Jaxx’s Puptalk: Interview with TheraPup Zephyr

I’ve invited some amazing Pups from various industries and backgrounds to sit down with me and share their experiences, insights, and advice with my readers. I want Each interview to provide a glimpse into the working world of our Pup lives, highlighting their respective paths to success, the challenges they've faced, and the strategies they've used to overcome them. I’ve curated some questions that cover a range of topics, from what drove us to Pupplay, to how our communities interact with each other, and I would love to touch on industry trends. Whether you're exploring and finding interest in pup play but haven’t met any pups in person, or if you’re a well known pup in our community, I hope you find these interviews valuable and informative. 

I’ve recently had the opportunity to sit down with Therapup Zephyr , a Pup who lives just outside LA. In our conversation, Pup Zephyr shared insights into his Pup life like when his Pup Birthday is and his favorite colors, as well as what made him interested in PupPlay. From discussing the pup events around the area, and the effect that a thriving community has on challenges faced by pups, explaining Pupplay to someone who hasn’t no experience, and sharing advice for others aspiring to grow and find themselves, my conversation with Therapup Zephyr was insightful, thought-provoking, and inspiring.

Jaxx: Let’s drive right in to our one on one chat we had! 

Q. When did you become a pup?

A. It's hard to say when I became a pup. I got my first hood in early 2022, but I was a pup long before. I had many stepping stones that led to my pupsona today.

Q. When would you say your pup birthday would be?

A. I bought my first hood in January of 2022, but my pup birthday was sometime before then. Even as a kid, I deeply connected with dogs and very much identified with them.

Q. What's your favorite color?

A. I always joke with my pack; the same colors we chose as our Mario Cart characters as kids became our pup colors…probably because they were our favorite colors!

This is for sure the case for me. I have always loved aqua/ electric blue and gold. They were my Yoshi colors and are my pup colors now.

Q. What made you interested in Pupplay? 

A. This is a little heady, so bear with me.

I minored in Religious Studies (Majored in Psych) and always thought that the earth and animal-centered religious traditions brought some fantastic things into the human conversation. As I was leaving the Conservative Evangelical Church in my late 20s, I needed to find ways to be more embodied within my emerging gay sexuality and to find ways to push back against the rigid religious system I was leaving.

Pups don't care about rigidity. And at their best, they are about the here-and-now. Those are values that I see come intrinsically as a pup. Play and embodiment. And these were some of the best things I could have engaged with in giving the closet a big "fuck you"!

Q. Have you been out to many Pup events in your area?

A. Yes! My pack and I go to so many events here in LA! Some favorites are Howl with Ghost Pup Dume and Cyber Pup Timo, Chewie's Kennel with Pup Chewi and Bark Night in Long Beach!

Q. What does being a pup mean for you?

A. Being a pup to me means community, embodiment and play.

Q. Can you explain "PupPlay" to me in a way that someone with no prior knowledge on the subject would understand?

A. PupPlay is the cute and playful side of leather.

It takes some of the power play and gear parts of leather and plants it squarely in an animalistic embodiment of play! Hoods are encouraged but not required. 

Q. What role do you think community plays in shaping an individual's life?

A. Community is huge! I am so lucky to be in a pack of pups that spans multiple states and multiple types of pups. My pack helps me keep connected with both my human and puppy self. 

Q. How do you think social media and the internet have changed the way communities interact?

A. Social media has gained us so much more exposure! So many pupple are beginning to find themselves in this kink community. 

Greater visibility creates a greater risk for our community but also allows us to generate greater advocacy for the community and other communities we support. Visibility is a double-edged sword, but community and connection are sharper than the cut of the risk.

Q. In your opinion, what are some of the key factors that contribute to a strong and thriving community?

A. A strong and thriving community is based in connection, diversity and honesty. Something comes from the combination of all of us in the community. We can be challenged by viewpoints and experiences that are different from our own, or we can choose to engage and become connected. However, hen we are truly in alignment with the values of our community, we can transcend the things that set us apart.

Q. Can you tell me about a memorable experience you had while being part of a community?

A. This is maybe somber memory: Last Summer, my family unexpectedly lost my mom. Before coming out, I could have counted on my church community to rally around me and to support me. However, after being pushed out of that community, I could have been isolated from community without my pack. They really rallied for me.

The support I got from my pack last Summer was something I would never have expected before entering the pup community. But it turned out to be one of the richest experiences I have had in life. I felt so well cared for, from text messages to meals to phone calls.

Q .What words of encouragement would you have for someone interested in learning more and becoming involved in the community?

A.Pups are some of the most friendly kinksters you'll meet.

Keep it playful, connected, and caring; you will find community here. I count myself very lucky to be part of this community as both pup and psychotherapist to pups. 

Overall, my conversation with Therapup Zephyr was a valuable opportunity to learn from someone else within the Pupplay Community. It’s always amazing to get insights from another point of view, and The energy this pup had was so powerful I am grateful to have been able to Interview you. Some key insights and takeaways from our conversation include how our community connects and supports each other, how the visibility and representation for our community has been growing with different platforms, what it means to be a pup. I hope this has been as insightful and enjoyable to read as it was to interview this pup. I am grateful to Therapup Zephry for sharing their time and wisdom with me and our readers.

Stay Tuned readers for more! 

Interested in being interviewed? 

Message me! Wooooof