07-05-2025
Golden Retriever Sees Turkey for First Time, Reaction Screams 'Never Again'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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A dog's reaction to someone holding a turkey after hunting left TikTok users in stitches.
Those who went hunting and brought back a large turkey wanted to show it off to everyone, including the golden retriever named Willie. The dog rushed into the garage when the door opened, wagging his tail. He made his way closer to the person filming, but quickly halted as soon as he lifted his head.
The owner, who is known on TikTok as @kelsey_mathewson, filmed Willie's reaction to seeing a turkey for the first time and posted it to an April 27 video. Willie took one look before immediately changing his direction to go back inside. His head sank in fear, but his curiosity made him take a second glance at the wild animal.
He then got as close as possible to the person standing at the door, as if to use them as protection. Willie's scared reaction directly translates to him "never again" wanting to see a turkey.
The dog's hilarious reaction surprised many, especially because golden retrievers are often considered excellent hunting dogs. This breed was originally created to fill the gap of hunting dogs, as there was not a canine that could bring in both land and water animals, while still being gentle and friendly, a Dogster article said.
Because of that, one would think this dog's ancestry would make him fearless of other animals. But he wanted nothing to do with the bird, which didn't entirely surprise the owner, despite his breed. She wrote in the comment section: "I swear he is afraid of his own shadow."
The TikTok video reached over 1.4 million views, 207,900 likes and 324 comments as of Wednesday. Many viewers demanded that the owners apologize to Willie and give him endless treats, but they couldn't help but laugh first.
"Not the camo vest and scared of a dead turkey," a viewer pointed out.
Another added: "Puppy Fren was like, 'REALLY!?? YA GOTTA BE KIDDING me back when you're pulling outta the OVEN.'"
Feeling the dog's pain, someone wrote: "Me walking into a room with social anxiety and someone I don't know is there."
Newsweek reached out to @kelsey_mathewson via TikTok for additional information and comment.
Screenshots from an April 27 TikTok video of a golden retriever reacting to seeing a turkey for the first time.
Screenshots from an April 27 TikTok video of a golden retriever reacting to seeing a turkey for the first time.
@kelsey_mathewson/TikTok
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