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As a professional snowboarder, Emilé Zynobia spends a lot of time away from home. But her close-knit community in Jackson, WY, keeps her energized for traveling and excited to come home. At the center of that community: Trapper. As a dog mom to Trapper, Emilé has learned to cultivate an extended family that cares for her and Trapper, and Trapper has shown her how to support that community with unfiltered love and joy. Watch the video and keep reading to see the loving community Trapper and Emilé have fostered together and the lessons Trapper has taught Emilé along the way.

Lesson #1: Open Up

With their always-on friendliness, endless curiosity, and undying loyalty, dogs can crack your heart wide open. Emilé learned this from Trapper. “I didn’t have the world’s greatest childhood,” she recalls. “There were elements of not always getting the attention I craved, and I think it made me a reserved and guarded person.” But Emilé found a devoted companion in Trapper, who always wants to be by her side—showing her that attention goes both ways. Whether she’s traveling for a job, going on a horse packing trip, or splitboarding in the backcountry, Trapper is always eager to join. On the occasions that she has to leave Trapper behind, it’s heart wrenching, and the depth of their bond sometimes brings her to tears. “It’s just me and him, doing life together,” Emilé says, and that kind of connection is worth opening up for.

Lesson #2: Find Joy in the Small Things

We’ve all seen dogs having the time of their lives rolling in the grass or blissing out while getting belly rubs from one of their favorite humans. “I think we often assume we’ll see people again, so we treat moments as insignificant,” says Emilé. “But every moment is potentially a significant moment depending on how you contextualize it.” Trapper has shown Emilé how to make each moment count—whether he’s going for a walk or simply enjoying being outside. When Emilé returned home after a recent trip she took a page from Trapper’s playbook. “I spun around the yard and just marveled at the beautiful landscapes around me,” she says. “Before long, I was beaming, and I thought, ‘Wow, this is how Trapper feels all the time.’” Now, that feeling is something Emilé aspires to everyday.

Lesson #3: Be Adaptable

Emilé loves the way Trapper can quickly adapt to any scenario. “As a kid, I had to adapt to a lot of different things,” she says. Trapper will happily go lay on the beach with Emilé while she reads a book or catches a wave, or accompany her on a mountain bike ride. Dogs have to be especially adaptable because they don’t know what’s coming next. To keep Trapper fueled up and ready for whatever adventure the day brings, Emilé is careful about what she feeds him. “If he’s not feeling nourished, then we can’t go on the big bike ride,” she says. If he hasn’t eaten well, Emilé can see how it affects the way he shows up. They recently switched to and so far Trapper has been gobbling his kibble straight, which is new for him. “He’s not like, ‘Hey lady, where’s my topper?’”

Lesson #4: Live Life on Your Own Terms

While Trapper is a friendly, cuddly dog he’s also not one to be pressured into doing anything. For example, he’s a little reserved at the dog park until he finds a dog he really connects with. Emilé appreciates this behavior. “I think there’s this idea that we always need to behave in the way that society expects us to, which is like greeting everyone and being stoked on everyone,” she says. There’s an impulse to encourage him to go say hi to other dogs and run around, but she’s come to learn that Trapper doesn’t play with other dogs until he’s ready. Emilé has appreciated the lesson in learning to let him be who and how he is without judgment. “He does things his own way and engages in the way he wants to engage.”

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