In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I give thanks to the dogs who have been part of my life, what they have taught me, and the joy they've brought to me and others.
Trivia was my first dog and joined our family when I was 17. She was a puppy, part Poodle, Keeshond, and “They never caught the father,” mix. She cost me $25, and no one suggested training her or offered any other advice. Trivia was a delight, always happy and wanting to interact with everyone. Because she came into my life when she did, she was as much my parents’ dog as mine. I’m thankful for the joy Trivia brought us, but I wish I’d known then what I know now. I could have made her life so much better.
Gus, was the first puppy Paula and I raised together. A Cairn Terrier, he had a lot of personality and quirks that pushed us to learn everything we could about dogs, their behavior, health, and nutrition. Gus was the catalyst for our becoming pet care professionals. We’re thankful for that as well as his companionship.
We adopted Shed, a 5-year-old Border CollieX, to be Gus’s companion. She quickly bonded with Paula, and while she liked me, Shed LOVED Paula. We could not have asked for a better dog. She only had one vice: stealing baked goods, which was amusing. We were thankful for the joy she brought, as well as her help raising Gus and then our puppy Tikken.
When Paula’s father passed, his English Springer Spaniel, Queenie, joined our family. She taught us a great deal about caring for a senior dog with issues, and we’re thankful for that.
I met Sandy our first month in Maine. She was a Malamute/Wolf cross and boarded with us often. When her family had to move to the south, Sandy joined our family. Unfortunately, she didn’t get along with the rest of our dogs; however, fate was kind, and she was able to return to her original family. Sandy taught me how quickly a dog and person can bond, and how fun it is to make snow angels together. She also taught me a painful lesson: no matter how much we want our dogs to get along, sometimes that isn’t possible.
Tikken joined our family as an 8-week-old puppy in March 1997. I wanted to raise a puppy “right” from the moment she joined our family. She was the first dog I trained using a clicker. We qualified as a Therapy Dog team shortly after she was one. Over her sixteen-plus years of life with us, Tikken and I learned how to deal with car sickness, a sudden onset of idiopathic aggression, and the canine equivalent of OCD, the power of homeopathic medicine, and the health benefits of a raw diet. Like Gus, Tik compelled us to learn. I am thankful for that, her snuggles, and cannot see an apple without thinking about her.
Crystal belonged to an elderly gentleman who often left her in our care. Unfortunately, he passed while she was with us, and Crystal, 12 years old, joined our family. While she was never a snuggle bunny and didn’t enjoy the company of our other dogs, she, like Queenie, taught us how to care for senior pets. We are thankful we could be part of her life.
Dulcie was a 5-year-old Cairn Terrier who joined our family when I found her at the Bangor Humane Society looking for a home. She didn’t respond to any training cues and loved clicker training. I am thankful she helped me develop my behavior-shaping and recordkeeping skills. She also taught us that a dog can live with other dogs without liking them. Dulcie was interested only in people and had a happy life, always making us smile.
Tikken passed in February of 2013, and we were dogless for the first time since 1991. On May 1, 2013, Muppy joined our family. She was an 18-month-old rescue. She and I bonded closely. If you’re familiar with my column, you know much of our story. Muppy’s greatest gift to me was her joyous, infectious smile and her love of learning new things. In many ways, she reminded me of Trivia, small and always happy, bringing my story full circle. I gave Muppy the quality of life I wished I had given Trivia.
Don Hanson lives in Bangor, Maine, where he is the co-owner of the Green Acres Kennel Shop ( greenacreskennel.com ) and the founder of ForceFreePets.com, an online educational resource for people with dogs and cats. He is a Professional Canine Behavior Consultant (PCBC-A) accredited by the Pet Professional Accreditation Board (PPAB) and a Bach Foundation Registered Animal Practitioner (BFRAP). A Pet Professional Guild (PPG) member, Don serves on the Board of Directors, Steering Committee, and chairs the Advocacy Task Force and Shock-Free Coalition. The opinions in this article are those of Don Hanson. ©2026, Donald J. Hanson, All Rights Reserved