What has four legs, one tail, two floppy ears, and slobber all over? Well, it might be you. Puppy Play BDSM tiptoed into the mainstream around 2015 with various documentaries like Secret Life of the Human Pups showcasing the fetish to the world. While this kink is still predominantly practiced in the gay community, a softer version is taking hold in straight couples everywhere.
If you’ve seen puppy play in action and wanna get into it, here’s a comprehensive guide to its background, demographic, and our fave products to get started. Bark bark, bitch.
What is puppy play BDSM?
Whatever you’re thinking, stop thinking it. Puppy play has nothing to do with actual puppies. While some pup-dom relationships involve some kind of sexual intimacy, it’s not a requirement of the puppy play kink.
Most commonly, it’s when two people engage in a dom-sub relationship under the guise of assuming puppy-like behavior (where one half acts as the owner or handler, and the other acts as the pup).
Now, there are exceptions to that rule. While most pups do have owners or handlers, some pups fly solo. The reason? There are a lot more pups than there are handlers or owners. Because of this, many pups defer to professional doms to be their handlers or owners or simply act out their pup fantasies on their own.
Who engages in puppy play and why?
Like we said in the intro, puppy play was mainly found in the gay community up until recently. Thanks to Tik Tok, and one pup-loving girl named Jenna, a more accessible version of puppy play has now spread to the masses.
Historically, puppy play was never a “cute” or “sweet” kind of kink. The pups would wear big leather masks or pup hoods, harnesses, butt plugs with tails, and more. To a curious onlooker, the puppy play kink wasn’t one that you could jump into without previous kink experience. Not to mention, pups we’re almost always embodied by gay men.
However, thanks to Jenna’s soft portrayal of puppy play, and her hetero dom-sub relationship, more cis-couples have started to experiment with the kink. Instead of turning to harnesses, masks, and insertable tails, this new way of puppy play BDSM kind of kicks BDSM to the curb — more often than not, it’s just the pup sub crawling around on the floor asking for pets and approval. No accessories, just pure pup-dom partnership.
Our fave puppy play essentials
So you wanna be a pup but you don’t know where to start? Don’t worry. From more traditional puppy play accessories to more accessible toys infiltrating the mainstream community, we’ve rounded up our favorites to make your next playtime your best playtime.
Cute bowls for drinking and eating: Chow Down and Slurp Up
Whether you’re the pup or the owner, a good dog needs a cute bowl for your house. These were designed by Rae Dunn and have her signature modern font text on a white background. Choose between nine different text options with words like “Chow Down”, “Bark”, “Spoiled”, and “Sip” scrawled across the front.
The Bowls also come in two sizes ranging from 6-inches to 8-inches — the 6-inch bowls hold up to three cups of food and water and the 8-inch hold a little over four cups. And if you’re looking for a matching set, the “Savor” and “Sip” bowls come in a pack of two. BTW, these are also dishwasher and microwave safe, so you can wash, heat, and serve however you’d like.
Price: $22 – $34.75
Spiked leather collar: Adjustable collar
Surprise your puppy girl with the cutest collar and she might love you forever. This one’s made from pink microfiber leather and has been covered in silver spikes and studs. No need to worry about accidental injury as these spikes aren’t overly sharp. Plus, they won’t get caught in your puppy girl’s hair.
It comes in six different sizes — from XS to XXL — and is completely adjustable. If you’re shopping for a gift and aren’t too sure about your puppy’s neck size, we recommend sticking with the medium. At an adjustable 12 – 15 inches, it’s a safe bet for the average neck size.
Price: $11.12
Colored ceramic bowls: Sweejar bowls
These ceramic bowls are too cute. They’ve got a gradient finish in eight different colors. Our favorites are the yellow, light blue, and pink bowls. Get ‘em in three different sizes — small, medium, and large — and put any fears about toxic materials to the back of your mind. Thanks to the high temp these have been cooked at, the ceramic is non-toxic, odorless, and durable. Most importantly, its surface is a hard one for bacteria to breed on.
The bowls are also dishwasher and microwave safe, and hard to tip over thanks to their weight. Your puppy girl will have the time of her life eating out of these stunning ceramic bowls.
Price: $13.59 – $27.99
Puppy play gym: EclecticNeeds
Treat your puppy girl to her new favorite pastime — the puppy gym. Handmade from sturdy PVC piping, it’s ideal for any puppy girl who wants to get a little rough. All the plastics in the play center are BPA-free and safe for puppies. Plus, the rings are durable and easy to remove for cleaning or replacements.
Price: $99
Puppy play BDSM mittens: G8DBOY
These might be your new favorite addition to the puppy play accessories trunk (we know you have one). Get ready for your puppy girl to be walking around with realistic paws for mittens.
They’re made from soft, genuine leather and have sturdy leather straps to help ‘em stay on. Our favorite part? The silicone pads look like puppy paws.
These are 100% customizable — choose from nine different colors for your leather base and silicone paw pads. Just inform the creator of your puppy girl’s fist size for a custom fit. For a fun activity, set a white canvas sheet down on the floor and have your puppy girl walk across the sheet with painted paws.
Price: $217.35+
Puppy play mask: KinkyRubberDoc
If you really wanna tap into the inner pup, this dog mask might be your best bet. Transform your puppy girl’s face into a leather dog for your viewing pleasure. It’s got an open mouth and hanging tongue, along with pointy, standing ears.
Choose from two colors — black or red — and be sure to measure before purchasing. It’s not one size fits all thanks to the adjustable buckle in the back, but it’s not custom-made to fit.
Price: $49.20
Pink bow collar: Maca Bates
Your puppy girl is a gift, so why not treat her with a new bow collar? This one features a perfectly straightened bow big enough to cover her whole neck. It comes in 14 colors, with a few mix and match combinations. We love the light pink color for summer and a red and green combo for the wintertime.
It also comes in four sizes ranging from XS to XL, but thanks to its adjustable neck, you’ll probably be safe with the medium size.
Price: $11.99+
