STEP 1: ROLES WITHIN PET PLAY
Pet play doesn’t just involve putting on some cat ears and meowing, it’s a whole dynamic, featuring the usually dominant roles of Owner, Handler and Trainer, or the more typically submissive role of Pet. These can easily be flipped, as many people enjoy the concept of an Alpha Pet exercising control over those who have taken on the role of the Handler or Trainer. Typically the role of a Trainer or Handler would be to teach the Pet new things and provide rewards (edible or sexual treats), or punishments (bone gags for bad puppies, or leg restraints to keep them on all fours), depending on the Pet’s behavior. An Owner would typically be the most dominant of the roles, having complete control over the Pet, whilst still rewarding and punishing as appropriate. Part of the role as an Owner can also involve grooming the Pet, and playing with them, or going down the more stereotypical Master/Slave route that many partners enjoy. The Trainer, Handler and Owner roles can all be adapted and labeled as you see fit, which is the beauty of this kink. It is 100% adaptable to the players, what they are comfortable with and what boundaries you decide to push. As mentioned before it’s also incredibly easy to flip the D/s relationship to include an Alpha Pet controlling the Trainer, Handler or Owner.
STEP 2: TYPES OF PET
There are many common species of Pet which people enjoy, but the limit exists only as far as your imagination. You can go down the traditional puppy or kitten route, or even go as far as a mythical creature like dragons or unicorns, making adaptations to fit the fantasy.
PUPPIES - One of the most common Pets, typically involving the puppy hoods, bone gags, collars and leashes. Train your puppy to do tricks, chase sticks and balls, and play with fellow puppies. This kind of Pet is interestingly very prevalent in the gay community, but is incredibly popular no matter your orientation.
KITTENS - Typically the kittens are a softer gentler version of the puppies - think soft and fluffy with bells and cute little bows. Kittens are very well known for scratching so why not incorporate this into your playtime, however the most common element of this is the act of being looked after. Kitten players tend to enjoy being groomed and cared for, and made to feel safe.
PONIES/ HORSES - Pony play is so popular that in certain parts of Europe and the US they have shows, where they are ridden, paraded and performed in front of others. They can be decked out in full custom saddles, bridles and bits, but if you’re just getting started, something as simple as a bar shaped gag and a pony hair butt plug will get you started.
STEP 3: THE PLAY
So you’ve decided your roles, decided your animals, but what do you actually do? Dressing the part is one aspect, with the ears, accessories, tails (often buttplugs) or themed outfits relevant to your chosen species. The main aspect is acting the part - no matter how extensive your kit is, the biggest aspect of pet play is behavior. Curling up at the dominants feet, begging for scraps, howling, barking or purring, all the typical actions we associate with these animals are yours to use and make your own. Many Pets love to eat food as they would if they were that animal. Some like to eat from a bowl or similar off the floor, whilst some are just content eating as a regular human would, but theming the food. If you don’t feel comfortable being fully immersed, stick with what’s comfortable. Puppies would eat beef, dark meats and biscuits or jerky as treats, whereas kittens may prefer some tuna, chicken and gravy or even a saucer of milk. Animals outside of these two often require a little more creativity, such as feeding a pony shredded wheat or candyfloss to mimic hay.
