An NPC has a pack of trained dogs she has ordered to attack the PCs. A PC casts calm animals. Assuming the dogs fail their save and the PC rolls high enough to affect all their hit die, what happens now? If the NPC orders them to attack again, do they just ignore her for the duration of the spell? I presume they would obey non-hostile commands normally?
What if the calmed animal is an animal companion? Does it make any difference?
This spell soothes and quiets animals, rendering them docile and harmless. Only ordinary animals (those with Intelligence scores of 1 or 2) can be affected by this spell. All the subjects must be of the same kind, and no two may be more than 30 feet apart. The maximum number of HD of animals you can affect is equal to 2d4 + caster level.
The affected creatures remain where they are and do not attack or flee. They are not helpless and defend themselves normally if attacked. Any threat breaks the spell on the threatened creatures.
The dogs basically sit there and enjoy the sunshine, chase their tails, or roll over and sun their bellies or something.
you might say beating on the master is the same as beating on the animal companion under the threat clause, thats the only difference that it might make, but i would be VERY hesitant to do that and negate the druids investment of an action, a spell, and their success in having the critters fail the save.
You can't just command an enchanted animal to overcome the charm any more than you can diplomacize a held person into moving: their brain is swiss cheesed by the spell.