Pup play and dog training are the two names outsiders hear first, and almost nobody can tell them apart. This report can: it was written in 2017 for the French magazine Wyylde, after a reporter spent an afternoon at a public initiation session in Paris and interviewed Barka, one of the founders of the Gaydogtraining collective. Nine years on, the description still holds, which is why it is worth reading in English.
What follows is the original article, translated in full.
Setting aside any idea of humiliation or domination, “puppy play” is built first and foremost on play. A canine, cuddly activity, where the festive spirit takes precedence even over sexuality.
An initiation at the Queer Week
Now an unmissable fixture, the Queer Week presents an eclectic range of sexualities every year. Across the various workshops, talks and exhibitions on offer, there is no shortage of chances to discover something new. Among them, an initiation to “dog training” draws plenty of curious onlookers. Stepping forward cautiously, with a smile that is half embarrassed and half amused, the spectators watch some twenty puppies accompanied by their masters. The mood shifts quickly, and the apparent strangeness of the situation gives way to an infectious enthusiasm. The friendly mutts fidget, romp and squabble. In a word: they play. A good-natured atmosphere settles in, worthy of a school playground, and everyone seems able to let go in it.
> “Puppy play does not generally involve actual sexual intercourse.”
Pup play and dog training are two different games
If “play” is the watchword of the activity, a whole gallery of other terms has to be absorbed to understand the spirit of puppy play. And besides, should one say “puppy play” or “dog training”? Behind these two labels lie two quite distinct role plays. Barka, a puppy and above all one of the founders of the Gaydogtraining collective, spells out the nuances between them. As he sees it, puppy play is in a sense the soft version of dog training. Where the first stands out for its playful, convivial side, the second takes up the codes of SM in a harder way.
Handler or master
The name for the master differs too: handler for puppies, master for dogs. And another important detail, puppy play does not generally involve actual sexual intercourse. It is more about letting go than about sex. A gathering of mates, less underground and less violent, which naturally appeals to a greater number of people. So much so that Barka, himself a devotee of puppy play, is steering his pack slightly by gradually changing the group’s name from Gaydogtraining to “Pup 101”.
> “It is more about letting go than about sex.”
Obedience, but no submission
Among puppies, there is no submission. That said, for the role play with the handler to make full sense, their obedience is of course put to the test. Some will take pleasure in following certain rules. So it is not unusual to see, at these gatherings, bondage practices in particular, or puppies shut in their cage for a while. A way of sealing the bonds once and for all. Still in the spirit of fun, “mummifications” can even take place.
> “Spending most of your time on all fours is no rest cure. Mitts and knee pads are therefore recommended.”
Ranks within the pack
Conversely, other puppies, more mischievous, will enjoy disobeying their handler’s orders. Docile or not, the apprentice “pups” always find a playful way of getting their kicks. Depending on their behaviour, a “rank” is assigned to them. A hierarchy that divides into four categories: the alpha, the beta, the omega, and finally the last of the litter, affectionately nicknamed the “pouic-pouic” (the squeaky toy). Finding a place within the pack and settling into one of these categories depends mainly on physical strength, but also on strength of character and on the puppies’ presence. For each pack, several alphas can nonetheless establish themselves.
From screens to real gatherings
Previously, the keenest members of the puppy play world could only meet virtually. The first of them therefore got to know each other through social networks, but over the past two years the situation has changed. The phenomenon has taken on a new scale, and that growth has brought new followers with it. Inevitably, the gatherings have become very real indeed. Driven by its founders Barka, Dolko (another puppy) and Agron, their handler, the collective now regularly brings together the diehards of puppy play from all over.
> “In full swing, the founders of Pup 101 still feel a growing demand from the uninitiated.”
Gear, and what the collar stands for
For the puppies’ comfort, however, a few “technical” precautions are advised. Spending most of your time on all fours is no rest cure. Mitts and knee pads are therefore recommended. Alongside the dog mask, the collar can also turn out to be a key item. Not so much for its decorative side as for the symbolic value it carries, the collar, especially when it bears its wearer’s nickname, has a key function in the role play.
It separates the man from the puppy
It makes it possible to draw a clear line between the man, the human being, the one from real life, and the puppy, the character, the role he takes on only for the duration of the game. A clean separation that shows where the limits are and makes it possible to genuinely find each other again once the activity is over.
Freedom, and no obligation to be a couple
On top of the relaxation that comes out of puppy play, the notion of freedom is also predominant. In that spirit, a duo made up of a puppy and a handler does not always amount to a couple in real life. A puppy may in fact have no handler at all.
What comes next
The festive phenomenon of the puppies is only just beginning. In full swing, the founders of Pup 101 still feel a growing demand from the uninitiated. Making a point of valuing the playful side and keeping only certain codes of SM: a winning recipe for welcoming people without putting them off. Faced with this sudden gain in interest for the activity, the pioneering members nevertheless insist they have neither the pretension nor the intention of pleasing the general public. For now, the plan is to stay within a fairly small community, gathered around a resolutely transgressive fantasy. Newcomers are welcome, and the will to win over the swinger and fetish scenes is clearly stated, but going out in the street as puppies is therefore not on the agenda just yet.
Interview: Barka Xetal, by NJ, for Wyylde magazine, May/June 2017. Original French text published on this site; English translation, introduction and section headings added in 2026.
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