Tater Tot is a pit bull celebrity. Rescued in 2010 from the streets of Los Angeles, the dog formerly known as Tank landed at the Villalobos Rescue Center, the site of the popular TV show Pit Bulls and Parolees. For Mariah Harmony Torres, daughter of Villalobos founder Tia Torres, it was love at first sight. Tank began a new life as Tater Tot, eventually moving with the family in 2011 to Villalobos’s new site in New Orleans.
While Tater Tot revealed a talent for helping foster puppies adjust to a new life, he suffered from chronic physical discomfort and mental distress.Torres wanted to give Tater the best quality of life, and she didn’t feel that pharmaceuticals were the answer.
“Tater does acupuncture, which really helps his physical problems but did not help his daily pain,” Torres explains. “Mentally, I was trying to use doggie puzzles and exercise, but ultimately, I had to start taking him almost everywhere with me due to his anxiety.”
Related: The Secret to Living With an Overly Sensitive Dog
Nothing Torres tried seemed to help the dog find peace. “Over the years, Tater started forming some serious separation anxiety anytime I leave him,” says Torres.
And thenTorres discovered Treatibles, a phytocannabinoids-rich treat (with one of the main ingredients being CBD). It changed Tater Tot’s life. “I’ve always been a huge advocate for phytocannabinoids because of my high anxiety and panic attacks, so finding a product for my dog’s anxiety made so much sense to me,” Torres says.
Phytocannabinoids are plant-based cannabinoids (which includes CBD) and are effective for treating a variety of conditions. They support healthy joints and digestion, reduces inflammation, as well as relieving general anxiety, separation anxiety, discomfort, loss of appetite, nausea, seizures, end of life comfort and more. Since many physical conditions are accompanied with emotional and mental symptoms, CBD can be a perfect all-in-one treatment.
Related: 5 Powerful Healing Benefits of Honey for Your Dog
“Phytocannabinoids have helped Tater in more way than I can explain,” says Torres. “Unlike pharmaceutical drugs, Tater can take phytocannabinoids several times a day, and it doesn’t affect his day in a negative way.”
Torres gives Tater a Treatibles about 30 minutes before any event that might cause him anxiety — so when it’s showtime, he is already relaxed. He gets the chews daily for severe discomfort, and it’s made a tremendous difference in their lives, Torres explains.
“We live in a two-story house, so the stairs are a huge obstacle for us,” she says. “There have been days that I’ve had to carry him upstairs. As soon as the Treatibles kick in, you can see the difference in how his body feels.”
Torres reached out to Treatibles to share how much chews were helping Tater Tot, recalls Jodi Ziskin, the director of communications at the California-based company. “She talked about how this was the first product to offer Tater Tot relief from his emotional anguish and physical discomfort.”
Dogs are especially responsive to phytocannabinoids, Ziskin explains, because they have the highest concentration of cannabinoid receptors in their brains, bodies and even in their hair follicles compared to other animals, including humans.
“Generally, our customers tell us that they notice the effects of Treatibles somewhere between five and 25 minutes,” says Ziskin. “Every dog is unique; some need only one serving per day, some two or three. Some feel the effects quickly, some take a little longer to metabolize.”
Related: This New York City Store Is the First to Stock Hemp-Derived Dog Treats
Because of Treatibles, Tater Tot is able to be free from discomfort, and his obsessive behavior has subsided tremendously. He even sleeps peacefully through the night.
Treatibles decided to partner with Villalobos. They appointed Tater Tot their brand ambassador and developed a special CBD chew named Tater’s Sweet Potato Tots by Treatibles. A dollar of every bag sold goes directly towards veterinary expenses for Villalobos rescues.
“Working with them was a no brainer for me,” says Torres. “I get to help raise money for Villalobos Rescue Center and be a part of an amazing team.”
