No, this time it is neither a meme, nor a news of Lercio: in the infinite daily scrolling, happens to come across people who (never as in this case it makes sense to use this word) literally live and perceive themselves as dogs. A not very recent practice that still remains, for many, a highly stigmatized kink: some steps towards customs clearance is being made and in this social media have helped many four-legged humans to come out in the open.
Among the most famous creators there is definitely Meow, cosplayer and American Twitcher, who on his Twitch channel calls himself an "e-puppy that doesn't bite": purple collar, ears and plush tail, muzzle if necessary and sporadic barks, are the inevitable elements of its social content, which record thousands of views. Guest on the Australian talk show The Kyle & Jackie O Show, she had no problem saying that she feels more comfortable sleeping in a cage than in a bed and, daily, being taken for a walk by handlers. Despite the disbelief of the speakers, Meow pointed out to behave like a dog for fun: it is in fact an Inumimi, term used by fans of anime in reference to characters with ears and dog tail.
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Slightly different is the Furry universe: born in the Nineties in the United States, it is a fandom that plays the role of anthropomorphic animals, that is, animals that retain some human characteristics such as bipedalism, facial expressions and ability to express feelings. Do you know characters like Robin Hood or Judy Hopps, the police bunny from Zootropolis? These are examples of Furry. This community is huge, both in the virtual and in the real world; their gatherings are for many an opportunity to express themselves, to live a parenthesis free from the prejudice that affects them: the Furry phenomenon is in fact associated with a sexualization component, undeniably existing but not for this preponderant.
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Those who have abandoned all human behavior is Toco, a Japanese cosplayer who decided to play the role of a collie: clothes at all cheap, since his hairy hyper realistic costume (the eyes however retain a certain degree of disturbing fiction), made to measure, cost 15k dollars. His 50,000 followers on Instagram can see him try somersaults, tests of agility and, inexplicably, busy in household cleaning. The passers-by who meet him seem to appreciate his costume and understand, as in his channels he explains (obviously through subtitles: collies don't speak), his existential need to be a dog.
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Some of the identification in a dog has made it a source of income: is the case of Jenna Philips, American creator known as Puppygirljenna, present on TikTok and Onlyfans, with erotic content. In an interview a few years ago, he said he quit his job as an optometrist to dedicate himself completely to his path, much more profitable, on OF.
Others, however, like the British documentary Secret Life of the Human Pups tells, prefer to live their caninity non-profit, for the sole pleasure of showing a long-repressed side of himself, in communion with other people. It is estimated that 10,000 British in their free time live personifying a dog, wearing latex masks and costumes, participating in "beauty contests" such as Mr Puppy UK.
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Escape from reality, self-determination, desire for transgression: finding one and only one reason behind these behaviors is not easy and, probably, reductive. Although undoubtedly tiring, given the necessary assumption to abandon your point of view, trying to understand them could reveal unimaginable scenarios: who knows who can find, even in this bizarre form of dog, a new best friend.
Illustration by Gloria Dozio - Acrimònia Studios
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