Photo credit: Hope Perkins
Meet Taki, a distillery dog, former co-woofer, and beloved rescue at Tito’s Handmade Vodka.
We are so excited to get to know Taki, one of the first dogs at Tito’s to test with Embark!
Tito’s and Embark have a long history together. Since 2015, the Austin-based vodka company has supported our mission to help dogs live their healthiest lives.
Vodka for Dog People
In the early days of Tito’s Handmade Vodka, the team would lend a hand to stray dogs found around the distillery. Not long after, stray dogs around the area started coming by, and they became affectionately known as “distillery dogs.”
These distillery dogs are the inspiration behind the Vodka for Dog People program at Tito’s. The program’s vision is to better the lives of pets and their families far and wide. Over the years, the team has supported thousands of animal-focused nonprofits, with an emphasis on affordable veterinary care, spay/neuter services, and pet adoptions across the country and beyond.
Tito’s remains dog-friendly to this day. Employees are encouraged to bring their canine companions to work with them. Between sponsored yappy hours and nonprofit events, Tito’s is always finding opportunities to celebrate the bond between pets and their humans.
“Giving back to the pets that make our lives so full is at the heart of what we do,” says Beth Bellanti, Program Director of Vodka for Dog People. “I’ve been caring for animals in need for as long as I can remember. It means so much to me that helping dogs while at Tito’s has led to a program the whole company has gotten behind.” Beth spearheaded the efforts to both reunite lost dogs with their owners and find the strays-turned-distillery-dogs loving homes when she was hired as the marketing manager 22 years ago. Since then, she has built Vodka for Dog People into a program that amplifies the work of animal-related nonprofits all over the world.
Taki, the Tito’s distillery co-woofer
Eleven years ago, Taki, a large yellow shepherd mix, wandered around the Tito’s distillery in Austin, making her way into the hearts of the Tito’s team. As the resident co-woofer, she’d greet employees, get into silly antics, and was always available for a game of fetch.
“Taki was a big personality at the distillery and was infamous for stirring up trouble,” Beth says. “She was everyone’s dog. Even the delivery drivers loved her.” Taki would routinely visit the distillery over the years and continues to do so in retirement.
As of today, Taki is the oldest living distillery dog at Tito’s and lives with Beth in her retirement. Since Taki first joined the pack, the Vodka for Dog People program has helped over 140 distillery dogs find loving homes, and they often end up with Tito’s employees, including the group of shepherd mixes that she was found with.
“She’s a hilarious, smart, and mischievous dog. She has a huge personality and a spunky, independent attitude. We call her the queen of the shepherd mixes.”
—Beth Bellanti
The team at Tito’s began to wonder about these stray shepherd mixes. Where did they come from? Were they related? Did they have other siblings? There had to be a common thread.
That’s when Beth and their team decided to DNA test the group of distillery dogs, starting with Taki.
Taki’s Embark results
Taki’s breed results revealed she really is queen of the shepherd mixes! Her ancestry is a mix of Doberman Pinscher, German Shepherd Dog, Australian Cattle Dog, Chow Chow, and Labrador Retriever. Her Supermutt ancestry may contain trace amounts of Collie, American Staffordshire Terrier, and Portuguese Water Dog DNA.
“When we saw her breed results, a lot of her personality made sense,” Beth says. “She’s part Australian Cattle Dog, and she does display a lot of ACD behaviors, like trying to herd me to get me to do things faster. She’s a smart, independent girl, and she has a lot of independent breeds in her ancestry.”
Taki’s Embark results also revealed a DNA relative who lives nearby in Austin. Beth is hopeful the two can reunite one day.
“It’s a privilege to get to know more about our dogs that we’re so close to,” Beth says. “Embark’s DNA testing has been a game-changer for us in understanding our beloved pets’ behavioral traits and health risks to better care for them.”
To date, the team at Tito’s has Embarked at least 15 of the distillery dogs with unknown ancestry.
Taki, a Tito’s legend
Taki has since become quite a legend at the company. As a resident co-woofer, she has sat for interviews, modeled for future store displays, and greeted guests at events.
Taki has also inspired art and other tributes from Tito’s employees and fans. Soon, she’ll be getting her own statue as a store display and already has a mural at the Love, Tito’s retail store in downtown Austin, TX.
Taki in front of her mural at Tito’s downtown Austin store. Photo courtesy of Tito’s Handmade Vodka.
Taki still visits the distillery often to see her coworkers and co-woofers. She has settled into her home routine with Beth and two Chihuahuas, which includes daily walks and plenty of cuddles.
Get started with Embark
Join Taki and dogs like her by testing with Embark, the dog DNA test trusted by millions of dog people.
Embark Breed + Health Test
- Regular Price
$199
- Sale Price
- $120
Embark Breed ID Test
- Regular Price
$129
- Sale Price
- $84
