Barko is a lonely, unloved, and abused dog who has established himself as the unwilling clown of a circus run by poodles. His seemingly random fear of hot dogs is rationalized by flashbacks conveying a former owner who occupies his time tormenting the poor pup with the processed snack. Yet, in the end, Barko suddenly finds himself in the arms of a caring boy who shows him that he can experience a little love after all.
