Dogs with connections around central Barking! (5)

'dogs' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both people as well as being plural nouns.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?

'connections around central barking' is the wordplay.
'connections' becomes 'ties' (tie is a kind of connection).
'around' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'central' says to take the centre.
The middle of 'barking' is 'k'.
'ties' enclosing 'k' is 'TIKES'.

'with' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?