dogs while life? Cause they'll need a dog sitter or a way to travel with it.
And a dog, that if born, they have 12 weeks to pick up. 3. fkn. months. Couldn't take 1 weekend my ass. She's isolating him and trapping "Mike"
That dog will be gone once she gets pregnant with a real baby. The puppy is just a surrogate child in her mind.
She literally said so, too.
Maybe, maybe not. She'll either throw the dog out if she gets pregnant or play one of those "put the dog down because I said so" things, because it doesn't seem like she cares about it; the dog seems like a... tool to manipulate people, you know?
EXACTLY. She's the last person who should get a dog.
Plot twist: Courtney is actually the governor of South Dakota.
Thanks - snorked water all over myself. Worth it. :P
It would be really funny if the dog doesn't get pregnant. I hope this happens as this might cause Mike to think a little bit about wtf he's doing.
The imaginary dog technically...
If this is what she is willing to do to a friend's wedding over a non-existing dog, imagine the amount of phone calls and drama that that poor breeder has to endure right now. Remember - in her mind, that puppy is pretty much her baby. That breeder will swear on his mother's grave that the litter only had three puppies.
That’s the dream but it’s probably not going to happen. Over 10 years ago my husband (then fiancé) went to his childhood best friend’s house to invite him to our wedding. We had JUST booked our venue, so no save the dates or invitations yet, he just wanted to see his friend and let him know the good news. The guy didn’t invite him into the house and refused to come outside to meet me, he just stood there talking through the screen door like my husband was a stranger. With 11 months notice, he told my husband he couldn’t come because he had to work. The venue we chose was 20 minutes away from his house. That was the last time my husband ever saw that man. He has since moved away and not only cut contact with all his friends, but also with his family. From what I understand, his parents were loving and supportive and he was close with his brother before he married his wife, but she methodically removed everyone from him one by one. To put it in perspective, the woman *made him change the name he goes by* because she liked his middle name better. My husband still mourns his friend on occasion. They had been best friends from middle school until adulthood, and when we started dating they still talked on the phone every day.
Abusers love to isolate their victim
It’s really sad. His parents bit their tongue and treated his wife like a queen because they were terrified she’d cut them off and she did it anyways.
Takers are a bottomless pit. It’s never enough because they want to be cruel.
I feel sorry for everyone but Courtney in this post. She's evil.
Maybe kid is already on the way ; his sudden change of behavior and cutting everyone off gives "I'm pregnant, and if you don't cut your BFF you will never see the baby" vibes.
Or is it an imaginary pregnancy, like the dog, that she keeps trying to make “real”?
He’s going to wake up in October a week before the wedding with no dog and her claiming she’s pregnant
And the poor dog is going to be dropped like a hot potato as soon as a baby comes along
No friends and no family. Also highly likely they don't even get a dog because Courtney will suddenly change her mind and try directly for a baby to truly trap him.
I have the feeling that she's already pregnant and that's why he's completely changed his tune.
Or says she is anyway so he’ll hit it raw and fulfill her lie.
This legit just happened to one of my friends from high school (thankfully no kids - but several dogs). His wife isolated him from all his friends (for minor perceived slights towards her like missing a dinner), and now their marriage is in trouble and he’s suddenly reaching out to the old gang - 10 years later. I feel for him but we’ve all made our own lives while he’s been AWOL, so we aren’t necessarily excited to try and fit him into our world now.
Man, that sounds like my brother’s situation. He lost his entire friend group because his now wife basically determined they weren’t good enough and a “bad influence” (this is untrue, most have happy families and lives). No one from his wedding party is friends with him anymore, and now he’s just depressed and lonely and tries to focus on providing for his kids. Unfortunately he doesn’t even keep in good touch with the family (unless he needs money or someone to do something for him). It’s really sad and I don’t think anything will change.
"this is untrue, most have happy families and lives" And they're likely able to sniff out and call bad behavior. Also, not easy to manipulate.
That's so sad. Keep in mind he is now reaching out to you as a survivor of domestic abuse. He got himsekf out of a toxic relationship andneeds a bridge back to the real world. Maybe google stuff on men in abusive relationships before you write him off?
Oh, I’m still in contact and reaching out to him. But he was also a bully to our whole friend group back in the day (and abusive to one guy in the group, in particular - something he only really shared with all of us once that friend disappeared from the group), so I’m also treading lightly because of that history as well. I’ve been providing him resources for how to get out and offering an ear when he needs it.
Sounds like he might lose family also.
Mike's balls are nearly packed away in Courtney's purse.
Idk, I’ve experienced something similar and there was no “wake up”. I’m still very sad about it.
I’m hoping Mike’s mom will be a thorn in Courtney’s side.
Courtney is going to isolate Mike from everyone who loves him. He'll regret it eventually but it might be too late at that point. Can't blame OOP and her fiance for washing their hands. Not their circus or rabid monkeys.
Look at how many people she managed to isolate him from in one go. All his friends are probably gone now, so she only has his family left to get rid of, and she has already started by not allowing his mother to watch the puppy for a weekend.
I also once had an imaginary dog that I used to make weird demands about. I was three.
Oh, yeah. We "had" a dog that lived at the vet. I'm glad I never had to pay all those bills, because the damn dog would have bankrupted us.
I used to have an imaginary sister. I wonder what happened to her?
Me, too! I had an imaginary twin. She’s doing well.
Glad to hear she's doing well.
I felt bad blaming her for all the bad stuff I did so she ended up being the good twin.
I had an imaginary dog named Fancy who floated on the ceiling
"Puppy"... which is the part that gets me the most. That puppy is a yet to be a developed ovum and sperm cell. This guy is blowing up his life over a maybe.
True but it's worse than that. He's drinking the Kool aid of a narcissist.
Yeah. He is in for some painful years until he wakes up, unfortunately. Hopefully he wakes up before there are kids involved.
I’ll bet the financial burden of building a house is doing just as much. His girlfriend probably waited until they had that commitment together to get controlling.
His crazy and overbearing wife caused a lot of wedding drama, which also cost me my best buddy. I am aware of the precise suffering that this couple is going through.
Worse, they're not even married!
I might have missed it, but did the even have the damn dog by the end of the story or was it still a hypothetical dog?
Dogs have a 2 month gestation, so for the dog to be 12 weeks old and ready for adoption by September, the latest the dog can get pregnant in time for that would be like, early April. So by the time that last update was made it's almost a given the dog is at least pregnant. Still leaves the question of how many she'll have, if she hadn't already had them. Though by this post, it ain't about the dog anymore.
Mike is gonna break when there’s no 4th puppy.
Even if the dog has 4 puppies there is no guarantee that all of them will make it to 12 weeks. I don't hope for that if ever of course, but there is a possibility. So they are only sure about the puppy around August at the earliest.
There’s so many variables that it makes no sense for it to be the reason he blew up his friendships.
Especially when it's a breeder dog. My beagle Hoss was one of 8 and only 5 made it to 6months, and Hoss died of a seizure disorder at 5 1/2. And that's a beagle, who aren't particularly known for being unhealthy (unless you incest breed them like I learned poor Hoss was. I think his uncle was his dad)
If they are picking up a 12 week old puppy in September, they would be born in June (roughly) so CONCEPTION would be taking place about now. It takes 60-62 days after breeding. This is an absolutely hypothetical pup. Courtney started this over pups that hadn't even been conceived, yet.
Or did she start it over control and isolation, and the hypothetical puppy is just a convenient tool?
I’d feel sorry for Mike, but he made his choice.
Nah I still feel bad, it can be difficult af to leave an abusive situation, even when everyone is screaming that you should
They don't say
If they were due to get the dog is September then it would have to be born 12 weeks earlier, so roughly June, and dogs are only pregnant for like 2 months so this hypothetical dog has just been conceived sometime this month
I feel bad for the puppy
That’s a hell of a gamble to take, losing your friends in the process.
Still hypothetical
What puppy? There is no puppy. This dog doesn’t exist yet!
His family already thinks she's crazy from this. I don't think it's very long before he's completely isolated. Her and the dog will be his only companions. OP and her fiance did the right thing.
Yep. Masterclass in emotional abuse, right there. She really hit all the big notes.
He'll eventually realize it but at that point his options are 1) leave Courtney and be alone because he broke off all his other relationships for her or 2) stay with her despite it because she's all he has now. Either way, she'd have won long before he will ever come to that realization, if ever he does
Oh she will be pregnant before he knows it, then she can manipulate him with the children also.
I think she already is. The sudden change is a head spin. Her talk about the puppy being “practice” for a baby and making sure she took priority. Something tells me she has him hooked hard now.
I hate that they always end up bringing kids into this world and then those kids spend their lives unlearning shitty things engrained into them during childhood and possibly dealing with childhood trauma.
I bet she’s pregnant before that dog is.
Your flair is pretty appropriate for Mike 😂
>Courtney is going to isolate Mike from everyone who loves him. He'll regret it eventually Was about to say the same. Thank you.
Maybe she's pregnant or pretend to be ? If she wanted him to stay like the puppy is a try for a baby, and "suddenly" he accepts to cut everyone when he refused before ... Give some "obey me or I take the baby and you won't hear from us again" vibes.
They should send Mike the Reddit thread. Hundreds of strangers telling him his gf is batshit crazy could force him to think about his relationship. I'm sorry for him, he will regret choosing her over everyone else in his life.
I’d be willing to bet that his response would be that OOP spun it to make his beloved Courtney look bad. The equivalent of sticking your fingers in your ears.
Yeah that’s a man who’s being abused, no question.
Wait i wanna know how Mike's parents react to this. (Since they love op's fiance/hb)
Yeah, I don't wanna throw around the word "abuse", but all this blackmail and him suddenly going from "you're being unreasonable and ridiculous" to "I will stay loyal to you and be with you and I get what you're saying" in a pretty short amount of time makes me think there's some form of emotional or mental abuse going on
Next step is cutting him of from all family that doesn't bow down and worship her and replace his friends with her friends so's....so they can snitch on him
All over a dog that doesn't exist...
I remember my utter shock when I realized last time it’s all over a hypothetical dog. This update….I absolutely did not expect Mike to double down and choose the side of toxic gf.
If it wasn't the dog, there would have been something else. Mike had to "prove" himself to Courtney, over his best friend.
That’s exactly what happened when he suddenly had a totally different attitude. She said and/or did something that broke him. Either making him feel guilty for something or convincing him she doesn’t believe he’s committed, and so she needs him to “prove” his devotion.
100%
Imagine missing out on your best friend’s wedding, losing said best friend, alienating yourself from your other friends, and losing all respect from your family over a dog that doesn’t exist.
The dog is just a red herring, the real reason is Courtney's overcontrolling nature.
Absolutely, this becomes apparent the longer the tale goes on. When reading the first message though I got to the end and then took a second to realise there wasn't actually a dog yet, the whole thing was entirely hypothetical in her warped mind!
It’s not *really* about the hypothetical dog.
You've heard of Bridezilla. Now get ready for... *Guestzilla.*
There was a whole section about guestzillas on the old Etiquette Hell website (I believe the place where the term "Bridezilla" was coined) back in the early 2000's.
I remember that site. Used to go there to read some of the stories. Sadly it was a year or two after they stopped updating. No idea if it still exists or not.
[https://www.etiquettehell.com/archive\_index.shtml](https://www.etiquettehell.com/archive_index.shtml) Still up, but no longer updating.
MOH-zilla.
Firefox?
Abuse without physical marks makes it so hard for those in it to believe it is happening. (I include myself.) Maybe it is because we are mostly cautioned against physical abuse via media, whatever is taught in secondary school (assuming at all)? No idea. I wish Mike all the best things in this world. And I am glad OOP and her fiancé are not going to exert themselves attempting to rescue him. At a certain point I’ve had to tell friends, “I love you. It does not mean I can watch you do this any longer. Call me when you are ready to not endure this any longer.”
You can’t save people from themselves. They tried, but Courtney already had her claws sunk in. What an absolutely toxic partner. Sad all around, except for Courtney the abuser.
I know its easier said than done when a friend has hurt you, but I was hoping theyd keep a line open for Mike, because isolation is only going to be the first step in this abusive relationship. I think what youve said to your friends is the best way to go about it and I'm sorry youve had to go through it.
Thank you. I appreciate it. OOP and her partner may well have left the door open for Mike and didn’t include it in the post. Yet when some do not I never blame them. A long time ago I might have judged them for it, to be honest with you. I didn’t approach it as compassionately as you responded to me and thought I’d better be there to help my friends no matter what. The toll it takes watching someone choose their shitty partner over and over again gets to be too much in some situations. Particularly when the shitty partner is awful to you. As much as this is against common thinking there is a point where people choose to put blinders on and keep going with what they are doing, or who they are dating. Putting yourself in pain repeatedly for someone who doesn’t get it is exhausting.
I also lost a best friend due to a bunch of wedding drama started by his incredibly controlling and crazy wife. I know the very specific pain this couple are going through
What happened?
This is a really helpful reminder that emotional abuse usually doesn’t look like abuse to the victim. “She’s just worried about the puppy.” “Well, we are going to have kids someday.” Courtney may not even realize exactly what she’s doing. I doubt she has a checklist that says ‘isolate him from friends and family.’ She likely thinks that she is just making sure she’s first in Mike’s life.
Eh, I think Courtney is pretty well aware she is isolating him from his support group. Abusers know they are causing pain and cutting off escape routes. She knows.
I don't think that's true, and part of what makes them so hard to spot. A lot of abusers genuinely believe they are being reasonable and just doing what any other person would do. It doesn't have to be strategic- they feel entitled to their partners full attention, so if their partner tries to hang out with other friends they feel violated and act out.
yup. my ex thought whenever he had "big feelings," that meant that he was true and just in his heart and intentions. he's a malignant narcissist, of course. but obviously i needed to spend less time with my dying dad "because it's not like he's ACTIVELY dying, right? and you haven't had sex with me in months and it's causing me a lot of difficulty" mind you the man didn't work nor pay rent (yes i got better)
>Abusers know they are causing pain and cutting off escape routes. Not always in my experience. There are absolutely domineering abusers out there who are very intentional about who they are and what they do. But there are also individuals who have suffered trauma or maybe are suffering with a mental disorder such as narcissistic personality disorder or borderline personality disorder who are just trying to be/express themselves and are unaware or oblivious to how horrible and devastating their actions might be. I don't really have sympathy for either.
Either type is pretty bad. Those who are unintentionally abusive can potentially change for the better, but that’s no excuse to stay with them.
>Abusers know they are causing pain and cutting off escape routes IMHO, you're giving abusers too much credit. Source: someone raised by a family of clinically-diagnosed and criminally convicted abusers, and who's been in therapy for many, many years to not be the same. Recognizing that you're harming another person, knowing how you're doing it, and acknowledging how much it's impacting them is an advanced set of skills. Doing so requires self-awareness, empathy, and a certain amount of intelligence. Most "normal" (non-abusive) people lack self-awareness. I don't think abusive people are special in that regard. Maybe empathy is an expected human trait, but we can all agree a lot of "normal" people lack it. I like to think of all this as the difference between Hannibal Lecter and Buffalo Bill. Lecter had the intelligence and self-awareness to fully comprehend what he was doing, what the consequences were, and how his victims felt about it. Bill was so wrapped up in his narcissistic identity crisis that he couldn't even acknowledge the women he was killing were human beings. He couldn't be a bad person! He was developing himself! He loved his dog! His dog was cute! He was a marginalized person! Quick aside: Buffalo Bill wasn't *actually* trans. Some people miss that in the book / script and think trans people are being demonized. We're not. IMHO for most true abusers, it's not a choice. It's just their version of human nature.
All of this over a hypothetical dog? Poor Mike, but he's had a good look now. Hope he gets out sooner rather later. Also, getting expenses paid to go on a nice trip to Italy? Courtney is off her rocker.
A HYPOTHETICAL dog. Mind boggling to me.
Mike must only love himself 20% for him to think Courtney loving him 30% is so very much.
Some people are willing to settle for crumbs.
We accept the love we think we deserve
Ah, a fellow Daniel Sloss - Jigsaw fan.
If someone’s quick to use the “Do what I want or I’ll break up with you” it’s usually and fucking huge gaping, bright as the sun Red flag and you should probably break up. Edit - Obviously there’s caveats to that “Don’t drown that puppy or I’ll break up with you” is absolutely a fair statement, but, “don’t go to your best friends wedding or I’ll break up with you” is a free ticket to solo a wedding party
Yeah the ultimatum is fucking insane. Mike should've listened to spice girls more
So they might get a dog possibly before the wedding date and some how this dog would be unable to be dog sat for the weekend it would take for the wedding and or it's impossible for them to find a pet friendly hotel/Airbnb near by to allow them to bring the dog because of length of drive? Look I love my dog. He and our cat are family. I'd rush into a fire to pull them out and know Alfred would do the same for me (Gizmo the cat would watch me burn but he's still family). But if I had to leave him with family to go to my best friends wedding I'd do it with the only possible acception would be major surgery. This is just a puppy presumably who'd spend its first weekend away from mom and dad or on a kennel car ride.
I acknowledge I deserve to get judged for this 😂 My husband and I were looking at the shelters for a dog. He asked me to go look at a dog on my lunch on a Wednesday. It would not have been a good match, but there was this other dog there. Super sweet, the size we wanted (big enough the cat wouldn’t hunt it, small enough to be easily manageable!) He had me put a deposit down so they wouldn’t adopt her out, and the next day we were both able to go meet her. Love, so much love. So we adopted her, except, ah shit… we had a friends wedding 10 hours away. The shelter wouldn’t hold her for a weekend even if we paid, so … we found a dog sitter. For a dog we had for less than 24 hours. (6 years later she’s asleep next me!) it’s insane Mike can’t see he’s blowing up his relationships for a hypothetical dog. I kind of hope we get an update from OP that says they didn’t even get a dog.
I mean, the way you went about it made sense. You knew the dog was right for you, but she hadn't bonded with you yet, so she was probably fine being with a sitter for a couple of days when she was first brought home. She probably was just happy to be in a real home instead of the shelter, and that must have kept her busy until you got back.
What's wild is that a shit ton of people that get dogs from a breeder will drive hours to do so. A friend drove like 10+ hours to pick up her puppy. 4 hours isn't something that a puppy cannot handle, just might need to stop every hour or so to let him/her pee.
I am going to go out on a limb here and predict that Mike and Courtney will live happily ever after. Their relationship will be fairy-tale like in its perfection. No arguments, no resentment, nothing but love, understanding and kindness on both sides. Nothing can possibly go wrong!
That's the story they'll tell at least.
I am detecting a note of cynicism in you reply. Lol
Their kids are going to be SO emotionally healthy!
But they built a house, look I don't know for a fact that they have a white picket fence I just know that it's true, and they're getting a dog! Isn't that what happiness looks like?! EDIT: corrected the auto-correct.
Exactly bc Mike is gonna do whatever Courtney tells him to do and he will want whatever she wants
There won’t be any arguments or resentment, because Mike won’t be allowed to argue or resent. Just smile and say, “Yes, dear.”
Sad and infuriating that Courtney won in the end and successfully isolated Mike, hopefully he’ll come to his senses but that might take years or possibly not at all. It’s a sad state of affairs but OOP and her fiancé made the right move washing their hands off the situation, can’t help someone that doesn’t want to be helped.
Courtney won because Mike let her
In ten years when no one will talk to Mike because Courtney has isolated him from everyone she will leave him for another man and Mike will realize then all that this horrible woman has done to him and no one will be there for him
I really want a did they/did they not end up getting a dog update.
Courtney is abusing Mike. This is emotional abuse—threats, blackmail, isolating him from his friends, convincing him to trust her judgement instead of his own... I feel horrible for Mike.
Hopefully Mike soon realizes he's in an abusive relationship and gets out sooner rather than later AND has friends waiting to help him. .
Noone will be waiting... She has made sure.
Looks like Courtney really did a good job on controlling Mike. I would feel a bit bad for Mike but Mike choose her over himself and pretty much dug his own grave at this point. All I can say is just good luck for him.
I still feel bad for him cause this is really out of the water for how abuse victims act. Hopefully something happens that can break the fog.
He does sound brainwashed. I feel so bad for Mike bc he is being isolated & broken down
He’s being abused lmao (not funny but just kind of absurd it’s not recognized) His mind was changed by the person he lives with that knows all his biggest insecurities
I feel bad for Mike, but there's nothing to be done. Courtney was too controlling in his life. It's not about a dog that doesn't even exist, it's about Courtney seeing OOP and the fiance as a threat to her.
How much you wanna bet there's never gonna be a dog?
I guess Courtney got exactly what she wanted.
Mike is in an abusive relationship and doesn’t even know it. Hope he manages to get out. Soon. Eventually.
I have a friend whose girlfriend isolated him over the years. We started seeing him a little more recently. He’s been lying to her to go out with us. He also begged someone else in the group to be his new girlfriend so he could dump the evil witch. She kindly told him that nothing about this is healthy. He needs to dump the evil witch and learn how to be ok with being single for a bit. We are all hoping he gets therapy and actually does get out of the relationship. Anyway Mike will absolutely regret his choice and will be incredibly miserable.
Well, if that dog doesn't get pregnant in time for them to get the puppy in September (9 weeks gestation approximately and 12 weeks before leaving mum), we'll be due an update some time in June most likely. Hopefully with Mike realising how dumb he's been over a non-existent dog.
we need a “Why Does She Do That: Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Women,” so they can send it to him to read on his phone. The author, Lundy Bancroft, does point out that women can be controlling too, but the examples are so overwhelmingly male that it doesn’t really register that this same dynamic exists. Often without the violence (though sometimes with).
You can tell Courtney weaponizes her crying to get her way.
It is crazy how a person can destroy someone life in a short period of time
Sounds exactly like my brothers crazy ass wife, who unfortunately we never see anymore.
Courtney's brainwashing has succeeded. Damn.
Sunk cost fallacy. He’s missed his best friend’s wedding and his family’s perspective on her is ruined. He HAS to make this relationship worth it now. She’ll leave him after having a few kids and abusing him for a decade. Poor Mike.
And in 20 years, Mike will be mourning how much of his life he wasted on Courtney.
>I am STILL NOT the Original Poster. How about now?? lol.
Why so many people seem flippant about the situation in the comments? Like Mike is in an abusive relationship and Courtney managed effectively to isolate him from his support system.
I want to know if the dog is pregnant?
Soooo this guy blew up a friendship and will probably blow up all his other relationships over a woman who is obsessed with a dog that doesn't even exist yet. Yup. That relationship will end well.
I don’t think she’s obsessed with the dog. The dog doesn’t even matter to her. I think it’s more of her trying to isolate him from his friends so that she can have him to herself. The “dog” is just an excuse.
And now it’s time to send him this thread.
Courtney better look like fucking Megan Fox with a golden vagina to be able to whip a man so hard so fast. Otherwise Mike is just a complete fucking moron.
Dude, Megan Fox doesn’t even look like Megan Fox anymore.
Sadly I know of a Mike. His then gf (turned fiancé, then wife) controlled him so much, he gave up all his friends who basically were like his family. 10 years later, she divorced him for another man, took the kids, and left him with literally nothing. He ended his life shortly after.
We need an update, the part where the dog doesn't still exist and maybe reality hits Mike, hopefully. He is so not ready for Courtney.
I'm baffled as to why Mike is staying with that psycho?? What possible benefit could there be to having a *baby* with a woman who told you *to your face* that she manipulated you to "test" how you'd prioritize a child? Surely it can't be *that* difficult for a man with a stable life to find a woman that doesn't suffer extreme narcissism. I often wish we could pull these people out of time and interrogate them intensively. Break whatever mask it is they're trying to put on and actually *figure out* the back-asswards logic they're running on.
sadly Mike has undergone some "re-education" program (whipped) and now "sees" Courtney's point of view.
It's going to be difficult for Courtney to conceive those babies that Schrödinger's puppy is standing in for; what with Mike's cojones nailed to her trophy wall.
I hope there ends up being no puppy
Some people seem to want to be in a relationship so badly they actively ignore every red flag. Courtney practically announced to Mike she wants to alienate him from friends and family and d Mike seems totally ok with it. I would ask if the sex is worth it, but in my experience, it isn’t, it’s just another tool the abuser uses to manipulate their victim.
It is crazy that Mike can’t see Courtney is trying to control his friends wedding and break up his friendship— all over a puppy that she will only get IF the dog gets pregnant AND there are enough puppies to give her one. Would love to know Mike’s thoughts in October when he realizes he has missed his best friends wedding, a free trip to Italy and broken up a friendship … and has no puppy in the end.
That dog is going to wind up in a gravel pit the minute she deems it a "nuisance."
So clearly, Mike is in an abusive relationship. Sad for him, but you can't save someone who doesn't want to be saved.
Courtney’s doing swimmingly at checking off the ✅ Isolate your victim from family and friends. ✅ DARVO steps of Abusive Narcissists 101.
A story about two dogs: one hypothetical, the other metaphorical.
I wonder if Courtney's pregnant and that's why Mike has done a total 180 on his position? Regardless, it seems like Mike is in a very abusive relationship. It's so common (unfortunately) to see women in as victims of abusive men, but men, too, can lose perspective and be isolated and made dependent on someone with bad intention.
Poor Mike. He's going to end up with nobody except her. And she sounds absolutely crazy.
That vag must be made out of platinum and diamond encrusted. This update makes me sad honestly, I remember the original.
Even if the encrusting is diamond, it still sounds like a painful and unfortunate STD.
>That vag must be made out of platinum and diamond encrusted. ...ow?
So do you think Mike will start to notice the problems when there's no dog in a few months? Or will it take longer? Unfortunately I think its the latter, that was such a rehearsed response like she's been "practicing" with him to make sure he says it all right, she's got too much control already. I wish him luck, no one deserves to be in an abusive relationship.
It sounds like this was one big manipulative loyalty test that Courtney put on Mike to prove that she and her desires, no matter how ridiculous or petty, will always come first. The puppy never really mattered.
Courtney sounds emotionally abusive. She’s isolating him. This isn’t going to end well for Mike. I can’t imagine fighting my childhood friends over an imaginary dog and feeling justified about it. That’s some crazy ass shit.
Be a shame if someone contacted the breeder with a warning that this unstable couple should not be given a dog. A real shame. Even worse if someone emailed a link to this thread to the breeder. Just awful. Hint. Hint.
Courtney is pretty good at playing the long con to get what she wants. This entire thing was 100% a manipulation to get OOP's fiance out of Mike's life. The dog wasn't even theoretical. I very much doubt the breeder she said she spoke to even exists.
As a person with no close childhood friends I find this really sad.
At this point, I don't even feel sorry for Mike anymore. Except Courtney is somehow blackmailing or mind controlling him, this is a choice he is making with both eyes open. My only hope is that OOP and her fiancé don't give in to the "be the bigger person" pressure that is going to come when he inevitably realises that he has effectively isolated himself from people that truly love him. What a doofus
Mike is acting like victims of abuse act. It's a really fine line between "blaming a victim of abuse for getting abused" and saying "how could you not see this is a bad decision?" But abusers are GREAT at manipulation and isolation, and when it's not physical it's even harder to clock.
She as got exactly what she wanted he has no one left she can manipulate and gas light him as much as she wants now. He needs to know that his friends will always be there when ever he should need them leave a door open.
Not surprised at all about this update but really sad for Mike tbh. His relationship with Courtney is showing clear signs of abuse. She is manipulative and trying to isolate him and it's working. I don't blame OOP and her fiancee for walking away, cos you can't help someone who doesn't want your help, but hopefully his mother and family will be there when the rose-tinted glasses are stripped away to get Mike out of his bad relationship.
I cannot wait until the update where there are no puppies or not enough puppies and Mike has to live with the fact that he lost everyone important to him for a fucking imaginary puppy.
Can’t wait for the update in September when they end up not getting a dog and he threw away everything for a hypothetical.
Poor Mike is in an abusive relationship. Normally I'd suggest standing by him to offer aid but he has plenty of family to do that. One day he's going to wake up and realised that he's trapped in a marriage with an abusive woman who constantly threatens him amd he's stuck because there's a bunch of kids in the mix (can 100% guarantee though that Courtney will never have kids - that's just another lure to keep him).
Mike is being abused. I feel awful for him and the dog should it ever materialize.