Gay puppies

Last weekend, I was hanging out at the Cuff, the leather bar at 13th and Pine, when a bloke to my left pulled out a pink rubber ball. He held it up in the air, and around the patio half a dozen guys suddenly dropped what they were doing and turned to stare. He swayed his arm a few times, the men in front of him tracking every move with their eyes—and then, with a speedy flick, he tossed the ball into the middle of the crowd, provoking furious barks as they all clambered over each other, desperate to steal the ball and return it to him, or maybe just retreat to a corner to blissfully chew on it.

This was the scene at the monthly mosh held by Seattle Pups and Handlers (SEA-PAH), our local puppy-play group. Surely you've heard of puppy play: It's surging in popularity among the gays, and, if history is any guide, will be surging among the straights in five years when we've moved on to something else.

Let's be clear about this. Puppy participate means role-playing as a dog, down on all fours and barking, and yes, it's weird. Of course it is. But I know you're not the sort of person who uses "weird" as a pejorative term, because you're reading The Stranger. You weirdo.

If you're having

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Is Pup Play Only For (Gay) Men?

Hello, fellow pup enthusiasts! Today, we’re diving headfirst into a topic that has been wagging its tail on the outskirts of our pup play society – “Is Pup Play Only For (Gay) Men?” The truth is, our pup community is like a vast, welcoming dog park where everyone is invited to compete .

Setting the Document Straight: Pup Play’s All-Inclusive Haven

If you’ve ever wondered whether pup play is an exclusive playground for gay men, we’re here to unravel the authenticity – it’s not! The pup collective is a haven of inclusivity and open-mindedness that welcomes individuals from all walks of being.

Whether you’re a woman, non-binary, pertain to different sexual orientations, or stand for a variety of age groups, our paw-some community has a spot just for you. But if that’s the case, why does this misconception persist? Well, let’s scoop deeper and bring out the fascinating dynamics that paint the pup play canvas.

Crunching the Numbers: Unveiling Gender and Sexuality in the Pup Scene

Numbers speak volumes, and when it comes to pup play, they sketch an intriguing picture. In a wide-scale pup survey, participants r

Your go-to Guide for Unleashing the Handler Within

What is puppy play? It is the mental, physical and emotional process whereby a human takes on the role or persona of a dog. A human, often referred to as “hooman” in puppy slang, gets into the mental declare (headspace) of letting proceed of their fears and inhibitions and simulates the characteristics of a puppy. There is a lot that is part of “puppy,” ranging from headspace to aftercare, gear, moshing and, most importantly, shelter. All of this united makes up puppy play.

Now, here is where we come into play.

Handling a puppy is fun, and the benefits to you as the handler are just as rewarding to you as they are for the puppy. People say that puppy perform is what you build, which is true. Having said that, my way is not the only way to do things. I speak from the perspective of a handler/ trainer and my personal experiences in the community.

Our job as a handler is to let pups be pups while helping them to let move of their human side.

Even though we need more handlers in our collective, don’t be discouraged if you don’t have one or can’t find one. Just because you don’t have one doesn’t represent you can’t “pup out.” Sometimes an alpha,

Pup play: Behind the sexual fetish, a caring community

Olivier Ferlatte

Credit: K.Ho

A research plan sheds light on the body image benefits of pup play, a role play in which people pretend to be dogs.

Pup play is a role-playing game in which humans adopt canine characteristics and behaviours: wearing dog masks, barking, crawling on all fours, drinking from a bowl, play-fighting with other pups and engaging in other dog-like activities.

While still a niche subculture, its visibility is growing, particularly among gay, bisexual, gender diverse and queer (GBTQ) men. Pup play has its roots in BDSM (bondage and discipline, domination and submission, sadomasochism) and particularly the leather community, but it is more a social and community-building outing than a sexual practice.

Olivier Ferlatte, a professor in the School of Common Health at Université de Montréal and a mental health researcher specializing in LGBTQ+ communities, and his colleague Phillip Joy from Mount Saint Vincent University looked at the benefits of pup play for the body image of its practitioners.

Dispelling the stigma

In their study, the analyze team investigated the association betw