05/22/2026
THE PACK
You often hear us talk about dogs being pack animals. And when we welcome a new “buddy” to Barker’s Barkin’ Buddies we always say welcome to the Pack. Dogs feed off of each other’s energy. They get to know other dogs and humans by their scent. And when dogs are in a group setting, they can tell when one of their fellow K-9 friends are in need of encouragement and emotional support. This is when the “pack mentality” shines through and you see the true nature of what it means to be in a Pack.
Some of you might remember the story of a dog named King, who was left abandoned with us last year. He had a fear of going out the back door to go potty. And when he first arrived at the BBB House last year, he was so scared and confused that he literally laid on the kitchen floor and cried for two straight hours. He let out deep, gut wrenching wails. We finally gained his trust by giving him the love, affection, and stability that he needed.
King was rehomed to a familiar person who had always shown him love. And we just had King back for a week long visit for the first time in over a year. He immediately remembered us and made himself at home. But we could tell that King was still struggling with anxiety and PTSD from his past. Dogs are just like humans, they don’t forget past trauma they’ve experienced.
Many of our other buddies who were around King could sense his anxiety and pain. While all the other buddies would be on the floor playing together, King would stay perched on the couch watching them play. He wanted to join in on the fun, but he didn’t know how … simply because he had never been taught how to just be a dog. So by his third day here, the other buddies started to go play by the couch exactly where King was laying down. Many of them like Beans and Jack would jump up on the couch and lay down beside King. This definitely surprised him and he would look puzzled at times.
Eventually Beans, Jack, and Sadie would bring their playtime directly around King, forcing him to be in the midst of their games. Slowly, King started to break his shell and gained the confidence to get on the floor and play with the other buddies. He quickly became the protective big brother of Beans and Jack, even helping them get out of trouble a few times.
But this is the miraculous wonder of the pack. When dogs come together in a group they quickly learn their place within the group. They feed off of each other’s energy and emotions. When one member is sad, the entire group is sad because they feel that energy. The Pack comes together in a time of need, supporting the one who is down. The Pack shows love and quiet support, lifting up the one who is struggling emotionally. The Pack takes care of its own.