.jpeg)
Our idea is inspired by and in memory of Barkley (the corgi, 2021–2026). He had high-highs and low-lows, a huge personality, and a pack he loved. Pack pictures care of @vinceandpennywalks
<aside> 🐾
We’re exploring an idea — and we’d love your feedback.
</aside>
His name was Barkley – named after Charles, because from day one, it was clear he had that kind of personality.
Barkley was our COVID dog. We brought him home during lockdown, and like a lot of dogs raised in that strange time, he came out the other side with big feelings about the world. He was reactive – not aggressive, just overwhelmed. Barks wore his heart on his sleeve but also had trouble managing what came next.
He had high-highs and low-lows. When he was in his element – with people he loved, dogs he trusted, in places that felt safe – he was the most lovable, joyful, goofy dog you’ve ever met. But the city scared him. Skateboards. Big dogs. Scooters. Wheelchairs. The unpredictable, clanging chaos of urban life could send him over the edge in an instant.
He really did embody Charles Barkley – electric and magnetic when he was on, volatile and combustible when he wasn’t. Larger than life and completely unfiltered.
Two things changed Barkley’s life – and ours. The first was reactivity training. Not to fix him, but to help us understand him. To give us the tools to help him navigate a world that felt too loud and too fast. Having a reactive dog can be isolating at times: You learn to scan every sidewalk before turning a corner, you cross the street preemptively, you skip certain outings.
The second was finding his pack. Barkley had a small, consistent group of dogs he saw week after week. Dogs he knew. A walker who knew him. It gave him something most reactive dogs rarely get: a social life that felt safe and predictable. He loved his pack.
The problem was finding it. We sent dozens of emails. We called walker after walker. Too many didn’t service our neighborhood. Too many didn’t have room. Too many weren’t equipped for a dog like Barkley. It took longer than it should have, and we got lucky.
Not every dog parent does, and we’re so grateful for the time we had together.
Barkley was four years old – going on five – when he got triggered by something across the street, broke loose, and was sideswiped by an oncoming car. His life was way too short. But he taught us more than we expected – about patience, about empathy, about what dogs like him actually need to thrive.
We’d like to pay it forward: We’re exploring whether a platform to help dog parents easily find their dog’s pack could be helpful. We recognize it’s not for everyone, but we believe there’s room to improve the process. This one’s for him.
Not a rotating roster of strangers. Not an algorithm. A real pack with the same dogs, the same walker, week after week — so your dog can build trust, find rhythm, and actually enjoy their time outside.
The idea of PackFinder was inspired by a reactive dog, but it’s meant for all of them. The anxious ones. The selective ones. The ones who just do better with familiar faces. And the perfectly easy ones too – because every dog deserves a walker who knows their name. We want to help you find the right fit without the endless searching.
We’re in early days and genuinely want to hear from both dog parents and walkers before we build anything.