Thanks to the pups

 - by Dustin Woods
   Visionary Columnist

November is upon us again, and this year, when I find myself thinking about those things I’m thankful for, I come back to the people who are helping to push the needle on progress in our community. 

One significant change that I’ve observed is the increase in people wearing what appear to be dog masks out and about, but especially at The OKC Eagle. Not knowing much about the “pup” community and what they stand for, I decided to research the topic and report back to my readers.

What I found was pleasantly surprising.

There is a new nonprofit in town, Dog House Outreach (DHO), that started about 10 months ago. DHO’s mission is to “offer guidance, education, and support to the LGBT+, kink communities and allies, with a special focus on critters and handlers,” according to their mission statement on their Facebook page. 

I sat down with the leadership team from DHO at the Ledo Lounge, and they provided me with much insight into the goals the group has for making our community a safer place for all, not just those who share their predilections for pet play.

Educating the community about their particular kink is not the sole focus of this new organization. Outreach is their primary focus, and this new nonprofit is already leading to serious improvements for our community. In June, I personally saw members of DHO pushing ice-cold water carts around The District and all of OKC Pride on 39th, handing out free water to sunbaked, potentially dehydrated Pride participants. 

Pup Hoss (DHO founder/President) and Pup Titan (DHO Secretary) explained that they have found creative ways to use the resources at their disposal to fill gaps in the safety net for our 2SLGBTQ+ community. In this instance, access to copious amounts of free water bottles and an obvious need for hydration during an outdoor summer event.

DHO has worked to convince all the bars at The District Hotel/Resort to provide cups with lids to those who request them and to anyone in a pup hood automatically. The reason is that when wearing these hoods, one has a severely decreased field of vision and their drink is hidden from view, making it easier to be drugged. They even have test strips on hand to test people’s drinks and ensure they haven’t been spiked, in case someone feels unsure.

Safety seems to be a paramount principle for our pup friends at DHO.

One complaint I hear from people in the community is the lack of sober activities to participate in. Well, DHO has been pushing for more “sober socials” where alcohol is not even present.

Pup Lt. Wingz informed me that many people find kink in recovery and use it as a way to focus on something other than their addiction. DHO was also instrumental in establishing a mocktail menu at The District so that those who practice sobriety may enjoy the camaraderie of the pack.

From what I can tell, this new group has a fantastic vision for how they can act to make our community a safer place and its denizens better informed about each other’s interests. Basic foundational tenets of society, such as the sentiment that there is a “science of hope” and that “tomorrow can be better than today”, as Pup Titan mentioned in our interview, are what DHO are all about. I live!

The Gayly online. 11/12/2025 @ 11:30 a.m. CST.