Pupdate: May 2023

As part of our partnership with Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, our associates were able to choose the name of our dog - please meet our little girl, Barqs (Barqs/Barks…get it? 😉)! Barqs was born on April 4, 2023 and is a healthy and happy puppy. We can’t wait to share periodic ‘pupdates’ as she completes her 2-year long training program.

A small brown and black puppy sitting on a red towel in front of a stuffed polar bear toy with a red scarf. Behind the puppy is a red Coca-Cola t-shirt hanging on a wooden wall. On either side are bottles and cans of Barq's root beer, with the cans organized in two groups of three and the bottles placed beside the t-shirt.
Various Coca-Cola branded items including a t-shirt, a cap, a small plush bear, cans of root beer, bottles of soda, a stuffed puppy, and a small bag, all displayed on a table with a red cloth against a wooden wall.
A puppy with dark fur and tan markings standing on a red textured blanket with a small white stuffed dog wearing a red scarf and holding a red baseball bat, surrounded by a Coca-Cola shirt hanging on a wooden wall and cans of Bang root beer, with a bottle of Bang root beer behind the puppy.
A small puppy sitting inside a Coca-Cola branded bag amidst cans, bottles, and a bag of Coca-Cola, with a red Coca-Cola t-shirt hanging against a wooden wall in the background, and a plush white toy dog with a red Coca-Cola scarf in the foreground.

Pupdate: July 2023

Susannah Smith, the Senior Director of Public Affairs & Communications at Coke Northeast, visited Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs in Williston, FL. She got an in-depth look at the organization’s training protocols, programs, goals, and accomplishments while touring their impressive campus. The first stop was to meet Barqs - the service dog we are sponsoring through Guardian Angels. She was just about 3 months old at the time of the visit and it was great to see that she is growing into quite the big, happy girl! While interactions with Barqs had to be limited because she hadn’t received her immunizations yet, the visit was jam-packed with plenty of other activities. Susannah observed group and individual training sessions with adult dogs, visited Guardian Angels’ on-site veterinary clinic, and participated in a training session with a 13-week-old puppy named Crypto, who showed off his newly-learned retrieval skills and his superior sit-and-stay talents, displaying amazing focus for such a little guy.

After her visit, Susannah had this to say: “I knew we had made a great decision to partner with Guardian Angels, but I came away from my visit even more impressed and with an even greater respect for the work that they do. This organization fundamentally transforms lives, literally saves lives, and the program they have put together to ensure the dogs are perfectly trained service companions is incredible. Guardian Angels is an absolutely outstanding organization that I am so proud Coke Northeast is partnering with. I can’t wait to see the awesome things Barqs is going to do!”

Pupdate: December 2023

We are so excited to tell you that Barqs, the medical service dog that Coke Northeast is sponsoring through Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, is doing great! And getting so big!! She has been working hard to learn how to be a service dog with daily training sessions, and is currently working on her basic commands, including paws, sit, down, stay, and heel, and has recently started agility training. She is also socializing with other dogs, becoming accustomed to household objects (like vacuum cleaners and umbrellas), being exposed to regular grooming, and going for car rides to acclimate her to different vehicles.

The staff at Guardian Angels says Barqs is very playful and affectionate, and loves playing fetch with the other puppies. She enjoys meeting new people and is always up for a good snuggle session at the end of a long day. In the words of her trainer, “Barqs is overall a very sweet, smart, and goofy puppy. She will be an amazing service dog and is an absolute joy to train with.” Good girl, Barqs!

A service dog with a vest lying on grass in front of bushes with blue flowers. The vest reads "Service Dog in Training Guardian Angels." There are Coca-Cola branded items, including a cooler, a can, and a hat, placed nearby.
A Belgian Malinois dog with a blue collar sitting on grass in an outdoor park, facing left with eyes closed and mouth open.

Pupdate: April 2024 - BONUS FOOTAGE

We are thrilled to share with you a video that we received from our friends at Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs of Barqs during a recent training session. She is loving her “job” and is doing so well. Good girl, Barqs! We’re so proud of you!

A happy brindle dog sitting on a path with green bushes and blue flowers in the background, tongue out, looking at the camera.
A German Shepherd dog sitting on a leaf-covered ground, looking up at the camera with a happy expression and tongue slightly out.

Pupdate: April 2024

Barqs is just over a year old and getting closer to being paired with her human! Over the last few months, she has been working on skills needed for the AKC/CGC (American Kennel Club/Canine Good Citizen) test. This test, which is a prerequisite for becoming a certified medical service dog, assesses a dog’s obedience, manners, and ability to interact with people and other dogs calmly and confidently. Keep up the great work, Barqs!

A happy brindle-colored dog with pointy ears, lying on grass, looking at the camera with its mouth open, wearing a blue harness, outdoors on a sunny day with a few people and picnic tables in the background.
A person sitting on the ground with a German Shepherd lying on its back, playing and showing its teeth, with a leash visible.
A happy dog with a black and tan coat sits on a car seat, facing the camera with its mouth open and tongue out.
A young mixed-breed dog with a black and brown coat, sitting on a paved path in a wooded area, looking up with an open mouth and ears perked.