Thank You! Trivia, Gus, & PPG Too!
By Don Hanson, PCBC-A, BFRAP
<A version of this article was first published in the May 2017 issue of Barks from the Guild, a publication of the Pet Professional Guild>
< A version of this article was published in the February 2021 issue of Downeast Dog News and on the Green Acres Kennel Shop blog.
< Updated 2026-08-17 >
< The link to this page – https://www.forcefreepets.com/thanks-trivia-gus-ppg/ >
This article has been published in many places under various titles since it was first published in the May 2017 issue of BARKS from the Guild, a publication of the Pet Professional Guild. I’ve updated it again because it is, in a sense, my origin story as a pet care professional. It describes not only who I am today, but also how I got there, who helped steer my journey, and where I hope to go next.
The photo on the right is me with my first dog-crush, Desirae, a standard Poodle who belonged to our friends, the Jenson’s. I was between three and
four at the time. Since they lived about 6 hours north of us in Wisconsin, I only saw Desirae about once a year. However, from that first meeting in the summer of 1961, I wanted a dog. My parents understood but knew they had to be practical. They both worked. We lived in everything from a very small house to an apartment until the fall of 1974, when we moved into the largest home we ever lived in. I was a junior in high school, and for some reason in December of 1974 my parents allowed me to start looking for a dog. One of the questions I wished I had asked them before they passed was “Why did you let me get a dog when Dad was a few months from retirement, and I would be going off to college within 18 months?” You know who played a major role in caring for “my” dog for several years, and it was not me. Mom and Dad, thank you!
In January of 1975, I brought home a cute little puff of black fur. The pet store where I found her said she was a mix of Keeshond/Poodle and “we never caught the father”. I knew nothing about dogs. While my parents had dogs on the farm, they were not pet people and knew very little about them. Neither the pet store nor the veterinarian where I took my puppy offered much advice beyond “These are the shots she needs, and this is the food you should feed her.” They did not suggest any books for me to read, offer me any handouts, or say anything about taking her to a training class. Other than some 
basic housetraining, Trivia had no real training during her life.
I named her Trivia, but she was far from a trivial part of my life, as she still influences me today. She was a happy dog who liked everyone and was with us for 14 wonderful years. However, I believe that the life Trivia and I shared could have been so much better if I had known then what I know now. I am thankful that PPG exists today because they are an
excellent resource for anyone who has just adopted their first dog.
My last dog was Muppy. More than once, I thought Muppy was Trivia reincarnated, coming back so I could do things better this time. They were similar in size, and both had a way of making anyone smile.
My first venture into training a dog was when my wife Paula and I got our first puppy as a couple. It was the spring of 1991. We had just purchased our second home, and on the advice of Paula’s boss, a veterinarian, we went looking for a Cairn Terrier puppy. We found one and named him Laird Gustav MacMoose, calling him Gus. Also, on 
the advice of Paula’s boss, we immediately enrolled ourselves and twelve-week-old Gus in a puppy kindergarten class offered by the local dog club. We also purchased and read both Mother Knows Best and How to Be Your Dog’s Best Friend because they were the two dog-training books recommended at the time.
Our first night in puppy class was a complete disaster. Things went downhill the moment I was told to “command” Gus to sit, and Gus failed to comply. Now, this was not a big deal to us nor a surprise, as Paula and I knew Gus had not been trained to sit. That’s why we were taking the class. However, it was a huge deal to the two instructors. They told me, in no uncertain terms, that Gus is exerting his dominance and that I had to alpha-roll him to show him that I was the boss. The “alpha rollover” was explained in the books we were reading, so, not knowing any better, I did as I was told. As I grabbed Gus by the scruff and pinned him, he immediately began thrashing around underneath me, growling and snapping, and trying to connect his teeth with any part of me, so that I would let him go. I now know that he was terrified and could not understand why his friend (me) had instantly become a threat to his well-being.
When I was told to grab his muzzle and to “hold it shut,” I again, naively, complied. That is when Gus taught me that the dog’s teeth will
ALWAYS be faster than the human’s hand. Gus instinctively sank his canines deep into my palm. I said something inappropriate and immediately let go and began to bleed profusely all over the floor. As one instructor ran to get me some ice for my hand, the other gave me a dirty look and continued teaching the class. I handed the leash to Paula, disappointed in Gus and even more disappointed in myself.
After we had gone home, it was evident that the relationship between Gus and me was 
severely damaged. I was no longer being asked to “throw the ball” by the Cairn, who had a tennis ball in his mouth and a vibrating tail. Gus did not trust me, and I did not trust him. I let Paula handle him for the remainder of his puppy classes, and when she moved on to the next level of classes with a different training club, I chose not to participate. I am thankful that the Pet Professional Guild (PPG) exists today and can guide a young couple with a dog in finding a qualified trainer who will teach them how to build and maintain a relationship based on trust. I am grateful that PPG can also recommend which books to read and, equally important, which to avoid.
Over time, Gus and I learned to trust one another again. Paula and I adopted a second dog, and we were fortunate to discover Dr. Patricia McConnell and her Dog’s Best Friend Training facility, where we learned about the
wonders of reward-based training. I worked with Gus, and Paula handled Shed, and the four of us learned a great deal, but more importantly, we also had lots of fun. This is also when I started reading Dr. McConnell’s books, which have been a great influence.
While Gus and I had learned to trust one another again, in many ways he remained a conundrum throughout his life.
- A few months after we brought him home, we learned his breeder had been sanctioned by the AKC.
- Gus developed chronic urinary tract infections that lasted for 7 years and were allegedly due to an “unidentified nutritional imbalance”. FMI – Pet Nutrition – Our Story with Gus
- He started trying to bite people when they left our home.
- Gus began reacting to thunderstorms. Not hiding, but desperately wanting to go outdoors to bark and kill them.
- He wanted to kill the windshield wipers when they were in motion.
- Gus started having idiopathic seizures.
However, Gus’s quirks inspired both Paula and me to start learning everything we could about canine nutrition, reactive behavior, behavior modification (Thank you, Dr. McConnell), epilepsy, and alternative healthcare options for pets.
As all this was going on, Paula and I were working every day, all while also running a nature store on the side for the Madison Audubon Society. We really enjoyed doing this, and when our plans to start our own
store didn’t pan out, we had the crazy thought of building a boarding kennel. We ended up buying an existing facility and moving ourselves, three dogs, and three elderly parents to Green Acres Kennel Shop in Bangor, Maine in 1995.
Gus was a major catalyst for our getting into the pet care services industry. His behavioral issues led to my interest in canine behavior. His bladder and urinary problems, determined to be due to his diet, led us both to focus on learning everything we could about pet nutrition. When Gus developed epilepsy, he sparked our interest in complementary medicine. Thank you, Gus! You were quite the teacher as well as a fabulous, furry friend. Even before it was “acceptable,” we considered you and the other canines in our lives to be family members.
In the fall of 1995, we moved from Wisconsin to Maine after purchasing the Green Acres Kennel Shop. Paula and I jumped right into our new business. Having learned the
value of professional organizations in my previous career, I found and joined both the American Boarding Kennel Association (ABKA) and the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT). Through the APDT email list, I met several people, many of whom are now wonderful friends, and I started reading books they recommended. I also began attending seminars and worked with our existing trainer, Kate, to develop my training skills. Kate taught me one of the most important things I’ve ever learned when she kicked Gus and me out of class, exclaiming, “You are both miserable. Neither you nor Gus are having fun, so please, rather than training, go do something that’s fun for both of you.” FMI – Accepting Your Dog for Who They Are
In 1998, I attended my first APDT conference in Valley Forge, PA, and stepped right into my first debate over shock collars. A shock collar company was exhibiting at the APDT trade show, and there was a significant debate over whether it should be allowed to do so. I was firmly in the anti-shock camp. After that conference, APDT adopted a policy prohibiting the promotion of shock collars at its conferences.
I was also recruited to join the APDT’s new Education Committee, which was tasked with developing a certification exam for dog trainers that would demonstrate they had the necessary knowledge to teach people how to train and care for their dogs. The exam we developed resulted in the formation of the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT), which administered the first exam in 2001. I was one of the first certificants.
Three years later, I was encouraged to run for the APDT Board of Trustees and started my first three-year term on the Board in 2002. Hoping to expand upon the ban on promoting shock collars at the conference, in July of 2002, I proposed that the APDT adopt a resolution defining dog-friendly dog training. At the core of my proposal was the statement, “Dog-friendly training” does not include the use of tools or methods that cause pain, physical injury, suffering, or distress.” Sadly, my motion died for lack of a second. I was very disappointed that no one was even willing to discuss my proposal.
I served on the APDT Board for two consecutive terms, waiting for an opportunity to get APDT to take a more assertive position on dog-friendly practices, but it never happened during those six years. I was again encouraged to run for the Board in 2010 and was elected to another three-year term. Sadly, it was evident that the APDT was still not ready to take a stand. I do believe that APDT has done many good things for our profession, but it disappoints me that they had never been willing to take a strong position against the use of force, fear, and pain until 2023.
In 2014, I discovered the Pet Professional Guild (PPG), applied for membership, and let my APDT membership expire. Earlier, I stated that professional organizations are important. To me, membership in such an organization demonstrates an individual’s and a 
business’s commitment to best practices in their profession. For that reason, as soon as a staff member at Green Acres completes their probationary training period, I enroll them in the PPG, regardless of their role here. Every trainer, pet care technician, groomer, customer service associate, and manager is a PPG member and is expected to uphold the PPG Guiding Principles. It is a condition of employment. These principles are part of our own ethics policies at Green Acres Kennel Shop and ForceFreePets.
I am so thankful that I finally found a cohort of like-minded pet care professionals who are committed to the same things that I am: treating our pet family members with kindness, as supported by science. Thank you, PPG, and thank you, Niki Tudge, for starting PPG.
I joined the PPG’s Advocacy division in 2016, became co-chair in 2018, and chair in 2019. In 2021, I was appointed to the PPG Board of Directors, where I continue to chair the Advocacy Task Force.
While the CPDT-KA credential I helped develop was a
first step, I became disenchanted with the organization because it was also not keeping up with the science. In 2022, I replaced my CPDT credential with one from the Pet Professional Accreditation Board for two reasons: my accreditation as a professional canine behavior consultant covers not only training, but behavior modification, and not only covers knowledge but also skills, but it also comes from an organization that is current on their science and ethics and prohibits those with their credential to treat dogs the way Gus was treated.
I’ve been a pet care professional since October 1996. Changing careers was a big decision that I have never regretted. I have learned a great deal, much of which has been taught to me by my canine and feline family members (Trivia, Gus, Shed, Queenie, Sandy, Tyler, Tikken, Crystal, Dulcie, Thelma, Louise, Batman, Hanger, Muppy and Boomer), and I hope to continue doing all I can to improve the well-being of the pets we include all include in our families.
©2026, Donald J. Hanson, All Rights Reserved
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