“What is going on?”, I thought to myself:
“Is that a man in a dog costume-suit-sexual attire?”
As I was watching a video from The Young Turks a discussion emerged from the hosts, arguing the sanity of this subculture. I thought the show was biased and I needed a neutral point of view in order to understand this hobby (we will call it lifestyle from now on). Most of the videos, interviews, articles I found about Puppy Play were against it, showing off prejudgment comments, lack of respect and reactionary ideas.
Apparently this subculture surfaced from BDSM practices and became a secret lifestyle for many people some years ago, but the practice continues nowadays and is becoming increasingly known over the years. Tv shows, parades, documentaries, sketches, YouTube videos and even newspapers have covered this uncommon practice. I submerged myself into the deep,stormy ocean called internet and I was able to find interesting points of view straight from real human pups (Thanks! I was getting tired of reading / listening to bigots pigs)
Relationships are tough, we all know that. We all have experienced a friendship’s argument gone the wrong way, a heartbreaking love or a misunderstanding at work. We as humans tend to hide different parts of ourselves, mostly the ones we are embarrassed about. Puppy Play allows you to encounter your true self, in a free biased environment and skin deep emotions.
According to Matt Baume in The Stranger, the Puppy Play functions as a psychological option reaching necessities other BDSM practices not always accomplish. Overcoming social fears, human interaction problems, making friends, relaxing, calming nerves and even understanding yourself are some of the benefits pup play can give you.
“But why pretend to be a dog? Why not just listen to Enya and squeeze a stress ball? That’s harder to answer, but I suspect that some pups just need a more forceful way to relax, or maybe the structure of puppy play, loose though it may be, provides permission to unwind.”
Sexual desire? yes…well, maybe…. sometimes…it depends.
The Puppy Play can be performed in a sexual and non-sexual manner, depending on the desires both “handlers” (or Masters) and puppies agreed on. In other words, the sexual relationship would be mostly between puppies, so the handlers are not involved (however.. *ahem ahem* : in the BDSM path there are no boundaries between sexual taste and performance, as I understand).
I stumbled across a couple of websites from real human pups making an introduction to Puppy Play and answering from a variety of questions related to the topic:
Sirius Pup is one of the most honest and open to the public website I found. Sirius explains the roots of the subculture, the meaning of his Pup name, his dog pack, the clan and even ethics in pup play (which is awesome because he identifies, explains and cares about important values in this movement, so he is very explicit about his ideas). Check out his YouTube channel (sensitive and sexual content, discretion advised).
“The goal is to release the dog inside you. It is an animal that hides beneath the layers of humanity you possess, an animal frequently suppressed by human convention and mores. It is a pure, simple animal – devoid of guilt or shame. An animal of want and need, expressing itself instinctively. ”
– Sirius Pup
Also another very well detailed website I encountered is The Happy Pup. This is one of the most friendly and welcoming websites I found, where you can find specific accessories, with an elaborated explanation of each one of the artifacts, gear, toys hints and tips to make your pup experience more revealing. Check out his YouTube Channel (sensitive and sexual content, discretion advised).
“It’s a fun hobby but if the pack gets any bigger I might need a trailer!
[…] Hugs, tugs and happy puppy play.”
-Gpup
The relationship between the Master and the pup must be strong, even though is not a necessity or obligation to have one. Many items and gear are used by the Master to guide the pup’s behavior into a fitting one.
Puppy play is everywhere: all around the world, with different perspectives and methods but the goal is the same everywhere: release yourself, make friends and have fun.
This article was fun to write. The research I had to do was an eye-opening for me (in many areas!) and I ended up finding myself between: pet toys, gadgets, testimonies, advises, pictures, videos, leather suits, leashes, spikes, dog treats, sexual toys, machines, chains, floppy ears, paw gloves, dog food, recordings, dog bones…intrigue, distress, shyness, silliness, happiness, amusement, relaxation, socialization, friendship, desire, sex, pain, pleasure…..and so on. This is why Puppy Play is not a “weird” hobby: it is lifestyle as Puppy Play includes from material entertainment to real emotions and raw pleasures.
“Real magic in relationships means an absence of judgment of others.”
-Wayne Dyer
[While I was writing the article, I realized the sensitive content under the topic. I felt obligated to forestall about its impact even though I wrote the article not in an explicit way on purpose.
By all means, I encourage objectivity, seriousness and respect for each other’s pleasures, likes, lifestyles, ideas and hobbies. Sharing our opinion wisely makes us more human: we should share and exchange point of views, enriching everybody’s perception and mind. ]
Curiosity at the Door 