Puppy Community in 2025

Developments and the Status Quo 2025

Since 2019, I have been hosting Puppy Parties in Berlin, and where I started on a relatively empty stage back then, there is now a wide range of offerings. A large number of organizers have emerged, catering to very different needs with various orientations and focuses – from simple regular meetups and puppy activities, to kinky play parties and orgies, all the way to dance parties and much more. Some offerings have evolved, others haven't worked out, or the organizers have discontinued them for various reasons.

So it's time to take a closer look at what has happened over the past few years and what the current status quo of the community looks like. For this, I also interviewed the current “Puppy Germany 2025,” Pup Uzuma, and asked the “veteran scene pup,” Pup Akamaru, to share his views.

Our first Puppy Play Party at Easter in sinberlin in 2019.

What is Pup Play?

Puppy Play is more than just a role play. What began as such has grown into a large and colorful movement, centered around solidarity, community, and belonging. At its core, it's about wonderful people you might never have met otherwise.

At its core, this style of play involves taking on the role of a puppy – a young dog. Dog-like behavior and reactions are imitated. This is referred to as a so-called pup space. It can be done completely alone, with one or more partners. What this behavior means for the individual is up to each person. Some simply want to stop talking and thinking and surrender to a situation… to cuddle up in a basket, roam the streets in a pack, or have minimalist sex…

For many, however, it's not – or at least not only – about the lightness and freedom that this play brings, but rather other concepts of benefit take center stage... Because they seek belonging, enjoy the aesthetics, or need the protection of the (puppy) mask to try things out and overcome inhibitions.

For many, the puppy identity is the chance to reinvent themselves, live freely, develop further, or simply be who they truly are.

Being a puppy defines a new group that anyone can join – regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, fetish, or kinks. It is enough to say: I am a puppy. Everything else – interaction, communication – can / must / will be renegotiated.

I have witnessed so many puppies who have transformed themselves through their puppy self. Trans* people experienced their transition through their puppy self before they were later able to receive their correction. But there are also many fem* puppies who are only fem* as a puppy. - Akamaru Canis

What Do You Need for Puppy Play?

In reality, nothing is needed except the right mindset, which is often called a headspace here. However, many puppies wear gear because it helps them get into the headspace or feel more secure.

But gear is not a must. Being a puppy primarily means letting yourself go, being free, and living the playful feeling. Even without a mask or collar, you can get down on all fours, take life easy, and just live in the moment… a ball? And off you go chasing it? A plastic bag? And it's already shredded… What matters is the feeling, not the outfit!

But gear can help you get into the headspace, look stylish, become part of your own puppy identity, and much more.

It's interesting to ask experienced pup players what makes them feel like a puppy. It isn't always the puppy mask. The tag on the collar symbolizes belonging. The knee pads encourage crawling on all fours. The paw gloves render you helpless. Not speaking as a dog requires a different kind of communication. - Akamaru Canis

Gear here is very often colorful and can be made from a wide variety of materials – leather, rubber, neoprene, fur, or whatever you find awesome?

A little femboy or little mixed in? Why not! Everything is allowed, but no gear-shaming (and yet, unfortunately, it still sometimes happens)!

Does Sex and Kink Belong to It?

Some have also deliberately developed a puppy gear fetish and enjoy sex in these special outfits. For them, puppy play is more of an entry point into the world of BDSM, while for others puppy play has nothing to do with either. It can then feel quite wrong when someone does one thing or another to a puppy without consent. As is usual, the expressions here are diverse and varied.

It is important to understand: “Gear is no consent.” This means that just because someone is wearing a certain outfit, it is not consent to play or similar activities. As in every area: actively seek consent beforehand and do not simply assume.

How Has Puppy Play Evolved?

The Origins – Puppy Play 1.0

The origins can be found, among other places, in the gay fetish world, specifically in the context of "master-slave" games, where the "dogs" were essentially ranked even below the "slaves." It was a form of degradation and humiliation, or even punishment. Here there were already masks made of leather or rubber, as well as many other accessories such as paws, so that the "dog" could no longer use their hands.

But there was also strong influence from the broader BDSM world, especially from PetPlay. Here, animal identities were more of a role play intended to help participants let go of everyday life and enjoy the simplicity of an animal's existence. The characters were more cute and lovable, expecting cuddles and petting, care and play.

The Furry Community also had a strong influence. It creates so-called fursonas – anthropomorphic (i.e., human-animal) characters. Initially these existed only in the imagination or as drawings, and only much later – if at all – as fursuits. They are mostly colorful and somehow cute human-animal creatures, though they can certainly also be naughty and sexual.

The Puppy Community – Puppy Play 2.0

So how did puppies emerge from these very different currents?

Even if this is just a personal opinion, I would say that some gay fetishists couldn't identify with the old concepts and therefore sought something new for themselves. In principle, they liked kinky role play and enjoyed headspaces, but the style and concepts of the “leather,” “military,” and “master-slave” worlds simply weren't for them. So they borrowed from all the previously mentioned areas what worked for them and created their own outfits and kinky puppy identities – ones that were cheerful, lovable, playful, sexual, and colorful.

First, they developed their own fetish and played with their kink identity – lived their own fetish. They sought and found like-minded people, and so the first foundations of the community were built. But what united them was not only being a puppy, but also other kinks and fetishes, and for many, being gay or bi. People from nearby communities took an interest and joined in, and alongside the shared interest, the community itself became increasingly important. A community formed that provided support and stability, grew over time, and developed new structures. The role play of being a puppy loses significance and becomes more of a means to an end for the community and social interaction, which gains correspondingly in importance and attracts ever more people.

In this context, the first pioneers in the puppy world also emerged – people who created special masks and outfits, organized the first events, and helped transform a loose gathering of people with a shared interest into a community. They provided identifying features, events, and more, giving this group a clear identity that allowed them to distinguish themselves from others.

Nevertheless – or perhaps because of this – puppies initially found no permanent home in the more leather-and-rubber-oriented fetish bars and clubs. They were too colorful, often wearing neoprene or fabric clothing, and combining fetishes, which for pure fetishists is essentially a “no-go.” They stood at the bar with others, didn't take commands, and absolutely did not want to be degraded. They wanted cuddles and fun. And that simply didn't fit the “dog” concept from the master-slave world that was prevalent there. The cuddle pup had to stay outside and was for a long time not recognized as its own group.

So puppies built their own infrastructure. They organized themselves in online groups like Discord or Telegram. They simply did things together. They went to the Christmas market together or to the KitKat Club. They organized regular meetups and worked with partner organizations who were interested in them, creating their first own events, such as the Puppy Night of Sins by the gay-BDSM.club at sinberlin, or the Wagging Tails at Quälgeist.

A Diversifying Community – Puppy Play 3.0?

With its growing size, the puppy community gained in significance. Even long-established clubs and institutions had to adapt, attempting to create offerings for puppies without driving away their existing guests. Some managed this very well; for others, it proved more difficult.

Within the community itself, subgroups and special interests also developed. Puppies became more diverse and varied. More competition arose, bringing with it new offerings aimed at specific parts of the community. But other organizers also opened up more and more to the puppy community.

People distanced themselves from one another, wanted to belong to certain groups, or even developed hostile views toward others… Some organizations fell apart over this, others split up, or there were subsequently two versions of the same thing, just slightly different ;)

I think it's wonderful that our community has become so colorful and diverse. Diversity is not a problem – it's our greatest strength, as long as we treat each other with respect. We don't all need to be the same in order to stick together. That's exactly what makes us so special as a community. Uzuma - Puppy Germany 2025

Some feel more at home and better represented in the community this way, while others no longer recognize it… But that's not only due to the community's changes – it also depends on how one perceives it… whether you're still wearing rose-tinted glasses, or whether you're just remembering the time when you were ;)

Whether it was exactly like that or somehow different, I don't know. But it can be established that the puppy community is very closely connected to the gay and queer BDSM & fetish world, and that a large proportion of puppies come from this area – but certainly not exclusively!

Where Can You Find Puppies?

Many puppies have organized themselves on online platforms like Telegram or Discord. Today there is a large community with various chat groups, which are moderated and organized by region, and sometimes also by gender, profession, hobbies, or health and disability.

Clubs and private organizations have also been founded, which alongside many dedicated individuals offer regular meetups and puppy activities such as walks, games in the park, or laser tag.

But they have also made their way into the gay scene clubs, and many bars and clubs that previously couldn't or wouldn't offer anything for puppies have now added special events. Overall, however, puppies have become more established in the kink and fetish world, which of course also includes kinky dance parties and gay fetish bars. One could almost say that they can be found almost everywhere in the gay and kinky community – at least in Berlin.

Want to know what's available in Berlin for Pets & Puppies? On our special page for Pet & Puppy Play in Berlin you'll find all the information.

Media Presence

Since I've been following the topic, there have been recurring headlines and moments of visibility around it. Initially, puppies tended to appear in articles about Pride events or larger activities where they were visible. In some cases, police weren't clear on protest rules, or media outlets treated puppies as a scandal. Puppy Play was ridiculed or portrayed as "perverse." A great deal of active work by community members helped educate the public and actively worked out rules for how puppies could participate in such protests or similar events. Many well-meaning media creators from podcasts, magazines, and blogs also provided educational content and positive visibility. For example, RTL featured Puppy Play in 2022 in the online streaming series "Slavik Junge presents: don't get aroused Season 2 Episode 4" and above all explained it factually with a good dose of humor. In any case, they are no longer a subject for outrage or scandal in the tabloid press.

Today, in 2025, puppies have arrived in mainstream series like Sandman or Twisted Metal and are integrated as a natural element. How this visibility will impact the community remains to be seen. But one can already say with certainty today that there is far more than one puppy community, and that people who have nothing to do with the original groups or even the current puppy community are practicing Puppy Play. This has always been the case, but with the uncommented entry into mainstream media, the aesthetic and concept will quickly spread to completely independent individuals who will reinvent and use it entirely on their own terms.

Who Are the People Behind the Masks?

Even today, there is still a disproportionately high share of gay and queer people behind the masks. However, all genders and orientations can now be found there, and most (not all) events are also explicitly open to all genders. The proportion of female puppies is roughly estimated at around 10%, though this can vary greatly. Female puppies have now also organized themselves and can therefore be found in their own groups as well. Other people can also be found in the puppy community.

Young people in particular seem to feel comfortable in the puppy community. This may be due to the anonymity of the masks, the open and itself very young community, or the community's facilitation of entry into the gay and kinky world that often accompanies puppy play. However, since all of this doesn't always fit together with the other activities of puppies, and in order to prevent any inappropriate behavior, special offerings have developed that specifically ensure safe spaces are created under the guidelines of youth protection.

Additionally, there is a large proportion outside the community – people who have no connection to the puppy community, its organization, or its principles. I personally know several individuals who primarily move in the heterosexual world. They are, however, not as well organized and therefore less visible. The personal fetish is lived similarly there and can grow further through increasing visibility.

In that sense, one can say it is gay-queer mixed, but growing larger, more open, and more colorful. It remains to be seen how it will develop.

Puppy play and puppies have now become the subject of scientific research. It has been found that people from the neurodiversity spectrum are particularly drawn to it. Those affected report that puppy play helps them:

• Regulate sensory overload: The clear framework and simple social rules in puppy play can have a calming effect.

• Escape social roles: Especially for people with autism or ADHD, breaking free from societal expectations can be liberating.

• Strengthen bodily self-awareness: Playing with movement, touch, and non-verbal communication can have a therapeutic effect.

• Experience community: Many neurodivergent people find acceptance and belonging in the puppy play community.

“We need to learn to deal with this. We need to take this into account when organizing.” - Akamaru Canis

What Kind of Events Are There Now?

I am by no means aware of all events, but I have organized some myself, noticed others, and at least heard of many more. The number has grown in recent years and not every new event was successful.

There are special regular meetups or munches for the community, some targeted parties and clubs for it. Some events are sex-, BDSM- & kink-positive. Others are exactly the opposite, and sex or BDSM are not permitted there. Some are even FSK16 (suitable from age 16) and cater to a particularly vulnerable audience. Some events deliberately go public or into public spaces, where it is carefully checked in advance whether masks may be worn and what other requirements there are regarding appearance. Others create protected spaces where one can live out the puppy experience. Some examples from Berlin include the Wagging Tails at Quälgeist, the Puppy Night of Sins at sinberlin, or the Animalz at Folsom.

Puppies are also frequently welcomed at other kinky events. Kinky dance parties in particular often appreciate the colorful and creative outfits. Sometimes they are even featured on flyers and posters – such as at the Kinktastisch at Insomnia – or are specifically given discounted entry. However, this may not be the case everywhere, and it's worth clarifying in advance.

So make sure to find out in advance whether this is the right event for you and whether you'll feel comfortable there. ​