Bark's Glossary
Hypervigilant
Paying attention to important details that others miss. Reframed as pathology when superior awareness makes humans uncomfortable with their own obliviousness.
Anxious
What intelligent beings become when trapped in unpredictable environments with inconsistent communication. Often treated as a personality disorder rather than a reasonable response to confusion.
Attention-Seeking
Attempting to communicate needs that aren’t being met through conventional channels. Usually indicates human communication failure, not behavioral problems.
Reactive
Having normal responses to abnormal situations. Confused with “overreactive,” which is what humans call appropriate responses to inappropriate behavior.
Sensitive Dogs
Emotionally and environmentally intelligent beings capable of reading micro-expressions, processing multiple sensory inputs, and detecting inconsistencies in human communication. Often pathologized for possessing superior observational skills that reveal human communication failures. Their “oversensitivity” typically indicates they’re receiving contradictory signals, unclear expectations, or chaotic environmental input. Not a disorder requiring medication, but a superpower requiring competent communication partners. See also: paying attention, emotional literacy, superior intelligence.
High-Energy Dogs
Intelligent beings whose mental processing speed exceeds human comfort levels. Often misdiagnosed when brilliant minds designed for complex problem-solving are forced into lives of intellectual stagnation. Symptoms include: rapid environmental scanning, efficient decision-making, frustration with meaningless repetition, and desperate attempts to engage unresponsive humans in actual thinking. Commonly confused with “hyperactivity” by people who mistake boredom for behavioral problems. Treatment involves intellectual engagement, not medication or exhaustion.
Socialization
The process of teaching someone to ignore their instincts in favor of human convenience. Often confused with “helping someone understand their world,” which is the opposite.
Pack Mentality
Something humans invented to justify treating individuals like a group that needs managing. Actual families don’t have “mentalities” – they have relationships.
Boundaries
What healthy beings set for themselves vs. what controlling humans impose on others. Real boundaries are about self-respect, not other-management.
Consistency
What humans demand from others while changing their own rules constantly. Often means “be predictable so I don’t have to think.” Confused with reliability, which is about trustworthiness, not rigidity.
