An interview with Pup Brock about PET PLAY.
MasterMarc: Hi Brock. On your Twitter profile you’re writing that you are a happily owned pup. That’s great. Can you tell me, what it means for you, to be a pup? What are the emotions which are connected to your existence as pup?
Pup Brock: Thanks for asking. Being a pup for me isn’t just about canine behaviour. It’s a way of being that is playful, joyous, and free; it’s me being me and feeling what I feel, and not having to hide or guard my feelings. It means letting go of a lot of my thoughts, worries, and anxieties, and either playing freely and in the moment, or serving a Dom sincerely and affectionately. It means being with someone with plenty of care and trust, all freely (and often exuberantly) expressed. It’s very much about physical and emotional affection: central to being a pup are cuddles and physical intimacy! That’s part of why it’s such fun to be one. Canine behaviour comes on top of all that, and assists with the release of stress and with focusing on joy at the present moment. For example, if speech is replaced by barking, then who needs to worry about saying the right thing? Just make a joyful sound!
MasterMarc: It seems that it is first a passion and second also an outlet. Where do you see the differences between the nature of a pup and the character of a slave?
Pup Brock: As I see it, while both pups and slaves are submissives within BDSM and Dom/sub relations, they’re actually quite different. A slave’s focus is usually on obedience, and on serving by attending to his Master’s needs and instructions. A pup’s focus, in contrast, is on play and fun, and a pup serves by bringing joy to his Master, elevating the mood of a scene. I see pups as generally more independent, though this is not to say that a pup should not be submissive or obedient:
I enjoy using my independence and initiative to do things that make my Master smile, and occasionally that means being a bit silly or witty or funny, but submission and obedience still make the experience of being with Him meaningful to me. Pups, to me, are more expressive of their emotions, good or bad, and are therefore best handled with perhaps more sensitivity than a slave might be. Just like with real dogs, when human pups are treated with loving kindness, I think they’re likely to return that many times over, and that to me makes Dom/sub relations with a pup very much more intimate and uplifting. Happiness, as they say, is a warm puppy.
MasterMarc: How important is in your eyes sex for pup players?
Pup Brock: Good question. I think sex is definitely important overall for pup players. To me, pup play is sexy. When I play with a pup, I’m getting up close and intimate with him, I’m connecting with him, and that will usually involve lots of physical actions like cuddling, licking, caressing, playful biting, and more. I think that’s sexy, and when two pups play like that, sex is often a natural and satisfying progression of that level of intimacy. When I play with my Master, I’m offering myself to Him, and that includes my body, at a very intimate and close level. Having Him connect that way with me is almost always a major turn-on, and chances are I’ll end up intensely aroused. Beyond that, of course, is the sheer sexiness of a lot of pup gear, and I think a pup geared up in leather gear (based around a collar, harness, and jockstrap) or rubber gear (slick, shiny, and skin tight) presents a very attractive and arousing image. That said, pup play can easily be erotic without being overtly sexual, and can even be completely non-sexual, and most of the time when I engage in it in public with other pups, that’s how it ends up being. For some pups, including me sometimes, being able to pup out without worrying about sex and instead simply having fun with other pups is crucial, and so I think there’s most definitely a place for non-sexual pup play as well.
MasterMarc: It sounds a little like there is more action between two pups that it would be normaly between two subs / bottoms and that is is more a tender way of sex. So would you say that the majority of pup players aren’t into sm? And how can people, who have a pup heart but at the same time also the desire of harder action, bring that together?
Pup Brock: Speaking as a pup who enjoys rough sex and hard action, I’d say it’s certainly possible to bring it together! And actually, I believe a lot of pups are in fact keen on SM, or at least open to exploring it sincerely. Certainly most of the pups I know are. Pup play is intimate, and SM is also intimate, and it’s not necessarily a great leap from one type of intimacy to the other. This is especially true when you consider that both involve giving trust and being receptive to strong feelings, and both work best with an open mind. For men who open themselves to pup play, perhaps it’s then easier to open themselves to a wider range of sexuality, including harder play. As for bringing a pup heart together with harder action, I like to look at both as acts of love. SM can be exceptionally tender and loving, however hard it may appear on the outside. To a pup looking to combine the two, I’d say take the trust and affection from the pup side of play and offer it to the SM side. Offer yourself in trust and openness, just as a pup would. By offering your body to another for harder action such as impact play, or by receiving another’s body as a gift and bringing him on an intense journey, you’re doing what I think pups at heart do: you’re bonding closely, and you’re bringing joy to both of you. And that’s just as much an act of love as any other.
MasterMarc: I know a lot of masters who are using dog play elements to humiliate slaves. But by seeing human pups playing there is no feeling of humiliation present. Why do you think are pup play elements for slaves humiliating? And how can you humiliate a pup?
Pup Brock: Before I answer that, I’d better say that humiliation is something to be approached with caution with pups. When a pup is immersed in his head space and is genuinely and sincerely working hard to please his partner and make him happy, applying humiliation harshly can be very discouraging for the pup. If done carelessly, this can even shatter a pup’s sense of confidence or trust in his partner, which can ruin a scene or a session. There’s a world of difference between the sort of playful mock humiliation that can work well in a scene with a pup, and the degrading humiliation that sometimes forms part of a hardcore Master/slave scene. When canine behaviour is used to reinforce a sense of worthlessness, of inferiority, or of subjugation, then this is certainly humiliating and probably belongs more to a punitive or hard Master/slave scene. I don’t think it’s a good idea to treat a pup like that, unless you’re absolutely certain he enjoys it, and in my experience very few pups actually do. If humiliation is to be used productively in a scene or session with a pup, then I’d suggest making it playful. Integrate it into the role-play. Apply it as you would to a dog, with appropriate actions. Cage time, playful whacks, creative SM, admonishments (done in the manner of scolding a dog), and similar actions fit well into the role-play and reinforce a sense of playful dominance which I think goes very well with the pup headspace. It isn’t about how hard the pup is struck during SM, or how much time the pup spends in the cage: it’s about the feelings that the humiliation, or mock humiliation, creates and how they affect the session. If a pup must be punished or humiliated, however hard it may be, let it be done with love, just as with everything else.
MasterMarc: What are other important things a newbie pup owner has to respect if he starts to play with human pups? Can you give other advices?
Pup Brock: I’ve never owned a pup, but I’ve been owned by two men, at different times, so my perspective’s from the submissive’s side. I believe pups are generally good natured and happy to serve, and I’d recommend giving plenty of opportunities for your new pup to serve you. Let him do it in ways he’s good at and enjoys, so that he can feel a sense of contribution alongside a sense of accomplishment. Be careful with punishment, and be alert to a pup becoming disheartened or discouraged, as that can affect his entire relationship with you. Unlike slaves, who tend to cherish control, pups in my experience tend to be less keen on being controlled and more keen on being loved and enjoyed, so give your new pup plenty of chances to show how much he loves and appreciates you. By all means include discipline and domination and however much SM you like into the relationship, at a level that suits both of you, but make sure there’s a strong element of play and fun as well. Men who are attracted to being fetish pups are often playful and affectionate by nature, so gear the relationship around that. But I’d give the same advice I’d give any Dominant wishing to begin a BDSM relationship with any type of submissive: get to know him, allow him to get to know you, and find a dynamic that allows him to serve and submit to you in a way that you enjoy and that also satisfies his need for submission as well as yours for domination. And let it be loads and loads of fun!
MasterMarc: How have you started to live your pup side and what are your advises for boys who are interested to try the pup thing? What do they need? How to find the right owner? What are the dangers and how can they avoid them?
Pup Brock: My own pup identity grew naturally out of my service to my current Master, who one day introduced the idea to me, taught me the basic psychology of being a pup, and then allowed me the choice to play freely within that head space for a while, which of course I did. I took to it very quickly and have been happy as a pup ever since! For anyone who feels like they might want to try it, go for it. Pup play is a very safe and accessible form of kink and fetish play, due to its emphasis on affectionate and caring interaction, ease of play, and a relative minimum of gear needed to use. Actually, all the gear you really need is perhaps a collar and a lead, and beyond that maybe a dog bowl or some soft toys. The rest of it is psychological. You don’t even need a Handler: two pups can easily play quite satisfyingly together. It’s useful if a new pup can play with a more experienced pup, but even that’s not strictly necessary. Get down on the floor, be prepared to act and feel foolish (at first; it’ll feel natural soon enough), let go of speech and worry, and use simple canine behaviour to play freely for a while. It doesn’t take great skill or experience to throw a ball for someone to go and fetch, or to give a vigorous belly rub! I’d also suggest not worrying too early on about finding a Handler or Owner. BDSM relationships require commitment, and they can come in time, especially as you find your paws, so to speak. Be careful of men who present themselves too directly as Handlers or Masters and who are very quick to collar and own and restrict: good Dominants in BDSM take their time, and good submissives watch out for themselves before rushing into anything. If you find yourself concerned or worried about pressure a potential Handler, Owner, or Dominant is placing you under, just remember that it’s the submissive and not the Dominant who’s meant to initiate any BDSM relationship. The pup chooses his Master, not the other way around. If it’s going too fast for you, then it’s going too fast. Slow down, catch your breath, play some more, and see how things then develop. You don’t need an Owner to be a good pup or to enjoy pup space.
MasterMarc: Trust is the base of every BDSM action and it needs time to build up this trust. You’re totaly right and of course communication is important too. But by listening to your answer i was asking me, if you’re talking about dogs or cats? 🙂 Btw. what do you think about the other pet play groups like pony players, etc?
Pup Brock: I’m talking about pups, of course! I have no experience with kitty play, pony play, or any other type of pet play. Pups are the dominant group at the moment where I live, and I interact with them often. I do have one kitty friend, but apart from that I don’t know anybody who’s into other types of pet play.
MasterMarc: Why do you think that the dog play fetish is becoming more and more popular? It seems a little like a hype.
Pup Brock: I think it’s a very accessible way for people to explore kink. It lets you be submissive without the strict discipline or harsh punishments of the Master/slave scene. It lets you indulge in a whole range of gear, if you like, which looks and feels sexy yet doesn’t necessarily involve restriction or pain. It’s also something you can do without having access to gear. You can include anything in pup play, from SM to sex, or not, and that’s all ok. It gives you a range of play that is both easy to learn and simple to execute, and is of course lots of fun to do also. And there’s quite a community of pups out there already, so you’ve got people to talk to and explore it with. As a pup, you don’t need to worry about the right behaviour, or the right actions, or being punished for getting something wrong. Those can be fairly crippling obstacles to beginners who find themselves excited by kink and BDSM yet terrified of the harsh images seen in pornography and in magazines. Pup play is welcoming and friendly, is more often than anything else loving and intimate, and it’s easy and fun to do. And you get to let go completely and just be in the moment and play freely. For someone who’s new or exploring, the barriers of entry to pup play are exceptionally low, and the payoff is high.
MasterMarc: Any last words of advice for someone out there who might be interested to try pup play, but still has some doubt or hesitation about it?.
Pup Brock: Just go for it! It may feel foolish or silly at first. And that’s ok, it’s like that for most guys, you’re acting like a dog after all. And you can actually get comfortable with it surprisingly quickly once you get into the swing of it. When you’re alone or with someone you trust, and you’ve nothing to fear, then just be foolish and silly. Let go and have fun! Try anything, and experiment. Test out some different barking noises. Try chasing things. Pick things up (carefully) with your mouth. Drink from a bowl on the floor (hint: slurp and suck). Eventually, you’ll find yourself relaxing into it, and it’ll be possible to do this in front of others. Then it’ll get even more exciting and fun. When that happens, just let yourself be as exuberant as you like, because every other pup you’ll ever meet will be doing exactly the same!
MasterMarc: Brock, thanks a lot for this first talk about pet play. I’m sure we will continue soon to talk about. C u soon.
You can contact Pup Brock on Recon.
