Wouldn't it be more natural to call "guys" or "fellas" instead of "friends"?
Native speaker’s answer
Rebecca
While "guys" is sometimes used to refer to both males and females, you will note that Dog's friends are likely a mixed group. Thus, the neutral term "friends" has been used here. Also, "fella" is only used to refer to males. Ex: Hey friends, do you want to go on a picnic? Ex: I'm going to hang out with the guys.