Contact Tank:

"Being a pup has allowed me to feel truly alive. Everything has an intensity to it that never existed before. I am so incredibly grateful for everything this has brought me, from the joy and pleasure to the heartache. We as pups have so much power to bring happiness and pleasure into the lives around us, to give others the permission to enjoy themselves. I try to bring that energy whenever I go out."

All photos by Pup Tank

PW: Where did your name come from?

TANK: Hahaha, it's an abbreviated version of my gaming handle, Cantankerous Joe. It became who I am, though.

PW: How did you find pup-play?

TANK: I discovered it while attending a "Pup Play 101" panel at my local furry convention. But also my friend Doug has friends who are pups. It turns out everyone who's friends with Doug turns into a pup, including me.

PW: Thank you, Doug! When did you become a pup? How did it feel the first time you walked on Tank’s paws?

TANK: I have a distinct moment in time when I became a pup. I wore my pup gear in public for the first time at the 2022 Backdoor Halloween party. I went into a dark room and sat in a sling, and almost immediately this beautiful pup walked up and mounted me. It was so mind-blowing—the beauty, the intensity, the anonymity. I sought him out and connected after, and we pup out together to this day.

PW: What kind of pup is Tank?

TANK: I'm an exhibitionist gogo pup. I love being in my headspace the most when I'm dancing and when I'm fucking, and I love the stylistic expression with gear, a lot of which I tailor or make myself.

PW: Do you have a pack? If so, what kind of things do you pups get up to?

TANK: I do not. I've made some incredible friends within the community. I've dated a couple of pups, but both struggled with depression, and I think that played a huge part in the relationships falling apart. Apparently, I have a thing for puppy eyes.

PW: Preaching to the choir, brother. Are you out? Are you out as a pup?

TANK: I'm out as gay, and a furry, and mostly out as a pup—it's a little tougher as I still work in a sphere that doesn't allow public expressions of sexuality. It's a little ironic when I marched in the Pride Parade as a pup, with my employer behind me, who would probably fire me if they knew I was there. Nevertheless, I don't mind walking around in public with my pup gear on, and in SFW pup apparel without my hood.

PW: Where do you live? Do you like living where you do?

TANK: I live part-time in Vancouver, Canada, and the Okanagan, about 5 hours away. I much prefer the sun and the cliffs of the Okanagan, but there's no gay community here.

PW: Is there a pup community nearby?

TANK: There is a small community of pups in Vancouver, but we're not very cohesive. I'm trying to help change that by organizing and promoting our monthly social event, Doghouse. I'd like to eventually organize a pup-oriented dance party.

PW: Did you ever feel the call of the pup when you were a child? What was your childhood like?

TANK: No. For me, the pup experience is very intertwined with my sexuality, my stylistic expression, and the dark, grungy spaces that humans inhabit under the cover of darkness. There is nothing childlike or innocent in any of that. I grew up as a hardcore right-wing Christian, believing homosexuality was the worst sin. I also never remotely had any interest in girls. It took a long time and serious hardship before I came to terms with the reality that if I didn't accept who I was, I would grow old and die a sad, lonely virgin. While I lost my first 25 years to religion, I have now fully accepted who I am and I love myself for it, and I'm still growing and becoming a gooder doggo every day.

PW: What’s the funniest thing that ever happened to you while in your pup headspace?

TANK: I love to pup out and go dancing at our local leather bar and at events, and most often I am completely sober. I'll get into a state of euphoria where, by all rights, I think I must be on something, but it's just me, my pup gear, the music, and the space.

PW: So, you call yourself a toymaker. I somehow don’t see you carving a choo choo out of pine. How do you ply your craft?

TANK: I do a lot more than most adult toy makers. I do every step of the process, which includes designing a new product, modeling it using 3D computer modeling and 3D printing, creating a mold, as well as casting the toys out of silicone, which is in itself an art form. I sell online (formerly through Etsy before they kicked us off, now my website at knottyboytoys.com) but mostly at furry conventions.

PW: I see that you also identify as a furry. How does that fit into your life?

TANK: I have been involved in the furry community for seven years as a volunteer, and they're the target market for my toys. But to be honest, I've found much more connection and community, both online and in person, with pups. I feel like I have found a home here. With that in mind, I'm developing a new product specifically for pups that I think they're gonna love. Watch for it in the next few months!

PW: You’re pretty active, with some very exciting adventures. What do you get up to?

TANK: I've been all over the province doing my main two outdoor sports, rock climbing (8 years) and mountain biking (20 years). I've traveled for these as far as New Zealand and Thailand. Indoors, I've been weightlifting for 15 years and dancing for 2. I wish I'd discovered that last one sooner; the adventures I've had and the friends I've made just go-go dancing are incomparable to anything before.

PW: Finish this sentence: I hate when…

TANK: I can't find that damn tool I just put down. I can be very absent-minded.

PW: They’re creating a Tank action figure. What does it look like? What accessories come with it? And what existing toy would he most likely want to hook up with?

TANK: How about a photo? (see pic at right) Ooooh, I'd DEFINITELY hook up with Goliath from Gargoyles

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