Meet one of the five AZ Puppy Contest 2024 contestants, Pup Ace!
“ARRUFF!! Hey y’all! My name is Ace, and I’m so excited to meet you! There’s a lot to know about me, so I’ll kick it off with the basics. I’m a young Tamaskan wolfdog, known for my big personality and energetic behavior! I’m a big hugger, so if you come up to chat with me, the first words out of my mouth are almost definitely going to be ‘are you okay with hugs?’ As a pup, I absolutely love getting the chance to just play around and mosh with friends. I’ve been known to go completely berserk on squeaky toys, and will run around playing fetch for Literal Hours, not to mention my ability to stay in any body of water for…let’s just say, a Very extended amount of time. I pride myself on being an emotional support and guard dog to those I care about, so I’m always paying attention to what’s going on around me and how people are feeling. True to my dog nature, once I call you friend, I’ll be loyal until the very end, and you’ll always have a listening ear or shoulder to cry on. Even though I may just be a silly puppy, I know the importance of staying true to myself and always putting my whole heart into something I care about.
“I’ve only been a pup in the community since last July, but as soon as I put on the hood and sang my heart out at my first Puppyoke, I knew this was a forever kind of thing, and I know in my heart that this is something that will continue to be a core part of who I am. As someone who exists outside of the ‘norm’ of what people usually think of when they hear the term ‘pup play,’ I hope to use this competition as a chance to show the people in our local community (and beyond) that you don’t have to look or identify any type of way to belong here. As a transmasc asexual lesbian, I truly never thought I would find a home in a group portrayed as being primarily for kinky gay cis men, but I’m so glad I took that plunge with all four paws. I’m here to be a voice for those who think that they don’t have a place in a community like this. I don’t want someone to miss out on the opportunity to find their bark just because they don’t see people like them behind the hoods. Anyone can be a pup, all that’s required is that you feel it, that you want to find the dog inside and let ‘em run loose. So, to all my trans, nonbinary/genderqueer, femme, AFAB, or asexual/aspec pup siblings out there, I’m doing this for us. To show the world that we are here, and that we deserve a chance to run wild and free with the best of them.”
Get to know Pup Ace and all the pups at the Meet the Contestants event that kicks off AZ Puppy Weekend on May 3rd at 9pm at Stacy’s at Melrose, and then cheer them on as they compete in the AZ Puppy Contest 2024 on May 4th at 1pm at Kobalt Bar. Be sure to get tickets ASAP!