The new kink: human pup-play in the contemporary moment

This thesis presents personal narratives of 6 gay men who engage in a behavior known as pup-play (also known as puppy play). Pup-play is a form of role-playing in which people mimic the behavior of dogs. Bondage, discipline/domination, sadism, and masochism (BDSM) has been researched in detail. Although pup-play reflects BDSM in specific way(s), studies of sexual subcultures have not concentrated on pup-play. This research delivers a qualitative exploration of human pup-play among gay men living in Los Angeles and San Francisco. I exhibit through my findings that pup-mode (also known as headspace, sub-space, pup-space) can be therapeutic and could be a form of therapy for pup’s who participate sexually in pup-play.