This article originally ran in the October 2017 issue of AVN magazine. Click here for a link to the digital edition.
Above, the Tailz collection from XR Brands, a tail plug from Crystal Delights, and the Tentacle from Bad Dragon.
When it comes to kinks and fetishes, pet play is nothing new. Consenting adults who dress up or treat one or the other as various types of animals have been around as long as there’s been sex. But for most of that time, there were not always readily available, mass-produced items to help with the fantasy play. Sure, there was the occasional anal plug with a fuzzy pompom on the end, but true practitioners often had to resort to creative means or manufacturing their own pieces.
But as fetishes and different types of bondage play become more and more mainstream, manufacturers are realizing there’s a large audience looking for animal-themed items, and that audience continues to grow.
Shellie Martin, the founder and CEO of Crystal Delights, had already been making a few plugs with tails when she was approached by a customer about trying something new.
“I had a customer contact me who had a tail plug but she hated the black rubber plug it was attached to, she asked me if I could put it on one of our glass plugs because she loved them,” Martin said. “I told her I wasn’t sure but I would surely try! The rest is history!”
Today, Martin and her company make a variety of glass plugs with animal tails that not only look like the real thing, but feel like it too.
“If you are not averse to real fur there is no comparison between the real and the faux fur products,” she said. “The real is soft and silky and just feels … well, real!” Martin said. “We try to source the best fur we can find for our faux fur products for those that don’t want to have a real fur product and they come a really close second in quality. We also have an ethical use policy: our tails come from companies that specialize in the ‘refuse parts’ of animals typically thrown away. We at Crystal Delights do not condone the killing of an animal for its coat and we believe that someday the fur trade will likely be abolished. We support that effort, but until that time, we believe that all parts of the animal should be used and not simply discarded as waste. Crystal Delights donates a portion of real fur tail profits annually to animal charities as part of our charitable mission.”
Stockroom has long been a go-to for fans of more extreme items. Just recently, the company that’s made its name in bondage and fetish for more than 20 years added a Five Color Ponytail Glass Butt Plug to its product lineup. The plug was added to the retailer’s Animal Role-play collection of items for sale. In addition to a range of collars and leashes, Stockroom also carries a number of items specifically designed for puppy and pony play. Leather dog masks and pony heads are part of the selection, as are a K9 Muzzle and Pony Hoofs.
Those looking for other types of animals can find a Pig Face Hood, a Leather Bunny Hood and a Fox Tail Silicone Butt Plug. And animal play would not be complete without treats and training items: A variety of crops, rubber but gags and a steel cage are all offered online by Stockroom.
XR Brands has been manufacturing items related to pet play for some time, including the new Strict Crawler Bondage Set which binds the wearer’s arms and legs into a bent position, forcing them to crawl on their knees and elbows.
“It may look like animal play is a new fetish, but it has been around a long time and is quickly becoming more popular,” explained Lynda Mort, former director of business development for the manufacturer. “I think what makes this type of kink appealing is that it is an easy transition into figuring out what you like without getting into more aggressive things like BDSM. This makes it great for beginners who want to experiment with the dominant/submissive relationship. This type of play allows you to play in your kink with or without the sexual part of the relationship as well. This kink is very big in the gay communities but is growing with couples as well.
“At XR, we have seen sales and inquiries over the last several years increase, which is why we have expanded our lines accommodate the growing demand,” she continued. “We now have a full puppy play section as part of our bestselling Master Series collection, we have added crawlers to our Strict line and we have a line of exclusively animal tails in our new bestselling line, Tailz. These items are flying off the shelf!”
Rob Phaneuf, vice president of product development for Pipedream Products, said the manufacturer has incorporated some items for pet and animal play into some of its existing ranges.
“We have a few item from Pipedream that could be used for animal play fantasies, such as the Icicles 49, which is a versatile product,” he said. “It can be used as a flogger or as a glass plug with a leather ‘tail.’ We also have the Fetish Fantasy Limited Edition Feather Nipple Clamps and Plug. This set is very approachable and fun. Of course, there are many different fantasies beyond animal play that people seek out products for. We like to think we really expanded how customers experience fantasy and fetish through Fetish Fantasy, which was the first couples-friendly bondage line offered by a major retailer and which really changed how fetish is represented at the retail level. Our Fetish Fantasy lines offer one of the most extensive and diverse fantasy product offerings, with everything from light to more extreme BDSM and fantasy play, it went beyond the ‘niche’ bondage items of restraints and whips and made the category more approachable to the masses.”
But even as the category continues to grow in popularity, there are still extremes, and Bad Dragon, a manufacturer of fantasy-inspired dildos, is ready for the increased interest. With pieces that resemble everything from sea creatures to dragons and more, the manufacturer can customize proactively every piece.
“Bad Dragon helps customers fulfill these fantasies by giving them a lot of input into their made-to-order toys,” explained Steven Vest, head of marketing at Bad Dragon. “Customers choose the model, size, color(s), firmness of silicone, and added options like cum tubes or suction cups to make the dildo or masturbator of their dreams. February birthday? You can get our ‘Amethyst’ birthstone color on your toy. Like the planet Mars? We have a color for that. By allowing customers input into their fantasy, it creates a more personalized experience for the consumer.
“When it comes to choosing the design shape for our products, Bad Dragon will often use design elements we know will work, like angles that aid in G-spot or prostate stimulation,” Vest continued. “While those particular features may be easy to discern and include, people like different things. Some like girth, some want texture, some enjoy a good curve, and others want something completely different. By giving a wide variety to choose from, Bad Dragon knows there is something on our shelves for everyone, bar none.”
As it is with many emerging trends in the pleasure products industry, some of the enthusiasm can be traced to pop culture and curious people searching on the internet.
“Internet culture has certainly played a role in the progression of the fantasy toy market by virtue of simply getting in front of more people,” Vest said. “In Bad Dragon’s case, the internet has helped us by exposing our products to those who didn’t know they existed and offering them something new and unique. The future will likely be more of the same, as the broad grasp of the internet knows no bounds. The fantasy toy market is experiencing lots of growth as we speak. Many consumers are disillusioned by the ‘same old thing’ on store shelves, and are looking for other options for their boudoir. Companies like Bad Dragon fill a gap in their sex lives they may have not known existed previously, no pun intended.”
Crystal Delight’s Martin echoed those thoughts. “I do see it as a growing fetish but not just in the fetish market, it really has moved more into the main stream market as well,” she said. “There is a sensual feel of the fur or ponytails brushing across skin, and the playful aspect of it as well! Who wouldn’t love the little swish of a tail?”
As for retailers looking to dedicate shelf space to animal and pet play items, several of the manufacturers offered advice.
“Education is always key. If the retailers understand the items, what they do, and the kink it represents they will be better equipped to educate the consumer … and consumer education is No. 1. Sometimes as buyers we buy for our spaces what sells best, but we lack the understanding of the product, what it does, and how to use it. But how do you buy if you don’t understand what the product represents? Same goes for sales people at the retail level … the more they know the more they grow their sales. It is important to educate from the top down, which will help the people buying understand, help the sales people sell, and help the end consumer understand what they are getting and how to be safe,” said Mort.
“I always like to test the market in which these items sell,” Mort continued. “So my suggestion would be that they pick up a few items to start, that are maybe more on the less aggressive side, train my staff, and see how my consumers respond. What you will find, is whether or not you are in a market that requires these items. In my experience, retailers who have started out with a few products have found that that this is an underserved market in their area (and everywhere!), and will begin to have customers coming in and asking for more.”
“For retailers, the importance of knowing what customers will want or need is paramount,” Vest said. “By being inclusive of kinks and fetishes that they may not motivate their passions, they show a willingness to accept their customers for who they are. Retailers, by and large, are smart enough to sense new trends or fads and the best retailers will chase these trends to respectable profits. Those who put fantastic creatures on the shelves for consumers will find that the design stands out amongst other, more vanilla, options. This presents an added bonus of offering the uninitiated something they may have never known they wanted otherwise.”
