Todos sabemos que los perros son inteligentes. Algunos aprenden rápido cuando les enseñas un nuevo truco y otros pueden detectar el peligro y protegernos de él. Pero lo que muchas veces nos pasa por alto es el hecho de que los perros también son grandes maestros. Las siguientes historias demuestran la manera en cómo los perros han cambiado la vida de sus humanos para bien, y las lecciones valiosas que les han enseñado a lo largo del camino.
Descubre cómo Hill’s Pet Nutrition puede apoyar con las necesidades de tu perro durante toda su vida.
LECCIONES
DE VIDA DE
UN PERRO
Cuando prestas atención, te sorprenderás de lo mucho que nuestros compañeros caninos
nos pueden enseñar
Oakley
«El amor que Oakley tiene por el aire libre nos ha enseñado continuamente que todo y cualquier cosa puede ser una aventura si tienes la actitud adecuada. Nos contagia su emoción cuando salimos a hacer cualquier actividad en los senderos, sin importar lo complicada o sencilla que sea. Algunos senderos locales que no nos habían llamado la atención por su ubicación o su distancia ahora son de nuestros favoritos gracias a él». — Adam T.
Sunny
«Llevo a Sunny a correr por los senderos de las estribaciones de Boulder casi a diario. El sistema de senderos es como un parque gigante de perros donde encuentras a los senderistas y corredores con sus perros. De hecho, Sunny se ha encontrado con miles de otros perros a lo largo de los años, y quiere hacerse amiga de todos. Ella me ha enseñado a abrirme y a esperar lo mejor de todos, a ver a cada desconocido como un posible amigo». — Dennis L.
Artemis
«Artemis me ha dado mucha más confianza para salir a explorar. Ella es vieja (tiene 13 años en esta foto), pero su entusiasmo para caminar y sentirse siempre joven nos mantiene muy activa a las dos». — Kristina K.
Korra
«Korra me ha enseñado a mantener un mayor equilibrio en mi vida. Ella sabe cuándo es hora de jugar y lo da todo sin importar lo simple o complicada que sea la tarea. Por otra parte, también sabe cuándo es hora de descansar. Me sorprende que ella tenga esa intuición porque no siempre es algo natural para los seres humanos». — Rachel L.
Porter y Stout
«Mis perros me han enseñado que la vida es corta y que tenemos que aprovechar cada momento. Me encanta vivir muchas aventuras con ellos y ver la alegría en sus caras». — Brittany K.
«Mi perro Finn literalmente da vueltas cuando salgo vestido para hacer mis ejercicios de precalentamiento antes de correr. Nunca me deja olvidar que correr es un privilegio y un placer, algo que tenemos la fortuna de poder hacer. Él se motiva a salir por el simple hecho de correr; no es algo que tiene que aguantar para bajar de peso o mejorar la salud. Ni siquiera lo hace para aprender a correr mejor. Nunca me pregunta si corrimos bien o mal, ni se preocupa de lo rápido que corremos. Él aprecia la oportunidad de correr porque sí. Hacerlo es el punto. Cada vez que corremos lo hacemos bien. ¿Cuándo lo podemos hacer otra vez?». — Jonathan B.
Finn
Como snowboarder profesional, Emilé Zynobia pasa mucho tiempo fuera de casa. Su comunidad en Jackson, Wyoming, la cual es muy unida, la mantiene motivada a viajar y también a regresar a casa. El protagonista de su comunidad es Trapper, su perro. Como mamá de Trapper, Emilé ha creado una familia dentro de su comunidad que se preocupa por los dos, a su vez, Trapper le ha demostrado cómo apoyar a esa comunidad con infinito amor y alegría. Haz click en el video para conocer la comunidad amorosa que Trapper y Emilé han formado.
CON TRAPPER Y EMILé
Compra con lo que alimentan a Trapper.
UNA LECCIÓN DE COMMUNIDAD
Kirk Williams siempre ha llevado una vida activa. Cuando se fracturo la columna vertebral en un accidente de bicicleta de montaña, no era una cuestión de si podía llevar una vida llena de aventuras al aire libre, sino cómo lo iba a lograr. Como cuadripléjico, Kirk ha aprendido a llevar una vida activa de nuevo, lo cual implica tener paciencia en cuanto su recuperación. Maddox, el perro de Kirk, lo ha acompañado en todos los momentos, tanto como su compañero fiel de viaje como su maestro. Maddox le recuerda a Kirk a llevar las cosas con calma, ser paciente y apreciar cada momento. Haz click en el video para ver cómo Maddox y Kirk se apoyan el uno al otro.
CON Maddox Y Kirk
Compra con lo que alimentan a Maddox.
UNA LECCIÓN DE PACIENCIA
Presentado por
Descubre la mejor receta para tu perro
La alimentación diaria para cada etapa de la vida de tu cachorro
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.
Watch your four-legged friend for a blueprint to happy, healthy living
8 More Life Lessons From a Dog
Most dogs love being where their humans are. That’s definitely the case for Maddox. He’s happiest with Kirk, which means that everywhere Kirk goes, Maddox goes too. In the mornings the pair will head out for a bike ride on the dirt roads near their house and then come back home for breakfast before figuring out what the rest of the day will look like. Maddox loves running errands, like going to the hardware store, and never passes up a chance to swim in the neighborhood pond, go camping, or hang out at breweries. Since he goes everywhere with Kirk, and he loves being with Kirk, he also loves all the places they go—whether they’re doing chores or playing outside. That’s a great lesson because we can’t always control our surroundings, but we can always control how we feel about them. “I love that he’s always happy to see me. I even love that there’s hair everywhere. I just love everything about having a dog.” To fuel all of their daily adventures, Kirk has fed Maddox Hill’s Science Diet for many years.
2. LOVE WHERE YOU ARE
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.
1. Open Up
3. Find Joy in the Small Things
Maddox used to bark at every dog he saw. He didn’t like dogs crossing in front of him on the bike path and he was wary of strangers. Kirk found that the best way through these situations was to stop and reassure Maddox. Over time, Kirk learned Maddox’s triggers, and Maddox learned to trust Kirk and let his guard down. “He’s taught me a lot about just slowing down and not pushing too far beyond our comfort zone,” says Kirk. “You still want to grow as a human and a dog, but not if it’s so severely uncomfortable that it ends up being counterproductive.”
4. Be Patient With Yourself and Others
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.”
4. Live Life on Your Terms
Years ago, Kirk fractured his spinal cord during a mountain bike crash and became a quadriplegic. Through his injury, and his relationship with Maddox, Kirk has learned to move at his own pace and be okay with slowing things down. Kirk can’t grab a cup of coffee to go and use his wheelchair at the same time, which means he sits at the coffee shop until he finishes his cup. “That used to irk me,” he says. But while sitting there sipping his coffee, he often sees people rushing in and out while doing multiple things at once. “I’m actually kind of the lucky one that just gets to sit and take it all in and relax. It’s okay to slow down on the trail, or in life, and just enjoy the moment as opposed to always being like, ‘What’s next’?”
6. Slow Down
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’s adaptability is robust: He’ll 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 and the way his enthusiasm goes down. They recently switched to Hill’s Pet Nutrition Science Diet Sensitive Stomach & Skin 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?’”
7. BE ADAPTABLE
Dogs have the power to make everything just a little bit better. Having a constant loving, happy, and adoring presence makes Kirk’s solo road trips feel far from lonely. “I can’t imagine life without him,” he says. “Through raising him as a puppy, and through the challenges, we’ve grown incredibly close. I feel like we both understand and know each other inside and out.”
7. Life Is Better When Shared
¿Qué te ha enseñado tu perro?
Nuestro personal comparte las formas en que los perros han cambiado sus vidas
Los perros tienen la capacidad de mejorar todo. Estar en la presencia de un ser amoroso, alegre y fiel hace que Kirk no se sienta solo cuando se va de viaje en coche. «No puedo imaginar mi vida sin él», dice Kirk. «Por haberlo criado desde cachorro, y a través de los desafíos, ahora somos muy unidos. Siento que los dos nos comprendemos y nos conocemos por dentro y por fuera».
8. LA VIDA COMPARTIDA SE DISFRUTA MÁS
A Emilé le encanta la manera en que Trapper se adapta fácilmente a cualquier situación. «Cuando era niña, tuve que adaptarme a muchas cosas», ella dice. Trapper se alegra de acompañar a Emilé cuando pasea en bicicleta de montaña y con gusto se echa en la arena cuando Emilé va a la playa a leer un libro o a disfrutar del mar. Es especialmente importante que los perros sean flexibles porque nunca saben lo que vendrá después. Para que Trapper esté preparado para cualquier aventura, Emilé cuida bien su alimentación. «Si no está bien alimentado, no podemos dar un paseo largo en bicicleta», dice ella. Si no come bien, Emilé se da cuenta que le afecta su entusiasmo. Hace poco, Emilé hizo el cambio a Hill’s Pet Nutrition Science Diet Sensitive Stomach & Skin y hasta ahora, Trapper devora sus croquetas tal y como son, lo cual es un cambio para él. «Ya no me dice, “Oiga señorita, ¿dónde está lo demás?”».
7. SER FLEXIBLE
Hace algunos años, Kirk se fracturó la columna vertebral en un accidente de bicicleta de montaña y quedó cuadripléjico. Debido a su lesión y por medio de su relación con Maddox, Kirk ha aprendido a avanzar a su propio ritmo y aceptar que las cosas pueden tomar más tiempo. Kirk no se puede tomar un café y usar su silla de ruedas al mismo tiempo, así que se queda en la cafetería hasta que termina de tomar su café. «Antes eso me molestaba», dice él. Pero mientras está sentado tomando su café, observa a las personas entrando y saliendo con prisa y haciendo varias cosas a la vez. «En realidad yo tengo la suerte de poder sentarme y asimilarlo todo y simplemente disfrutar el momento en vez de siempre estar pensando, “¿Qué sigue?”».
6. TOMAR LAS COSAS CON CALMA
Aunque Trapper es un perro amable y cariñoso, no le gusta que lo presionen. Por ejemplo, es un poco reservado en el parque de perros hasta que encuentra a otros perros con los que siente una conexión. Emilé aprecia esta característica de Trapper. «Existe la idea de que siempre tenemos que comportarnos como la sociedad nos exige: saludar a todos y emocionarnos por ver a cualquier persona», ella dice. Emilé siente la necesidad de obligar a Trapper a saludar a otros perros y jugar con ellos, pero ha llegado a entender que Trapper no juega con otros perros hasta que él quiere. Emilé agradece la lección de dejarlo ser quien y como es sin juzgarlo. «Él hace las cosas a su manera y se involucra con otros de la manera que él quiere».
5. VIVIR LA VIDA A TU MANERA
Antes, Maddox acostumbraba ladrar a cualquier perro. No le gustaba que otros perros cruzaran en frente de él en la ciclopista y desconfiaba de los desconocidos. Kirk aprendió que la mejor forma de manejar estas situaciones era tomar un momento para tranquilizar a Maddox. Con el paso del tiempo, Kirk descubrió lo que detonaba a Maddox y Maddox aprendió a confiar en Kirk de manera que podía bajar la guardia. «Me ha enseñado mucho sobre la importancia de tomar las cosas con calma y no presionarnos mucho más allá de nuestra zona de confort», dice Kirk. «Es cierto que tenemos que crecer como ser humano y como perro respectivamente, pero no tanto como para que sea demasiado incómodo y que resulte contraproducente».
4. TENER PACIENCIA CON UNO MISMO Y CON LOS DEMÁS
Todos hemos visto cómo los perros disfrutan revolcarse en el pasto y cómo se alegran cuando sus personas favoritas les rascan la panza. «Creo que muchas veces asumimos que vamos a ver a los seres queridos otra vez y, por tanto, no le damos importancia a cada momento», dice Emilé. «Pero cada momento tiene la posibilidad de ser importante si así lo decides». Trapper le ha enseñado a Emilé a aprovechar cada momento, ya sea cuando vaya de paseo o cuando simplemente disfruta estar afuera. Cuando Emilé regresó de un reciente viaje, siguió el ejemplo de Trapper. «Di vueltas en mi jardín y me maravillé ante los paisajes hermosos a mi alrededor», dice ella. «Al poco tiempo, estaba radiante, y pensé, “Vaya, así se siente Trapper todo el tiempo”». Ahora Emilé se esfuerza a sentirse así todos los días.
3. BUSCAR LA ALEGRÍA EN LOS PEQUEÑOS DETALLES
A la mayoría de los perros les encanta estar donde están sus dueños y definitivamente es así en el caso de Maddox. En la mañana, los dos salen de paseo en bicicleta y luego regresan a casa a desayunar. A Maddox le encanta acompañarlo a hacer diligencias, por ejemplo ir a la ferretería, y nunca desaprovecha la oportunidad de nadar en el estanque de su comunidad, ir de acampada o pasar el rato en las cervecerías. Puesto que Maddox va a donde va Kirk y le encanta estar con él, también le encantan todos los lugares a donde van - así sea cuando hay que hacer las labores diarias o cuando juegan afuera. Es una gran lección para nosotros porque no siempre podemos controlar nuestro alrededor, pero sí podemos controlar la manera en que lo percibimos. «Me encanta que siempre se alegra de verme. Incluso me encanta que haya pelos por todos lados. Amo todo lo que significa tener un perro». Para prepararse para sus aventuras diarias, Kirk alimenta a Maddox con Hill’s Science Diet desde hace muchos años.
2. SER FELIZ DONDE ESTÉS
Con su amabilidad constante, su curiosidad sin límite y su eterna lealtad, los perros logran abrir los corazones de la gente. Esta lección la aprendió Emilé con Trapper. «Mi niñez no fue la mejor del mundo», ella recuerda. «Hubo tiempos en que no recibía la atención que tanto quería, y creo que por eso me volví una persona reservada y precavida». Sin embargo, Emilé vio que Trapper era un compañero fiel que siempre quería estar a su lado y le enseñó que la atención es recíproca. Ya sea que Emilé esté de viaje de trabajo, en una cabalgata o que este splitboarding en zonas aisladas, Trapper siempre tiene ganas de acompañarla. A Emilé se le rompe el corazón cuando no puede llevar a Trapper y la conexión profunda entre los dos a veces le saca lágrimas. «Nada más somos él y yo en esta vida», dice Emilé, y vale la pena abrirse a ese tipo de conexión.
1. ABRE TU CORAZÓN
Observa a tu amigo de cuatro patas para obtener un plan para una vida feliz y saludable.
OTRAS 8 LECCIONES DE LA VIDA DE UN PERRO
VIDEOS
LECCIONES
DE VIDA
COMPRAR
GALERíA DE FOTOS
LOVE WHERE YOU ARE
Be PatienT
Live Life on Your Terms
Slow Down
Be Adaptable
Life Is Better When Shared
Most dogs love being where their humans are. That’s definitely the case for Maddox. In the mornings the pair will head out for a bike ride and then come back home for breakfast. Maddox loves running errands, like going to the hardware store, and never passes up a chance to swim in the neighborhood pond, go camping, or hang out at breweries. Since he goes everywhere with Kirk, and he loves being with Kirk, he also loves all the places they go—whether they’re doing chores or
playing outside. That’s a great lesson because we can’t always control our surroundings, but we can always control how we feel about them. “I love that he’s always happy to see me. I even love that there’s hair everywhere. I just love everything about having a dog.” To fuel their daily adventures, Kirk has fed Maddox Hill’s Science Diet for many years.
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.
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.”
Years ago, Kirk fractured his spinal cord during a mountain bike crash and became a quadriplegic. Through his injury, and his relationship with Maddox, Kirk has learned to move at his own pace and be okay with slowing things down. Kirk can’t grab a cup of coffee to go and use his wheelchair at the same time, which means he sits at the coffee shop until he finishes his cup. “That used to irk me,” he says. But while sitting there sipping his coffee, he often sees
people rushing in and out while doing multiple things at once. “I’m actually kind of the lucky one that just gets to sit and take it all in and relax. It’s okay to slow down on the trail, or in life, and just enjoy the moment as opposed to always being like, ‘What’s next’?”
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’s adaptability is robust: He’ll 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 and the way his enthusiasm goes down. They recently switched to Hill’s Pet Nutrition Science Diet Sensitive Stomach & Skin 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?’”
Dogs have the power to make everything just a little bit better. Having a constant loving, happy, and adoring presence makes Kirk’s solo road trips feel far from lonely. “I can’t imagine life without him,” he says. “Through raising him as a puppy, and through the challenges, we’ve grown incredibly close. I feel like we both understand and know each other inside and out.”
Maddox used to bark at every dog he saw and he was wary of strangers. Kirk found that the best way through these situations was to stop and reassure Maddox. Over time, Kirk learned Maddox’s triggers, and Maddox learned to trust Kirk. “He’s taught me a lot about just slowing down and not pushing too far beyond our comfort zone,” says Kirk. “You still want to grow as a human and a dog, but not if it’s so severely uncomfortable that it ends up being counterproductive.”
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.
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.
Dogs have the power to make everything just a little bit better. Having a constant loving, happy, and adoring presence makes Kirk’s solo road trips feel far from lonely. “I can’t imagine life without him,” he says. “Through raising him as a puppy, and through the challenges, we’ve grown incredibly close. I feel like we both understand and know each other inside and out.”
8. Life Is Better When Shared
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 Hill’s Pet Nutrition Science Diet Sensitive Stomach & Skin 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?’”
7. BE ADAPTABLE
Years ago, Kirk fractured his spinal cord during a mountain bike crash and became a quadriplegic. Through his injury, and his relationship with Maddox, Kirk has learned to move at his own pace and be okay with slowing things down. Kirk can’t grab a cup of coffee to go and use his wheelchair at the same time, which means he sits at the coffee shop until he finishes his cup. “That used to irk me,” he says. But while sitting there sipping his coffee, he often sees people rushing in and out while doing multiple things at once. “I’m actually kind of the lucky one that just gets to sit and take it all in and relax. It’s okay to slow down on the trail, or in life, and just enjoy the moment as opposed to always being like, ‘What’s next?'”
6. Slow Down
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.”
5. Live Life on Your Terms
Maddox used to bark at every dog he saw. He didn’t like dogs crossing in front of him on the bike path and he was wary of strangers. Kirk found that the best way through these situations was to stop and reassure Maddox. Over time, Kirk learned Maddox’s triggers, and Maddox learned to trust Kirk and let his guard down. “He’s taught me a lot about just slowing down and not pushing too far beyond our comfort zone,” says Kirk. “You still want to grow as a human and a dog, but not if it’s so severely uncomfortable that it ends up being counterproductive.”
4. Be Patient With Yourself and Others
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.
3. Find Joy in the Small Things
Most dogs love being where their humans are. That’s definitely the case for Maddox. He’s happiest with Kirk, which means that everywhere Kirk goes, Maddox goes too. In the mornings the pair will head out for a bike ride on the dirt roads near their house and then come back home for breakfast before figuring out what the rest of the day will look like. Maddox loves running errands, like going to the hardware store, and never passes up a chance to swim in the neighborhood pond, go camping, or hang out at breweries. Since he goes everywhere with Kirk, and he loves being with Kirk, he also loves all the places they go—whether they’re doing chores or playing outside. That’s a great lesson because we can’t always control our surroundings, but we can always control how we feel about them. “I love that he’s always happy to see me. I even love that there’s hair everywhere. I just love everything about having a dog.” To fuel all of their daily adventures, Kirk has fed Maddox Hill’s Science Diet for many years.
2. LOVE WHERE YOU ARE
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.
1. Open Up
Watch your four-legged friend for a blueprint to happy, healthy living
8 More Life Lessons From a Dog
Oakley
“Over the last 4 years Oakley's love for being outside has continually taught us that anything and everything can be an adventure with the right attitude. Luckily, Oakley doesn't need every day, trip, or activity to be "epic" in the way we have come to frame it. His excitement when we get out on trails for any activity, no matter how big or small, is infectious—local trails we had overlooked for years due to location and length are now some of our favorites thanks to him.” — Adam T.
Sunny
“I take Sunny trail running almost daily in the foothills of Boulder— the trail system is like a giant dog park for hikers and runners and their pups. Sunny has encountered literally thousands of dogs over the years, and she wants to befriend them all. She's taught me to be open-hearted and expect the best from everybody—to view every stranger as a potential new friend.” — Dennis L.
Artemis
"Artemis has given me so much more confidence to get out there and explore more. She's an old girl (she's 13 in the photos), but her enthusiasm to go on walks and be forever young keeps us both very active.” — Kristina K.
Porter & Stout
“My dogs have taught me that life is short and to embrace every moment. I love going on so many adventures with them and seeing the joy in their faces.” — Brittany K.
Korra
“Korra has taught me how to bring more balance to my life. She knows when it's game time and she always gives it her all no matter how simple or hard the task is. Alternatively, she knows when it's time for some R&R. It's amazing to me that she has that intuition because it's not always so inherent for humans.” — Rachel L.
“My dog Finn literally turns in circles when I come out dressed in running clothes and do pre-run warm-up exercises. He never fails to remind me that running is a privilege and joy—something we get to do if we're lucky. He needs no other motivation to get out the door than the chance to run: it's not endured for weight loss or better health, not even as training to become a better runner. And he never asks if it was a good run or a bad run, or frets about how far or how fast we go. The run is appreciated for its own sake. Doing it is the thing. Every run is a good run. When can we do it again?” — Jonathan B.
Finn
WHAT HAS YOUR DOG TAUGHT YOU?
Outside staffers share the ways their dogs have shaped their lives
Find the Ideal Recipe for Your Dog
The right nutrition can make a difference in your dog’s overall health and happiness. Hill’s Science Diet provides science-led nutrition for dogs of every age, all sizes and ever-changing needs.
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 to see the loving community Trapper and Emilé have fostered together.
with TRAPPER AND EMILé
Shop what's in Trapper's bowl.
A Lesson in COMMUNITY
Kirk Williams has always lived an active lifestyle. So when he fractured his spinal cord in a mountain bike crash, it wasn’t about if he’d return to a life of outdoor adventures but how to do it. As a quadriplegic, Kirk has relearned how to live an active life, which has involved learning to be patient with himself and his progress. Kirk’s dog Maddox has been by his side every step of the way—both as a loyal companion for life on the road and as a teacher who reminds Kirk to slow down, be patient, and appreciate every moment. Watch the video to see how Maddox and Kirk support each other through life.
with Maddox and Kirk
Shop what's in Maddox's Bowl.
A Lesson in Patience
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PHOTO GALLERY
Everyone knows dogs are smart. Some are quick learners when it comes to new tricks, while others can sniff out danger, protecting humans from harm. But what’s often overlooked is that dogs are also great teachers. These stories show the profound ways dogs have changed their human’s lives for the better—and taught them valuable lessons along the way.
LIFE LESSONS
FROM A DOG
When you pay attention, you'll be amazed by how much OUR canine companions can teach us
