Puppy & Critter Community Archives: where we are one community.
Peer-Reviewed Research on Critter Play and Mental Health.
In this section, we have preserved some Peer-Reviewed Research on critter play and mental health, these are mainly on puppy play as it is most popular and therefore easiest to research and find participants to gather information from, however we feel these documents can be helpful to any critter player.
We hope that this information is found useful to our community and if there are any research papers we missed or you think we should add, please feel free to reach out to us.
Findings From a Community Survey of Individuals Who Engage in Pup Play
This study presents findings from a community survey on pup play. Pup play is a kink activity and a form of role play that is growing in popularity internationally, and gaining increasing attention in sexology, yet prior research on pup play has almost entirely employed qualitative methods and primarily involved gay and bisexual men. Using survey data of 733 pup play participants primarily from the US, but also internationally, this study reports on the demographics of participants, how they engage in pup play, its social and sexual elements, and how it relates to social identity and mental health.
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.
The Origins of the Pet Play Fetish
Puppy Play is a form of Pet Play, or Animal Roleplay, where humans take on the persona of non-human animals, in this case, dogs or other canines or their handlers. So, where does this fetish come from?
Puppy Play
Queerness, Kink, and the Power of Pets
The conversation around sex has always contained traces of the animal, whether it is Sigmund Freud’s theory of how sexuality is a dominant part of humans’ “natural” animality (Kiloh), or Dominic Pettman’s suggestion that the pursuit of sex commonly involves going on dates outfitted in animal products or animal mimicry like leather, fur, or even feathers (Pettman 68). The image of “the animal within” is a popular archetype invoked when discussing the phenomenon of sex, ceding to the concept of sex being controlled by animal impulse, passions, and reactions (Kiloh). But what if someone were to give in to quite literally their “animal within” and embody that animality in its totality while still engaging in what they perceive to be solely human sex?
​“Be Dog Have Fun”: Narratives of Discovery, Meaning, and Motivation among Members of the Pup Subculture
The twenty-first century has seen the proliferation of new sexual identity subcultures rooted in creative role-play dynamics, expanding our cultural and scientific understanding of diversity in sexuality and intimacy. In an international sample of 568 people who identified with the kink subculture of pup play, we analyzed responses to open-ended questions about the discovery of pup play and communities, definitions of pup play, and motivations for engagement.
Importance of Role-Playing in Psychology: Its Benefits and Applications
Role-playing is a valuable tool in psychology that has been used for several decades to help individuals learn how to cope with different situations in their lives. It is a versatile technique that can be used in various settings, such as therapy, education, and training, to enhance self-awareness, social skills, communication, empathy, problem-solving, and decision-making.