At 82, Gary Althaus isn’t slowing down—he’s speeding up. Not in the physical sense, perhaps, but in the realm of creativity and reinvention. While many in his age group might be looking back, Gary is firmly focused on what’s next. With his debut book, Canine Capers, he’s created something so refreshingly original that it’s hard to even categorize. Is it a trivia book? A party game? An educational tool? A bonding activity for families and friends? It’s all of those, rolled into one tail-waggingly joyful package.

A retired sixth-grade teacher and lifelong dog enthusiast, Gary’s roots in both education and canine companionship run deep. Over the years, he and his wife have raised six dogs—five Australian Shepherds and one current pup who’s a mix between an Aussie and a Poodle. “Wherever we go, the dogs go with us,” Gary explains. “They’ve always been a part of our family, just like games have always been a part of my life.”

The result of that lifelong passion is Canine Capers, a book that houses 16 individual games and over 425 dog-themed activities designed for players aged 11 to 99. That wide range is intentional. Gary set out to build a book that was fun, accessible, a little silly, and sneakily educational—and he nailed it.

“When I taught school, Fridays were game days. I saw how much laughter, learning, and bonding could happen in a short span of time,” Gary says. “I wanted to bottle that feeling—and make it about dogs.”

He did exactly that. The book features a mix of trivia, pantomimes, riddles, logic puzzles, wordplay, rebuses, and even simple physical challenges. It’s not just fun—it’s designed to be played, not passively read. You might be asked to balance a pencil on your nose like a dog with a treat, or act out a pantomime of a dog catching a ball. One moment you’re Googling which dog breed can’t bark (hint: it yodels), and the next you’re in a “memory game” where players name increasingly ridiculous dog names until someone forgets and drops out.

Even choosing who performs the next activity is gamified. It could be the person with the highest phone battery, the most tattoos, the closest birthday to Halloween, or the player with the shortest name. These small quirks add randomness and hilarity to every round—ensuring no two playthroughs are ever the same.

Technology plays a surprisingly central role, too. Many of the activities ask players to look up videos, photos, or records online—merging classic family fun with the digital habits of younger generations.

“I wanted to make the game modern,” Gary says. “Even though I’m 82, I’ve always kept up with tech. Getting people to use their phones—without overusing them—made it more interactive, especially for younger players.”

Despite its light-hearted tone, Canine Capers has a strong educational backbone. Readers will walk away knowing things like:

• A group of pugs is called a grumble
• The first Olympic mascot was a dachshund named Waldi
• Dogs release oxytocin (the bonding hormone) when making eye contact with their owners
• And yes, that Shakespeare-loving Collie owner really did name her dogs Romeo and Juliet

Whether it’s fun facts about breeds, trivia tied to history and pop culture, or just clever riddles (Q: “How do dogs stop a video?” A: “They hit the paws button”), the learning sneaks in while everyone’s too busy laughing.

And laugh they will. Gary believes that humor is the glue of families and friendships, and that shows on every page.

“When we played games with our family, we spent more time laughing than actually playing,” he recalls. “That’s the energy I wanted to capture.”

That energy makes Canine Capers more than just a novelty—it’s notable. In an industry flooded with generic trivia books and dry game manuals, Gary’s book stands out for being both unique and deeply personal. It’s a tribute to a life lived among dogs and laughter.

And this isn’t a one-off project. Gary is already working on a follow-up book titled Catch a Batch, which focuses on bats and cats using the same format and whimsical spirit. “It’s almost done,” he says. “Same kind of questions. Same type of games. Just… more tails, wings, and whiskers.”

Despite being a first-time author, Gary brings the polish of someone who’s lived with ideas long enough to know what resonates. He’s quick to point out that Canine Capers isn’t just for game lovers—“Even people who don’t play games have enjoyed just reading the questions and answers,” he says. “One of my friends isn’t into games at all. He just reads it for the trivia.”

That versatility makes the book perfect for families, classrooms, dog shelters, veterinary clinics, or anywhere people gather and need a good icebreaker. You could just as easily imagine it on a coffee table as you could in a teacher’s toolkit or a waiting room.

In a world that often feels too serious, Canine Capers is a reminder that learning and laughter are better together—and sometimes, it takes an 82-year-old dog lover to remind us of that.