A game night in a book
Meet Canine Capers, a delightfully entertaining collection of dog-themed games, puzzles, trivia, and challenges created to bring friends and families together.
Unleash hours of fun with Canine Capers!
It’s a game night in a book: dog trivia, riddles, pantomimes and puzzles that bring laughter, learning and lively competition to any gathering. Open it, let the book pick who plays, then pass it to the left.
Six kinds of fun across 425 dog-themed activities — each one tells you who plays, what to do, the answer and the points.
Hover or tab to a card to see the dog react.
Questions about famous dogs, breeds and dog history, with the answer right there on the page — so you pick up real dog facts while you play.
A taste from the book“The Puppy Bowl is played on the day of what game?”— Canine Capers sample pages
Riddles about pupsicles and poodles and other mind-bending puzzles that get the whole table talking, guessing and googling.
A taste from the book“What’s the difference between a dog and a marine biologist?”— Gary’s blog
Act out a scene without a single word, solve rebus puzzles where dog breeds hide in symbols, and spell silly sentences in reverse.
A taste from the book“Act out a dog getting a bath — without words”— Gary’s blog
Logic challenges and lateral-thinking puzzles for the players who love to figure things out — all of them about dogs.
Easy physical activities and quick phone quests — from howling contests to hunting down a video of a dog jumping rope.
A taste from the book“Balancing a pencil on your nose like a treat”— Gary’s blog
Made for 3 to 6 players, ages 11 to 99. The book tells you who plays each activity, so everyone at the table gets a turn.
A taste from the book“Ask the player with the longest hair.”— Canine Capers sample pages
All six are mixed through 16 games of 25 activities each. Open the book, read it out loud and pass it to the left.
One book, no board, no missing pieces. Here is how readers bring Canine Capers to life.
Skip the storyGather three to six players, choose a scorekeeper and let the oldest player read the first activity. The book decides who answers, so everyone from teens to grandparents gets a moment in the spotlight.
A book beats a board game when you are on the move — there are no pieces to lose. Pass it around, have one player write down the scores, and use a phone for the activities that need a quick search.
Gary spent 35 years in the classroom and worked games and puzzles into his teaching, so it is no surprise that Canine Capers suits teachers and parents too. Dog trivia, riddles and word puzzles turn a quiet moment into a lively one.
Howling contests, pantomimes and rebus puzzles get everyone laughing — whether you are hosting friends, coworkers or total strangers. Dog-themed snacks are optional; the howling is not.
Your next game night starts here.
With 35 years of experience in the classroom, Gary Althaus brings his lifelong passion for teaching, games, puzzles, and dogs to his debut book, Canine Capers. His love for creativity and canine companions is shared by his family, including his two daughters, three grandchildren, and their playful miniature Aussiepoo. Today, Gary and his wife enjoy splitting their time between their home and sunny Florida, embracing the snowbird lifestyle as they continue exploring new adventures together.
“I wanted to design a unique game and present it in a different way. So I made a book out of it. There’s no other genre like mine.”
Archie is the family’s playful miniature Aussiepoo. Gary enjoys walking Archie — a love of dogs that the whole family shares.
Illustrated Archie — a cartoon drawn for this website, not a photograph.
Real photoDo you like games? Do you have a love of dogs? Then get your paws on this book and unleash hours of tail-wagging fun with family and friends!
You will complete your purchase on Amazon. Published by USA Book Services.
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The classic print edition — easy to pass around the table.
ISBN-13 978-1-968404-83-3
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Buy Paperback on AmazonA sturdy hardcover for gifting and everyday game nights.
ISBN-13 978-1-968404-84-0
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Buy Hardcover on AmazonRead it on a Kindle device or the free Kindle app.
ISBN-13 978-1-968404-82-6
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Buy eBook (Kindle) on AmazonTestimonials featured on Gary’s website — from family game nights to classrooms.
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Reviews on Amazon are written by Amazon customers.
Try a few real activities from the book. Pick an answer and the dog will let you know how you did.
In the book, you don’t choose who plays
Every activity in Canine Capers tells you who has to answer — “Ask the shortest player,” “Ask the player with the longest hair.” Try it: pick someone near you and let them take the question.
These are real activities from the book’s sample pages. Pages in the book have two games on them — Game 1 on the top half, Game 9 on the bottom — and these come from both. Where a question was open-ended, the answer choices were written for this website.
A look back at the Barnes & Noble book signing in Beavercreek, Ohio — an event that has already taken place.
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A Special Literary Occasion
A memorable book signing event has already taken place at Barnes & Noble in Beavercreek, Ohio.
Event Location
Barnes & Noble Bookstore
2720 Towne Drive #200, Beavercreek, OH 45431
View on a map (opens in a new tab)Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make this book signing event a memorable occasion.
Interviews and features about Gary and Canine Capers. Each link opens the publisher’s own website.
London Business Journal
Canine Capers creator Gary Althaus reveals how his love of dogs, puzzles, and teaching inspired a playful book full of laughter and connection.
Read the article
NY Weekly
Walk into a room filled with laughter, people howling like dogs, or friends racing to find the answer to a riddle on their phones, and chances are you’ve stumbled into a session of Canine Capers.
Read the article
FOX40
With 35 years of experience in the classroom, Gary Althaus brings his lifelong passion for teaching, games, puzzles, and dogs to his debut book, Canine Capers. His love for creativity and canine companions is shared by his family, including his two daughters, three grandchildren, and their playful miniature Aussiepoo.
Read the articleA collection of moments, memories, milestones, and special occasions captured along the journey.
Your next game night is one book away: 425 dog-themed activities for 3–6 players, ages 11–99. No pieces to lose, no rules to memorise.