Human puppy: “I love my boyfriend taking the lead – he’s the perfect owner”
Molly Loyale regularly becomes Pepper The Dog and enjoys walkies with her other doggy pals and munching on Bonios
tudent Molly S Loyale loves nothing more than rolling over to have her belly rubbed and playing fetch while dressed up as her alter-ego, Staffie crossbreed Pepper.
And the 25-year-old human puppy even relies on her boyfriend, Logan, also 25, to take her for walks, feed her treats and teach her tricks.
INSPIRATION
Molly, who lives near Ashford, Kent, with her mum, Lilly, 55, says, “I have Asperger’s and was badly bullied as a child. The only thing that kept me going was the animals we always had on the farm where I lived.
“Animals are so pure, they love you unconditionally, don’t get bored and have no expectations. That’s why I’m attracted to puppy play – being an animal always makes me feel in a good space.
“Sometimes, people call me a freak, but being a puppy allows me to express myself in a way I never thought was possible.
“I now get withdrawal symptoms when I can’t be Pepper – it’s the most freeing thing in the world.”
Molly first got into the “pup” scene after seeing a story about Spot The Dog – aka human Tom Peters – in Closer in 2016.
She says, “I saw Spot in the mag, then watched a documentary about ‘puppy play’. It looked fun, so I got in contact with Spot via Twitter and, although he said dressing as a dog wasn’t for everyone, he encouraged me to try it.
KITTED OUT
“I had a chat with my boyfriend at the time, who said he was happy to be my ‘owner’. And I set the ball rolling by buying the cheapest dog hood and costume I could find online at Amazon.
“I loved it from the moment I put on the outfit. Being a puppy meant I could leave all my worries behind me and just play. It placed me in a completely different headspace.”
Molly decided to name herself Pepper after a puppy her family planned to buy, but sadly died. And she has since spent £450 on becoming a dog.
She says, “I make sure I look the part with name tags, a mask costing £120 and a fake-fur tail. And I wear knee and hand pads so I’m comfortable walking on all fours. I use dance suits costing about £15 for my body.
“I also have lots of toys to chew and play ‘fetch’ with – my favourite is a toy walrus called Bruce. And I have a £80 harness for when I go for long walks with Spot, who I am now friends with. We don’t live near each other, but we chat all the time and go to puppy play events together.
“When we bump into real dogs, they come to play with us. People we see usually react normally and ask for photos.”
Molly becomes Pepper whenever she’s with her doggy friends, who she also met at puppy play events, or when she’s with her new boyfriend, Logan, a research scientist, who she met four months ago through the scene.
She explains, “I split up
with my ex a few months after we introduced Pepper to the relationship, but it wasn’t about that.
“Logan and I have a ‘human’ relationship where we go for dinner and to the theatre. But, when I’m Pepper, he will tell me what to do.
“He will throw me balls, feed me, tell me to sit, tickle my tummy and teach me tricks. Although he’s ‘in charge,’ he would never do anything I didn’t enjoy or want.
“He only tells me off if I’m a ‘bad’ dog, and bite his foot or something. He just loves having a pet and treats me incredibly well.
“Logan isn’t ‘out’ so only takes me for walks away from his house. And our sex life is confined to our human selves, not our puppy ones. Although, occasionally, a tummy tickle might turn into something a bit saucier!”
ESCAPISM
Puppy play is now so popular, there are around 12,000 participants in the UK – and Molly even has her own ‘pack’, including a married couple and their grown-up son. She says, “We go out in London together, as it’s the most accepting place. We dress as puppies and walk along the streets. Most people love it and take selfies with us, but others make mean comments and call us weirdos.
“But I just ignore it. We are normal people with a wide range of jobs and ages. It’s our hobby and our way of having fun.”
And Molly’s family and friends are fully accepting of her alternative lifestyle. She says, “My dad finds it difficult to understand, but my mum knows that we are just normal people who enjoy being dogs too. I’ve made so many friends since becoming a puppy. My Asperger’s used to make it hard for me to socialise and have conversations, but now I can just bark.
“I’m so glad I’ve discovered puppy play – it’s completely changed my life.”
❛HE’LL THROW BALLS, FEED AND TICKLE ME, TELL ME TO SIT AND TEACH ME TRICKS❜