{"id":76406,"date":"2023-06-07T15:22:50","date_gmt":"2023-06-07T13:22:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/?post_type=magazin&p=76406"},"modified":"2026-10-31T18:19:17","modified_gmt":"2026-10-31T16:19:17","slug":"pet-play-welcome-to-the-wuffel-zone","status":"publish","type":"magazin","link":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/magazine\/ideals\/pet-play-welcome-to-the-wuffel-zone\/","title":{"rendered":"Pet play: welcome to the Wuffel zone"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n
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\n\tIdeals<\/a><\/div>\r\n

\r\n Pet play: welcome to the Wuffel zone <\/h2>\r\n\r\n
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Wearing dog masks to their regulars\u2019 night, on a lead to a party \u2013 why some people enjoy slipping into animal roles. By Stefan Nieland<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n <\/div>\r\n \r\n

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\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n \"\"\r\n\r\n\r\n <\/a>\r\n \r\n <\/figure>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n \r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n
\r\n \"Some\r\n <\/figure>\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\n\n\n

\u2018Just look after yourself, Stefan, they\u2019re sadists,\u2019 my grandma warns me when I show her the first pictures of my photo project about pet play.<\/strong> The day before, she had googled pet play and found out that the term comes from the BDSM scene. \u2018It can be something completely different,\u2019 explains Toffi, a social pet player and board member of Freie Wuffel e.V. in Hannover. \u2018We just want to escape everyday life, switch off and shed society\u2019s norms and constraints by slipping into a completely different role,\u2019 says Toffi. He explains that this is not the role of another human character but that of an animal, which knows nothing of all the worries, fears, constraints, norms and rules.

I had met Toffi six months earlier in the underground station at Kr\u00f6pcke. He was standing in a corner with two other \u2018Wuffels\u2019. One of the three pet players was on a lead. All wore their dog masks, known as hoods. I was nervous when I approached them to ask whether I could photograph them. To my surprise, I met a completely open-minded group who invited me straight away to get to know their association. At their regulars\u2019 nights, birthday parties and a visit to the Christmas market, I was able to take a look behind the scenes.

Role-play is everywhere in our society. Whether jousting, medieval markets or cosplay shows, we have all come across it at some point. Pet play is often heavily sexualised, and some pet players feel misunderstood. They do not necessarily live out their fetish sexually. \u2018Here I live by my personal ideal of being able to be many-sided. I think everyone in our group wants a space where they don\u2019t have to hide,\u2019 Toffi explains.<\/p>\n\n\n \n\n

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\n\n \"Close-up\n\n Hannover, 22 January 2023.<\/span>\n \n

Studio close-up of Pup Kalei\u2019s eye<\/strong> under his hood.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>\n \n <\/figure>\n\n <\/div> \n\n\n \n\n \n \n\n

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\n\n \"Close-up\n\n Hannover, 22 January 2023.<\/span>\n \n

Pup Kalei and Pup Toffi<\/strong> shape their hands into paws \u2013 a typical gesture among puppy players.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>\n \n <\/figure>\n\n <\/div> \n\n\n \n\n \n \n\n

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\n\n \"Portrait\n\n Hannover, 26 October 2022.<\/span>\n \n

Micha, <\/strong>chairman of Freie Wuffel e.V., in the club T-shirt.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>\n \n <\/figure>\n\n <\/div> \n\n\n \n\n \n<\/div>\n\n

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\n \"The\n \n Friedland, 17 December 2022.<\/span>\n <\/div>\n\n

The petplayers <\/strong>play beer pong at Spaiky\u2019s birthday party.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>\n \n <\/figure>\n\n\n\n \n\n

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\n\n \"Portrait\n\n Friedland, 17 December 2022.<\/span>\n \n

Pup Sniper<\/strong> poses for a staged portrait. His hood is red too, as he identifies with that colour.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>\n \n <\/figure>\n\n <\/div> \n\n\n \n\n \n \n\n

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\n\n \"Detailaufnahme\"\n\n Hannover, 22 January 2023.<\/span>\n \n

Pup Toffi<\/strong> wears his puppy name as a tag on his collar. Staged studio portrait.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>\n \n <\/figure>\n\n <\/div> \n\n\n \n\n \n \n\n

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\n\n \"Portrait\n\n Hannover, 20 January 2023.<\/span>\n \n

Pup Hope<\/strong> poses for a staged portrait at the Wuffel get-together in the Andersraum in Hannover, where the Freie Wuffel regularly meet other petplayers for evenings together.<\/p>\n

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\n \"Four\n \n Friedland, 17 December 2022.<\/span>\n <\/div>\n\n

The petplayers play cards together<\/strong> at the birthday party of Spaiky (centre) and Snacki (right)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>\n \n <\/figure>\n\n\n\n\r\n \r\n \r\n

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Here I live by my personal ideal<\/strong> of being able to be many-sided. I think everyone in our group wants a space where they don\u2019t have to hide.<\/p>\n <\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n

\r\n\r\n \"Detailaufnahme\"\r\n Toffi, social pet player<\/span>\r\n <\/figcaption>\r\n \r\n <\/figure>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n\n\n
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\n \"Two\n \n Hannover, 20 January 2023.<\/span>\n <\/div>\n\n

Two of the petplayers, Pup Aiko and Pup Toffi,<\/strong> play with a ball at the Wuffel get-together in the Andersraum.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>\n \n <\/figure>\n\n\n\n \n\n

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\n\n \"On\n\n Friedland, 17 December 2022.<\/span>\n \n

Pup Toffi and Snacki<\/strong> chat at Snacki\u2019s birthday party (left), while Spaiky and his boyfriend hug on the dance floor.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>\n \n <\/figure>\n\n <\/div> \n\n\n \n\n \n \n\n

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\n\n \"Hannover,\n\n Hannover, 10 December 2022<\/span>\n \n

Pup Snacky <\/strong>leaves the restaurant \u2018Hans im Gl\u00fcck\u2019 with his friends after dinner.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>\n \n <\/figure>\n\n <\/div> \n\n\n \n\n \n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Created in the Visual Journalism and Documentary Photography programme at Hochschule Hannover. About the programme<\/a> \u00b7 Portfolio review<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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