Sophisticated Pets: Meet Tater Tot
Written By Carrie Edelstein
Photo Provided By Kathryn Gaiennie
He is likely the most famous dog in the Central West End, but it doesn’t go to Tater Tot’s head. This seven-year-old English Bulldog is known for quite simply his presence, as well as the books he writes (translated through his mom, Laura Byrne, of course). Tater Tot is now on his second masterpiece called, “Tater Tot At The Chase: Too Much!”
“We’re trying to teach and remind people we all have personal responsibility to create respect in any situation,” barks Tater Tot through Byrne. “These life lessons are some of those behaviors that really build that respect. By practicing them and being aware of them we can all be better.”
Byrne says Tater Tot has been special from the time he was born. She and her husband, Dennis, “rescued him from the lap of luxury.” He was born the runt of a liter that was meant to be show dogs. Byrne adds, “He literally melts everybody to their absolutely best self when he meets them. We watch people that have never talked to us literally open up like we were first cousins. His ability to make people happy and melt down any fronts or barriers is amazing. His interpersonal skills are beyond excellent.”
It’s no wonder he quickly earned the love and respect of staff and guests of The Chase. Having lived there six years, his best friends include Larry the Bellman, the catering crew, Mr. James and Ms. Brenda. She is the one who facilitates his meet and greets with children staying at The Chase, coming in from all over the world for surgery at St. Louis Children’s Hospital.
“It’s amazing how he just gets very still and quiet around them [wheelchairs, braces, canes and all] and lets them do what they want to do. Sometimes that could scare another dog, but Tater Tot has this innate ability to understand when people need a little extra attention,” says Byrne.
His communication skills are truly divine. Tater Tot is a self-confessed clean freak. Byrne swears, “[Witnesses confirm] he will tell us when a blankie is no longer useable and it needs to be washed. If it’s not to his standards, he will request a new one until that one is washed by standing by the blanket and barking until we take it and give him a new one.” Gasp. Byrne confirms the legitimacy of this story by stating the new blankets are kept behind the couch where Tater Tot cannot access them on his own.
He also found a way to let his parents know milkbones just won’t do– they make his tummy rumble. “He loves The Cup in the Central West End,” says Byrne. “He gets a ‘pupcake’ which were invented for him by the bakers there. Now it’s a product line and they actually have pupcakes and dog cookies too.”
Interested in learning more about Tater Tot and his life lessons? There will be more books coming out in his series, which all begin and end at The Chase. Copies are available at MrTaterTot.com.
Byrne met illustrator Evan Quel through a listing on Thumbtack after seeing a holiday card he made for someone that she liked.
*Our devoted repawters, Tanner and Rory, were too busy feasting at The Cup to participate in this edition of Sophisticated Pets.”