It takes courage to be a Pup

Bravery

A conversation with a great pup in the south east USA prompted me to write this post. I have witnessed many pups are not pursuing human pup play simply to roll about and be silly, nor just to fuck in gear. For some, it goes much deeper. It is about expressing themselves. And that is a brave act. Yet not many pups are being applauded for being brave.

Bravery is the ability to do what needs to be done despite fear. A pup doesn't usually demonstrate bravery in the field of battle. More often he shows it by resisting peer pressure regarding a morally questionable shortcut. For example, it would often be easier to take drugs and fantasise in the privacy of your own home and pretend to be a pup. It might also be considered preferable by some as it would spare onlookers and the world having to witness such out of the ordinary behaviour as seeing an adult parade about in a dog mask and wagging a tail from their butt. A pup is brave by doing the unpopular but correct thing. The right thing for them. Expressing their inner pup self openly and honestly. And by being brave, the pup feels good by doing the right thing. The morally questionable shortcut of fantasy doesn't give a pup confidence and self esteem.

The world is full of things that can make us afraid; by being brave a pup can overcome the physiology of fear, with its adrenalin stress and anxiety thinking, to feel fulfilled and proud. The act of wearing that hood, of declaring you are a pup to the world in any way, is a brave one. It is an act to defy social convention on what normal human expression is. It is as radical as gender change in that it makes most people uncomfortable, as it challenges their perception of what human expression is.

Sometimes cynics call brave acts foolhardy. When a person doesn't know the consequences of the act, making no judgement, understanding no risk, it is indeed foolhardy. A pups bravery can be seen by the action of a man willing to become a pup. Risking known public censure and scorn, he takes on the hood and tail and places himself in another's hands to explore his pup self. Most people write off the brave act and ignore it to focus on what they identify as the act of submission. Being a pup is more than that. It is showing you have a pup self to another, and braving the consequences.

Once seen this way, a pups bravery, can help others outside the experience see human pup play in a more positive light. The courage a person shows in becoming their pup self can be a value that inspires others to feel freer to do the things they wish to but have held back from because of fear. The pup can be a hero and not just a curiosity.

Yet it is really on a deep inner and personal level that bravery and human pup play walk hand in hand. From birth we are conditioned by everyone around us to be our "selves", which more accurately could be said to be the "selves" which are socially acceptable to our world. a pup dares to create a new "self", finding a new expression of what is in them. It is not acting a role to please an audience. That can be left for the submissive in a hood. In a revolutionary act to human self, a pup is becoming a pup to reveal and be himself, another "self" that is is his own unique manifestation. The bravery needed to do that is real, and internal, as a pup overcomes his own fears and anxieties.

Not only that, but a pups commitment to his Owner and Trainer is a brave act. The human pup bows down and is prepared to be beneficial and serve his master as pup simultaneously sublimates his own human self to create and express his pup self. This pup self is not made by kneeling and fetching for a master. It is created by confronting the very real fears a person has inside. A fear of losing control, of being mocked and ridiculed and shunned, of being in another's power. And the most insidious and difficult fear a pup faces is the fear of annihilation of his human self, of somehow losing identity. Training provides a pathway to forge a new pup self whilst facing these fears, and a pack and other pups in community provide emotional support and serve as icons of bravery in themselves.

My own pups have shown bravery as they pursue training and remain steadfast to developing their pup selves. Being brave can be a continuous act, as a pup doesn't give up on being a pup. I find a Trainer and Owners role is crucial, for the courage contained in the word encouragement is what an Owner and Trainer must do for his brave pup. I applaud and am damn proud to know so many pups in the world. I hope you are too.

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What I look for in a Pup 5: Perseverance

A pup recently quoted his master online, telling of their conversation at gym.

‎"Pups should be arrogant and muscular. Not arrogant with their nose up in the air but determined to try harder, become better and want more. Not muscular as an aesthetic but routined and self disicplined into taking good care of themselves"

It's not how I would describe the admirable quality a pup can have which is "perseverance".

Unfortunately the language of the quote reeks of gay body focused elitism, but to be fair it was a conversation in a gym and very much in proper context. What the quote and discussion that followed brought to my mind was that perseverance and hard work are often undervalued or not mentioned in BDSM and pup play. There is a natural emphasis on the fun of being a pup, yet little focus on how to actually get to be a good pup.

Perseverance is also known as the personal quality of persistence, when a pup willingly continues in acting towards his goals despite obstacles, problems, even discouragement. It is a trait integral to pup training. It may seem less valuable to those who simply wish to put a hood on and play at being a pup. And that is fair enough. However, attaining a pup headspace, the pupzone, is not done easily and almost always requires training and practice. Which in turn requires perseverance.

*It should be fun and games and learning*

Learning to be a good pup substantially differs from playing at being a pup in that in the playing you can spend hours just having fun, There is no learning curve to wearing some gear and barking and being intimate and pretending to be a pup. Learning requires perseverance to endure and overcome setbacks as you learn new things as a pup and develop new skills. It is by working at pup play to develop oneself that a pup develops a pup headspace truly, and acquires a framework of knowledge that puts all his pup play experience into a more meaningful perspective.

Choosing to only "play" as a pup and not train and learn can be self handicapping. By not making an effort at all at training, a pup can preserve, and even increase his self-esteem temporarily. It works as failing to practice and learn pup training can be used as an excuse for itself.

If a pup practices and doesn't do well at a pup training activity, he faces the possibility he might not be talented at it. Of course, it's obvious the need for more practice could be to blame but self handicappers usually don't cite that. Either way, he feels and looks bad. If a pup doesn't persevere and make effort at all, and then does well, he can claim he has natural talent. So not persisting and working at training, self handicapping, can seem to have an emotional pay off. If you spend a moment to think about it you can see that any emotional reward is short term, as the pup still has not developed and will probably abandon the activity.

It can be daunting to do pup training and learn new things. Self handicapping robs a pup of developing and possessing that trait of persistence. The self handicapper just doesn't develop perseverance in the face of difficulty. And the truth is that everywhere in life a pup will face setbacks. By persevering with pup training, a pup learns new skills, develops new approaches to problems, and acquires new outlooks and techniques and ways to solve a dilemma in more than just pup play. It is a fantastic outcome for a person from pup training to be able to tackle life with a fresh and adaptive outlook.

And this is where the role of a Trainer can be crucial. The quote above fails in a major way for me as it does not imply how important the mentor and Trainer is. We all know persistence can be futile. No amount of perseverance will overcome some odds. A Trainer helps a pup apply his effort sensibly, so that pup doesn't work hard inappropriately of purposelessly. The emotional support of a Trainer also helps a pup take pride in his accomplishments as they happen, accepting his Owner and Trainers positive feedback.

Persistence, perseverance, sheer hard work, effort - call it what you will. It is worth having in a pup.

Pup Play Mosh Pit Safety

check out Sirius Pup Squads Alpha, GPup, as he discusses safe play together as pups

Harbour Photo Shoot

Thanks to our mate Brent Cage, we took some photos of some of our gear in use in Sydney Harbour. Brent is not a pup, and not into human pup play, but he was a good sport and willing model to brave the nice water on a warm humid day. I gave him a banana for his efforts. He is a top bloke who we hope to work with again.

What I look for in a Pup 4: Curiousity

Human pup play is not for everybody, but how do you know it is for you? One trait above all helps find out - curiosity. Without it a person will never try a new thing, and pup play will be out of reach.

When I meet a prospective pup, I look to his attitude towards wearing a pup hood. A good pup will want to give it a go and engage in the novelty of a wearing a hood for the first time. Reluctance and uncertainty is ok, and to be expected in most people. But a pup needs to embrace his curiosity and be brave and want to see what wearing that hood is like.

If he has worn a pup hood before I still look to his attitude. Does he show a desire for experience and knowledge? If a guy is quick to put the hood on and acts like there is nothing to learn and he knows it all, well, overconfidence can blind a person to learning new things.

Everyone experiences curiosity, but a pup has to translate that trait into action. Elsewhere I talked about how an open mind is essential for a Trainer. A pup needs it too. He has to show some openness to what is the novel and inventive fantasy play that is puphood. I look to the prospective pup to be prepared to explore the feelings and values of pup training too, because he will need that willingness to understand himself better as he learns and grows.

Trooper Bravo in his hood for the first time

There are elements of pup training that can be uncomfortable, such as discipline and toilet training. a pups curiosity will help him try the new. And it is by seeking new and exciting experiences that help a pup go forward into puphood and be simulated at a higher level. It becomes more than just a new fun thing to do and actually a rewarding passionate activity. A good pup has a willingness to endure the risk of pain, rejection, and bondage so he can obtain the benefits from learning from those new activities.

Training is not academic. It is about building a pup into a confident and proud being. Those feelings of competence and self control come from how a pup embraces and engages with the new challenges in training. Playing at first builds familiarity, which then becomes competence, which then becomes prowess. The end result is that feeling accomplished at pup play means you will want to do it more often.

Anxiety inhibits a persons curiosity and it makes any exploration of interpersonal relationships more difficult. An anxious pup does not learn well, which is why I devote time to discussing it elsewhere. Many pups will ask if it's ok to ask a question. I like questions. They show a healthy curiosity, and a healthy pup mind.

Pupspace - right here, right now

From our wonderful companions dogs a human pup can learn a very helpful outlook, which is thinking in the here and now. You might think that dogs don't worry, but they do. But they tend to only feel anxious when they are in direct contact with experiences that cause them pain or discomfort. As a human, you do what dogs never do. You can wake up dreading the events of the day ahead. Dogs don't wake up at 3am and think "Fuck! I see the vet today!"

And dogs have few regrets. They might look guilty when caught destroying something but a pat and a throw of a ball and they have forgotten all about it. Whereas humans often recall traumatic things as if they were just yesterday, and tend to dwell on them.

Dogs seem much happier than humans, which is a reason they are the most likely animal for human pet play. Unless a dog has been horribly abused, he usually carries on in life with contentment. In contrast humans tend to worry a lot, often obsessing over imagined bad things, dwelling on past incidents, and sleeping peacefully a lot less than a dog.

As a human pup you can learn this from a dog, and realise that one of the biggest threats to you enjoying pup play (if not life in general) is your human ability to ruin the present with thoughts about the future or past that disturb you. When you bring possible future mistakes as well as past regrets into the present, you are disconnecting from the real life experience happening right now and paying attention to what is most likely imaginary crap in your head. That wrecks the moment for pup play, if not anything else. To avoid this happening you need to stay focused on each moment in pup play as it comes to you.

Entering that mindset that we have called pupspace (or the pupzone) you take time to notice all the sensations happening to your body. The feel of leather, its smell. The feel of your masters touch and his scent. You literally view the world differently from all fours. First Collar Mind Training and Second Collar Mind Training teaches you how to deal with stray thoughts and enter the pupzone. Just remember that intruding thoughts don't reflect reality and experience, they are simply your thinking about that.

By focusing on the moment you will allow yourself to enjoy pup play and leave human worries behind.

Positive pup feedback

I would have liked to start this post with the declaration

no one likes a miserable pup

but unfortunately that isn't true. There are Owners out there who prey upon, in fact enjoy, the misery of their pup. Taking the power role to a submissive victim in their pup, these people use the position of Trainer to exploit others and abuse them, doing harm in the process. If your Trainer is telling you that you are "worthless" and "it's all your fault you are being punished" there's a good chance you are going to be damaged emotionally under their "guidance". In case no one has told you, before you enter into any bdsm activity where you will be at the mercy of another, you should gain assurance that the people you are with have your health and safety foremost in their mind and that they seek to engage in the scene for mutual pleasure. Of course not every sado-masochistic scene is psychologically damaging. However, don't ever engage in pup play that is going to hurt you emotionally. It is that simple.

don't be at the mercy of another unless they are a good person who cares about you and your pleasure — don't be at the mercy of another unless they are a good person who cares about you and your pleasure

It isn't just the Owner and Trainer that has to have a healthy sane mind. A pup needs to be emotionally stable too. That is not always easy. Some pups have very stressful lives, and it can be very difficult to just get through the day. Presented below is a way to deal with that stress and anxiety for pups and Trainers. It won't fix the problems or resolve any underlying issues. You can see a therapist for that. However, it will help establish a positive feedback loop between Owner Trainer and pup, and by following the simple practice explained a pup can face every problem with greater personal strength and a sense of support. Getting through a difficult day will be easier.

Although you see yourself as a up, and training is meant to help you do so, you are always going to have a human brain. That human mind tends to focus on what's wrong or threatening in life. It's not necessarily a pessimistic view, because having your brain predisposed to problem solving and self preservation can be a very good thing. Most of our lives are not spent in a survival maze however, so we need to take active steps to counteract this direction of thinking. Human society creates lots of systems to do just that, but as a pup you can feel remarkably alone at times. There is a tool that is within your reach that is totally within your control to use. It is the positive feedback loop you form with your Owner and Trainer. By being loving and caring to each other you set up a mutually supportive framework to engage in pup training, and you know you are there for each other even out of the hood and collar.

You start the positive feedback by expressing gratitude. Being thankful for what you have. Noticing and actively appreciating what's right for you helps counteract the minds negative tendency and will make you feel better. As a pup you build up the positive rapport, the sharing of mutual good feelings, with your Owner and Trainer by sharing with them regularly what you are grateful for. The negative thoughts and feelings that occur from your stressful days need to be counteracted by positive emotions, and writing to your Owner and Trainer about good things you appreciate improves both your moods, increases optimism, and can even benefit your health.

Naturally a miserable pup feels he has little to be grateful for and a lot to be depressed or angry about. That way of looking at things is not wholly rational, as your mind is clouded by doom and gloom. When feeling anxious or negative, try approaching it this way. Ask yourself - do you want to be a miserable pup?

If you answered yes, then you know for sure that you are not rational right now and you definitely need to lessen the negativity. If you don't want to be a miserable pup, you start using positive feedback to change what is happening to you. Grab a pen or keyboard and start writing to your Owner and Trainer what you are grateful for. Take some time to ponder the positive events and people in your life. There is no magical definitive list of things to write about. Every pup has their own things to appreciate. Yet, we are not usually taught to be grateful and expressive and thanks so here are some common things a pup can start with to take note off and tell his master about.

Kindness - think of the people who have extended kindness to you

Learning - think of the things you have learnt, especially in pup training.

Home - think of the feelings of home and security in your acceptance into the pack

Pleasure - can you touch yourself or another? Can you hear music you like? Can you look at interesting things? Your senses can be your friend here to help you appreciate life.

By no means are these the only things to feel grateful for. You can find others, and write to your Owner and Trainer about them daily, especially when you are down. No one likes a miserable pup, and you shouldn't let yourself dwell in misery.

Thinking like a pup can be hard

Overcoming mental hurdles in Human Pup Play

In the First Collar Training Mind I gave you an activity to start creating a pupspace - that part of your mind devoted to relaxing and being a human pup. First Collar Training Persona further explored the creation of that pupzone in your head. Second Collar Training Mind and Second Collar Training Play develops it all further. Before reaching that pupzone, you will probably encounter some mental chatter holding you back. It is natural for anxious thinking to occur, and I am going to give you pointers on identifying and overcoming it so that you ease into pupspace without battling and stumbling.

Forewarned as to what an inappropriate thought is, you can dismiss and overcome them easier.

There are many thoughts which could be classed as anxious and distracting, but for simplicities sake we are going to use five common ones here. Use these labels to help yourself dismiss and overcome the negative thinking.

Approval addiction

It might be that you find yourself thinking a lot about what other people think. Whether it be your partner - "what will they think of my pup play?" Or your pack mates -" will they accept me or like me?" And the most common, your Owner and Trainer -"Does he really want me as his pup?" You can rationalise way that it's a "genuine concern", but the truth is it is a waste of mental time thinking it. Stop thinking of what others think, because without telepathy you can't really know. Instead focus on receiving the positive feedback from your Trainer.

Living in the future

It is one thing to anticipate with curiosity and happiness a new experience. It is quite another to predict the worst in your head. You can find yourself trying to think about everything that could lie ahead and you tend to assume the worst possible outcome. You can bullshit to yourself that this is simple preparation for the future. It isn't. It's negatively hamstringing your ability to enjoy the present, so avoid any anticipatory thoughts that aren't ones giving your pleasure and hope.

Magnification

Something goes wrong, it is the end of the world. Every negative outcome, every setback is a disaster. You may think you are honestly seeing your failure to achieve something but the truth is you are being a drama queen and magnifying something way out of proportion. Setbacks and failures are good for learning. They allow us to practice and develop and acquire the skill properly and appreciate what we have accomplished. Blowing a mistake out of proportion only hinders learning.

Perfectionism

Similar to magnification, this is where you assume that any mistake means total failure. If you can't do it right straight away, then clearly you are a failure and not meant to be a pup. Or so that is true if you are being foolish and falling prey to this type of thinking. It is patently ridiculous to believe you will excel at every pup activity immediately. Thinking rationally you can understand that it is natural to make mistakes while you are learning.

Poor concentration

Struggling to focus your thoughts as you are anxious can happen. The best thing to do is stop trying to think at all, and relax your body. The FCT Mind activity is excellent for relaxing and helping you concentrate on getting into the pupzone. If you find that thoughts are zipping through your mind in a rapid stream of almost uncontrollable worry and concern then you must arrest that flow. You can't learn anything with all that noise going on.

Being overwhelmed with human thoughts, particularly anxious ones, will happen in pup training. You can develop a strategy to fight against the pernicious ones. You will find yourself making excuses for how you think. When you make an excuse, ask yourself

am I making excuses that presume a bad outcome is going to happen?

am I exaggerating the truth?

can I find evidence that actually contradicts the excuses in my head?

can I think of pups, of people, to whom my excuse doesn't apply? Seeing that it doesn't apply to them, ask yourself why should it apply to you?

am I trying to predict the future with negative thinking when no one can ever know the future for certain?

It is important to question the excuses you give for thinking the anxious thought in the first place. Be brave pup, and take it on. Don't do the following

Avoidance - you do any other activity rather than face the fact you are having trouble thinking and relaxing into pupspace. Clearly not going to help you enter the pupzone.

Whine and complain - sounding off on a forum about how hard it is only gets a few stupid fools reinforcing your avoidance and making you feel justified. Don't whine about having to enter pupspace because that complaint only makes it worse for yourself, annoying others and sending a negative vibe to the pack. Be quiet rather than complain. You can quietly and reasonably tell your Trainer of your difficulties and be directed properly.

Seek reassurance - you may think that asking for a cuddle or a pat is the right thing to do when you are nervous and having trouble entering pupspace. But it is not. The joy of the reassurance is short lived, and a crutch that will only make things worse as you won't want to try and do the mental work alone. Cut the apron string rather than cling to your Owner and Trainer to enter pupspace.

Try too hard - if you push yourself too hard and feel anxious about your progress into the pupzone, you can make trying to dismiss anxious thoughts harder. By pushing too hard, by trying to use "willpower" you are adding pressure to the thoughts to return with a vengeance. They need to be let go, ignored. Not resisted.

What is written above is hardly exhaustive of all you can think, of all the hindrances to entering pupspace in your head. But they are common ones. and if you acknowledge them, note them for the anxious thoughts they are, overcome excuses to keep thinking them, you are likely to have a much better time.

But I've been bad...

Reward and Punishment in Human Pup Play

Perusing the well respected book on human pup play, "Woof!", I read over the chapter on reward and punishment in training your human pup. I almost covered my desk in the drink I was drinking as I spat it out in shock. The book has some very basic and useful ideas, but I think it went off the rails in this chapter, advocating the use of shock therapy as the best method of reward and punishment Now before we panic, the book said it would be ok, they are human shock bdsm electro toys right, not the dog shock collars.....sigh.. The chapter I read talked of the need to punish, and use positive reinforcement to ensure compliance like many do in real dog training. I laughed, thinking of how amateur and counter productive that old method can be for humans. It just didn't seem relevant, so I moved on after a laugh. Then the day after a pup contacted me online to ask for advice.

well, my Sir is in a difficult situation.... He is new to being a Sir and as such does not know how to punish me for disappointing Him. if i give him punishments, I would enjoy it too much. can you help?

Suffice to say I did not recommend shock toys. This pups situation got me thinking it might be worth stating an opinion on the topic. it is a difficult post to write, mostly because I do not like to be negative. I am sure I could write a treatise on this topic that is kind and considerate and very diplomatic. It would possibly bore us all to tears as I take forever to simply say a few things. I ask your forbearance at my seeming arrogance as I continue here. Please read this post as just an opinion and not a condemnation of others.

Understandably many newcomers to human pup play assume training will involve reward and punishment, Some masters swear by this method. I do not. I wish to be clear, this is just my own opinion, and what you and your master do consensually is between you two, and more power to you both. I won't deny I can and do enjoy sado masochism scenes. However, they are scenes, and controlled and done with consent and common sense.

It is my opinion that human pup play is best done with a cooperative and engaged pup under the guidance and direction of an empathic and self disciplined Trainer. Pup and Trainer can work together harmoniously, rather than in an atmosphere of force and pressure. The tough love may be a fun BDSM scene, but I don't think it's a great way to train. Pup play should be fun and rewarding whenever possible, otherwise it's less pup play and more sado-masochism, which is fine but that won't make for a well trained pup.

Punishment, in combination with reward will seem to produce particularly fast results. Few masters want to be accused of being lazy, but seeking fast results is the motivation behind the cruelty more often than not. Lazy master simply not bothering to be patient, not bothering to learn what the pup wants and what you want and thinking creatively of how to get there together. The stick and carrot approach doesn't so much produce a human pup who is in the pupzone, as it creates a human playing a pup and following the arbitrary rules of the scene. I am not sure that the pup who is beaten and "shocked" into submission and "good" behaviour is truly going to find his pup self.

A pups spirit, his persona, should be created and encouraged to develop, rather than moulded and beaten into a shape the Trainer desires. I would rather the experience of puphood be liberating, not enslaving and demeaning. A pup should find comfort in his owners presence, not fear. A pup who is afraid of you is more likely a submissive wearing a mask, and not relaxing in pupspace.

Some Owners and Trainers seek to be aggressive and domineering towards their pup. They are welcome to that. I personally think that if you want to use the analogy of your pup is like your pet, you need to consider what being aggressive and demanding of your dog means. If you shout and are angry at your dog, he is usually confused. If you think offering a treat or reward is all you need to do to encourage your dog and make him follow your directions, in addition to scolding for inappropriate behaviour, you will be surprised to see dogs that don't require that so strongly, even at all, and can be led to behave well.

At the end of the day I feel powerful and adequate in my self. I feel I can and do influence others in my life. The idea of using shock tactics seems childishly brutal to me. Don't we learn that bullying or beating others actually is counter-productive? Hasn't the average person been demeaned and mocked and injured emotionally enough in life that sure pup space should be a haven not a retreat? A pups love for his Owner and Trainer will be borne out of receiving comfort and care. A pup in fear is your victim not your pet.

Your Pup Trainer 1: be open minded

Trainers teach someone to become a human pup. It is an awesome role, a great responsibility and the duty is worth it. Seeing your pup learn and experience the wonder of letting go and becoming a pup is hard to compare to other BDSM pursuits. Many pups, and more than a few people calling themselves Handlers or Trainers, go into pup training with no clear idea of the values and ethics involved. Teach em a safe word, shove a tail in, throw a play toy and there ya go - human pup play. That's play alright, but it isn't serious pup training. On our site (siriuspup.net) we detail the many lessons and activities our pups learn to become a pup. It isn't the only way to learn, and there are excellent Trainers out there. There are qualities you should look for in a Trainer, or develop in yourself if you are intending to become one.

The first quality I mention is Open Mindedness. Put simply, open mindedness is a willingness to look, to actively search, for evidence that goes against what you already think. A Trainer needs to be able to understand that he or she brings to the pup play his or her own favoured beliefs, plans, goals and ideas. Prejudices and opinions, and ways of doing things the Trainer thinks is right because they do it that way. Your Trainer needs to weigh new evidence, what they learn about you as a pup and from you as a pup, against what the Trainer already knows - and do this in a fair manner. Pup Trainers should always take into consideration evidence, things they see and experience and learn, that go against what they already believe , And once they acknowledge that evidence, the Trainer should be prepared to revise his or her own beliefs and attitudes in response to this new information.

Why is that so important? Because when people assume they are totally correct, particularly in the face of evidence to the contrary, people make stupid decisions. They really do. From peasant mobs with pitchforks to Fox News viewers voting in idiots at the ballot box, close mindedness can be terrible in its consequences Active open mindedness leads to good or better outcomes, as the Trainer thinks better.

A prepared Trainer has a fairness to new ideas, regardless of the views they already hold. A Trainer should fight against a natural human bias that occurs in the mind.

Here are some common mistakes a Trainer can make, ones that are seemingly encouraged by the BDSM role of Trainer. Beware these ways of thinking.

Changing your mind is a sign of weakness - no, it is not. It is a sign you can learn from new information and that you can adapt to new circumstances, which is what you want your pup to emulate.

Intuition is the best guide in decision making - no it is not. Reason is the best guide in decision making, and simply being distracted or being randy can cloud your so called intuition.

It is important to persevere in your beliefs even when evidence is brought to bear against them - never try to train a person who clearly is not into pup training is an obvious example of why you shouldn't keep at something when it isn't working.

A Trainer should disregard what conflicts with his or her methods - no, as you are simply limiting yourself and your pup to a narrow and probably unhealthy outcome.

In my own pack I extend this principle of Open Mindedness further, to include my Alpha. I personally believe it is vital to my packs health to have an Alpha who can be a devil's advocate, and present challenging or contrary points of view to the Trainer. A pack can be led to suffer from that most terrible of group behaviours - groupthink.

Groupthink is a bias in thinking, a tendency to only listen and accept views and opinions that suit what you already believe, favouring the people who agree with you and dismissing anyone who doesn't. If a person doesn't express an opinion that fits in with the already established order then they tend to be ostracised and mocked. and their opinion derided. Groupthink leads to terribly defective and stupid decision making, as the group fails to look effectively for alternative sin decision making and problem solving, as the group only hears what it wants to hear.

For the Sirius Pups it is important our Alpha pup always be able to challenge groupthink. The pack does need to come together and support one another, but after sensible decision making. A Trainer who wants to be your tyrant is likely to end up making a stupid decision somewhere along the line and be too proud to admit it and lose face in front of a pup. So look for Open Mindedness in your Trainer and you know you will learn and explore puphood with your Trainer, not sometimes despite them.

**Contrary points of view don't weaken a pack when they are listened to and heard and considered**

Safe Posture in Pup Play

Avoiding Common Injuries In Pup Play

Common Injuries

While pup play is a lot of fun and relaxing for the human pup, and no doubt satisfying for the handler, a responsible pup trainer must be aware of the common injuries that irresponsible pup play can lead too.

It is imperative that a handler ensure that his pup maintains proper posture in all standard positions, and to make certain that they do not hold the less safe positions for too long.

The most common injuries likely to occur in the joints during pup play; that is the wrists, elbows, shoulders, spine, and knees in particular. This can lead to carpel tunnel syndrome, lower back pain, neck pain, ischemia, and hyper-extension of the neck, back, and wrists in particular.

The following suggestions should be followed to make sure that your pup is healthy and safe from any injury.

Wrists

Wrists should always be kept in line with the forearms and directly under the elbows and shoulders when they are bearing weight. Hands should be kept in loose fists with the weight born on the knuckles. If possible, protect your pup’s hands with padded paws, and for further wrist stability wrapping them in boxer’s wraps is ideal. The wrists should never be hyper-extended with the weight of the body resting on the palms of the hands.

Elbows and Shoulders

The elbows and shoulders should form a straight line with the wrists, but not be locked out at the joints. A good way to remember this is to have the elbows in particular loose and with a very slight bend to them. The helps t distribute the pup’s weights evenly and reduces stress on any one joint. While any stance that directs weight through the arms and into the wrists may feel comfortable, it should not be maintained for long periods of time.

Spine

The spine includes the entire vertebral column, including the neck. Due to the complex nature of the spine, it can be prone to being injured easily, and special care must be taken to ensure that it is protected at all times. No matter what stance your pup is in, you must ensure that he has a “neutral spine”, that is that it is neither hyper-flexed (arched) nor hyper-extended (swayed). The spine has three natural curves in it, and a neutral back ensures that all three curves are held at their natural position.

A special mention must be made regarding the neck. At no point should the neck be hyper-extended (extended back past the shoulders). This is an extremely dangerous position causing bones to occlude the passages through which nerves travel. Under no circumstances should a pup maintain this position for any length of time.

Knees

A special mention should be made regarding the knees. Pups, by the very nature of the play, spend a lot of time on their knees. To help protect this joint, knee pads should be utilised, and if possible, kneeling or crawling on hard surfaces should be avoided.

When sitting back on the knees, there is a risk of cutting off blood flow to the lower legs. A handler must make sure that his pup’s legs are not feeling cold, numb, or tingly. If they are, removing any weight bearing off the knees is required. If left too long, tissue may die due to lack of oxygen which will lead to further complications.

Conclusion

While pup play is a lot of fun and very satisfying for many people, special care must be taken to ensure that your pup is kept healthy and happy. I hope this small article has helped to bring to light the dangerous of reckless play can cause.

What I look for in a Pup - 3: Virtue

I mentioned to my bear today that simply judging a pup by appearance, his sexiness, is juvenile. It really is something that we should grow out of as adults. As a trainer I am less concerned about how sexy a potential pup is and am more concerned with his character.

If you confuse "Virtue" with "Chastity", then this post is not for you. Find a monotheist church and move on. A virtue is a trait, a quality of character, that is good and considered moral and worth having as a trait. Chastity is too often about keeping a woman as property for breeding. We are not going there because my mother taught me better than that. So, having established what virtue actually is, let me explain a little why I look for it in a pup.

A good pup is a good person, at least in some serious and substantial way. He possesses a strength of character that leads him to create a good life for himself and others. That strength of a pup should never diminish others in his vicinity, rather it serves as a strength for others to lean on or be inspired by. But what strength am I talking about? Well, it would be a virtue of character, a trait such as kindness, curiosity, passion for play, compassion, rationality, to name a few. This virtue needs to be obvious to me; it needs to actually be present when I meet a pup or interact for the first time, so that I can see that the virtue actually manifests in a pups thoughts, feelings, and actions. You can say you are a brave pup, but you need to show it as a human being as well, across all situations and over time, not just in an instant of pup play.

Why do I look for virtue so much? Well, because it is a sign of emotional maturity. We all grow in stages, from toddler to young person, to teen, to adult etc. At each stage of development we have to solve problems that we face, resolve issues that arise. Like learning to share toys as a toddler, learning to ask questions as a young person, learning to express our sexuality as a teen, and learning to live in a society as an adult. Virtues actually evolve from resolving those stages in a good way. Sharing rather than being selfish or martyr like as a toddler. Ask yourself - do you know anyone who has entitlement issues? Who gives their partner or family way too much and does so little for themselves? If only they had sorted that shit out at 3 years of age....

Pup hood involves sharing, expressing your sexuality, being in a community, and asking questions. And a whole lot more. The practices of pup hood should reinforce positive traits and virtues in my opinion, rather than ensure a guy brings his baggage to puphood and develops more.

An example of judging by virtue is with my two pups GPup Alpha and Trooper Bravo. GPup's compassion was obvious to me, and sincere. Troopers courage was evident from the first time he called me. I am proud to be associated with such good pups. There's little more a pup trainer can ask than to feel his pups represent him by their virtue of character.

What I look for in a pup - 2: Openness

I asked a pup recently what he wanted of me, and his answer is so eloquent -
"Open arms, open mind, and open heart Sir" 

Three things I can easily provide to a pup. Zen buddhism has taught me an open mind, and open heart. I try to have an attitude of open arms for a pup who belongs with me in training and life. There can be no doubt that having open arms and embracing each other, having an open mind and having to accept each others point of view, and having an open heart and being emotionally available to one another - that leaves both a pup and I vulnerable.

Yet that Openness must be in the pup too. A preparedness to accept new things, to accept care and love, to accept change. An open minded pup does not approach pup play with demands and impositions of what "must" happen, what "must" be part of their training. I don't just find that demand from a pup to be off putting, I find it counter intuitive to training. You don't start a trust relationship with me as a master and trainer by handing me a laundry list of demands and projecting your fantasy on me. Together we share and discover what pup he wants to be, and work towards that. Openness means accepting that perhaps the initial fantasy was not realistic, or perhaps there is so much more inside wanting to be expressed.

The open heart is the most essential of openness, as there has to be a bond of love and care between owner and pup for me. Pups who wish emotional distance, I respect that, but they are not going to be a Sirius Pup. So I am committed to having an Open Mind towards all kinds of pups and their choice of identity. I am committed to having Open Arms and taking the Sirius Pup forward to become the pup we both want. And I am committed to having an Open Heart and loving my pups, as I love my husbear, my best friends, my family, my loved ones. A pup is for life, not just the next hour.

A pup and trainer are meant to both be open, naked, to each other. Trust based on mutual sharing of each others life experiences and hearts

What I look for in a pup - 1: Rational calm

Every pup is different. It's not a simple platitude in this case. It's a maxim. A rule, for myself, as a trainer to follow. I approach each pup as an individual case, and although I try to stay on a standardised path to training, for me it's not a rigid code but a guide. The urge to be a pup is going to express itself or not in a guy, and my role above all is to help that happen, not stifle or hinder it with my own projected desire. My pleasure, my fun, is important too. But not at the expense of the training. Sometimes a beginning pup doesn't understand this, mostly from anxiousness. We will come back to anxiety in a minute because it's very important.

So, with this serious outlook to training, I don't approach a new pup as an opportunity for me to have fun. I examine a pup and determine whether I am the trainer for them. I tend to be a complex and engaging trainer, and I am not for every pup that's for sure. Some guys are yearning to be trampled and abused. Move on. I am not for you. There is sure to be a master out there who wants a submissive he can denigrate. I respect you both, but my path is counter to that. Pup's I train are taught to love and bond with the pack and me. Don't get me wrong, almost any form of BDSM play is fine, but at the core there has to be a positive growth of the "pup self", and in harmony with a guy's humanity.

If a man is having trouble engaging with humanity, then for me, he is likely to be trouble as a pup. Your outlook as a person should be positive, your emotional life stable, your mindset a healthy norm, to get the maximum out of puphood. Being a pup is a release and an escape from life's stresses, but don't think for a moment you can bring the baggage to pup training and expect me to carry it for you. It is that simple.

We all can confuse anxiety and stress with genuine emotional or mental problems. Everyone can be overwhelmed by what life throws at us. I am a buddhist - we believe that to live is to suffer. The buddhist response is compassion. Here's me throwing ya a hug and telling you the truth - it won't necessarily get better, but don't suffer alone. Let people love and support you.

Step back for a moment mate and approach pup play without a throbbing erection and driving desire, and think - you are going to be collared, hooded, and a plug shoved up your bum by someone you don't know awfully well. It's natural and sensible to be nervous. But if you spend a bit of every day angry or scared, or at least often feel anxious during the week, and you aren't a lion tamer or surgeon, then it might be anxiety has got the better of you.

How do you know if you are emotionally healthy enough to be a pup? There is a simple test. How did you deal with issues, you know, the stressful events that occur in life, over the past month? If you were mostly rational and calm, then you're probably ready. If you're weren't, then we need to talk before any pup experience begins. We can see how you're doing and resolve some issues, drop some baggage off, and get you looking forward to puphood, not running to an escape. If this whole post seems strange to you, like you can't imagine the need to cling to another because you feel unloved, or you can't imagine wanting to simply be abused and used as a master wishes and "please just tell me what to do Sir!" then you are in a healthy place. Here's me welcoming you. Hugs :)

come sit and relax; seriously, things often work out ok in the end and we can all cope much better than we think we can

Why a pack?

As a pup trainer, I have made the choice to create a pack and train multiple pups simultaneously. Not for ego, not because it might seem easier to the uninitiated, but because it serves my own purposes. and the pups well. Let me explain it in detail.

I see that many relationships in pup play in the BDSM community are deep and affectionate, a bond between pups and owner that is enriching and fulfilling. I love my doberman Khan with a strong bond, and I feel such a bond for my pups. However, I don't want any of my pups becoming too attached to me - too attached is the key phrase here. Despite some healthy pup/owner relationships out there serving as examples, a good number of potential pups seek to have an intimate, and often slave oriented, relationship with an owner. I don't want that. I already have a servant, and I have a husbear who loves and adores me. I don't need a submissive craving my attention. That kind of dog may suit another master, and I hope that each and every one of these sub slave pups find the right owner/handler for them. But that level of attachment is not what I want or need.

The bond between myself and my pups, and the bond between them is complex, not easily reduced to simple terms. Like any sincere relationship. We find it hard to define our roles as sons, parents, partners, friends. No motivational poster proverb is going to summarise the relating between me and my pack easily. I still have to answer why a pack though.

A pack allows every pup to be a brother, to be supportive and guiding to the other pup, and to have someone to play and have fun with. The pack also allows me as an owner to focus on the role of trainer and handler, and avoid becoming too emotionally focused on a sole pup. We all love being looked up to and adored, which pups do to their owners. My own practice is to avoid the lure of egoism and veneration, and to strive to be an living human example, not a fantasy paragon. I find that it is important to me to create a circle of respect and care and love between pup and trainer and other pup. The pack is above one pup, and most certainly more than just me, the owner. It is a place of spirit we can all share in and belong to, enjoying a hobby, a fetish, a way of expressing ourselves, in safety and security and in support of one another.

Siriuspup ver1 report

Siriuspup seeks to become an excellent resource for anyone interested in human pup play. We want our website to be as dynamic and fun as our pack is. Anyone interested in pup play; whether a pup in training, an owner handler or trainer, or just a new recruit to the play should find our site helps and entertains them.
The site is managed by me, Pupboss Jyan, with development by myself and the pack contributing as well. Our written content is mostly my text, with contributions by MancerBear, and Just Some Chap in excellent stories. The pack contributes their experiences in text and pictures too. Affiliated pups Bouncer Pup Kyle, and Pup Gadget of SEA-PAH give us images to use as well.

Over the next few months we will be including feedback forms, a chat room, a discussion forum, and video and audio of pup training. So there's a lot to look forward too.

My Introduction To Pup Play

Hey there Guys,

I thought it might be nice for my first post to not only introduce myself but also share a little on how I discovered I was a connected to the pup play world.

As an introduction, I am Gpup. I am the proud Alpha of Sirius Pups and thrilled to be part of this wonderful pack.

For years I have always identified with the strong role of the dog. I love their innate and natural ability to understand people, their devotion to a master and eternal ability to love.

My first biopup was a wonderful German Shepherd. He was strong, devoted and loving. Since this wonderful pup I have only cared for Shepherds and in my human pup life I certainly identify as Shepherd. Devoted and protective yet playful and silly. I'm proud of my Master, Pup Boss Jyan and my wonderful pup brother Trooper Bravo.

My first introduction to life as a human pup was on a holiday to San Francisco.

Travelling with my partner we were attending Dore Alley, a fantastic, fun leather and fetish street fair where we happened upon a cute pack of human pups. Many were in full rubber, masks and having a wonderful time in a puppy pile.

Off to the side was a handsome pup with leather puppy mask, collar and leash and full uniform leather shirt and pants. I was curious and excited, I had to get to know this pup.

I approached his master and explained that I was on holidays and was greatly missing my pups back home and asked his permission to pat his pup. The master was a lovely chap and he was more then happy for me to pat his pup.

What started as a brief pat ended out as a lovely conversation, he explained much about life as a pup and how both he and his pup had such fun together. I got to have a great chat with his pup and it was clear at that point that some time, some how I was going to be a pup.

I had no idea when but I knew it was going to happen.

Later that day I purchased my first leather puppy hood, the same hood you can see in the picture with this post. I still can remember my heart beating faster as I first placed the hood over my head. My first act of submission, my first act of admitting to myself that I was a human pup. This is a moment I now look back on with much joy as it was my first memory of being a pup.

For five years that leather puppy hood lived in the same plastic bag I purchased it in, waiting for the right time to transform and acknowledge my complete pup self. What I have learned is that when you ask the universe it will most certainly supply. As if marked in the stars, perhaps from the constellation of Sirius, I was fortunate to meet my Master.

To be continued.

Gpup Alpha

Winter ending 2012

The cherry blossom trees in my street are beginning to flower. It means winter is officially ending. Although winter is good snuggling with a pup weather, there is a greater range of activities with spring and summer. Bush walks, beach walks, street walks, night walks - you get the idea. Most importantly to me it means I can do some training for the pups outdoors. And the chill won't be a factor indoors anymore either.
Scent training is a lot easier when everyone sweats in summer, and marking territory a lot more fun when a pups nuts aren't chilly as he pisses on a wall somewhere.
This winter has seen the birth of the pack, with Alpha and Trooper in remote training. Storm Bull is on the far horizon, and there might be another pup or two waiting in the wings. It's been a dark year, and the pack has helped me find light and happiness to go forward. Carpe Diem.