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An Exploratory Study of a New Kink Activity: “Pup Play”

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Abstract

This study presents the narratives and experiences of 30 gay and bisexual men who participate in a behavior known as “pup play.” Never empirically studied before, we use in-depth interviews and a modified form of grounded theory to describe the dynamics of pup play and develop a conceptual framework with which to understand it. We discuss the dynamics of pup play, demonstrating that it primarily consists of mimicking the behaviors and adopting the role of a dog. We show that the majority of participants use pup play for sexual satisfaction. It is also a form of relaxation, demonstrated primarily through the existence of a “headspace.” We classify pup play as a kink, and find no evidence for the framing of it as a form of zoophilia. We call for further research on pup play as a sexual kink and leisure activity from both qualitative and quantitative perspectives.

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Correspondence to Liam Wignall.

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Wignall, L., McCormack, M. An Exploratory Study of a New Kink Activity: “Pup Play”. Arch Sex Behav 46, 801–811 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-015-0636-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-015-0636-8

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