Last Thanksgiving turned chaotic when our dog, Max, refused to stop barking at the turkey my husband had just brought home. I assumed he was begging for a snack, but he was way too intense about it. After trying to calm him down for what felt like forever, I finally decided to check the turkey. Little did I know, Max wasn’t being greedy—he was trying to tell me something important. Sometimes, the smallest pets have the biggest instincts.
I’m Athena—most people call me Ace—32, wife and dog mom. Thanksgiving morning, my husband Kyle headed out cheerfully to pick up our turkey from our favorite local butcher. He came back looking oddly rushed, then left again to help his mom. It was all a bit strange, but I was busy preparing holiday dishes. That’s when Max started his enthusiastic barking fit.
Eventually, I gave in and unwrapped the turkey, expecting Max to calm down once he saw it. Instead, I found a sealed bag hidden inside, stuffed with cash—way more than pocket change. My jaw dropped, and Max proudly wagged his tail like he had solved the world’s biggest mystery. When Kyle returned, his face turned bright red the moment he saw the bag. That’s when the truth finally spilled out.
Kyle admitted he hid his savings inside the turkey because he wanted to surprise me with a dream vacation to Hawaii. He didn’t want me to find the money early, panicked, and chose the first hiding spot he saw. I was stunned, amused, and slightly horrified—what if I had cooked the whole thing? But by the end of the night, we laughed about it with family, gave Max extra turkey bits, and eventually enjoyed that Hawaii trip. Lesson learned: trust your dog, and never hide money inside poultry again!