HOLD UP
Before you bare your fangs or get all up in paws with me... no, I'm not trying to define Alpha for everyone; this is strictly my take on the role of an Alpha. This is both what I look to receive as a Pup from my own Alpha; as well as what I would hope to one day provide as an Alpha to my own Pups... and no, I'm not ready to really take on my own Pups yet.
Farrstriders' Alpha - Pup Gadget
What is an Alpha
An Alpha is a Pup... or more specifically a Dominant Pup and when the right energies are present, the Alpha will naturally fall into a Dominant role with other Pups. In a pack setting, an Alpha will generally be the head of the pack and provide guidance, direction and leadership to the Pups taken under the Paw of the Alpha. Outside of the pack setting, an Alpha will naturally tend take on a dominant role with other Pups; especially when those pups are naturally submissive as well.
NO... I'm not pigeon-holing the Alpha role
Now, while I do appreciate that an Alpha will tend to take on a dominant role with other submissive individuals, I do want to also make it clear that this does NOT mean that any individual Alpha is ALWAYS dominant... nor does it mean that any individual Alpha can not also be submissive. Every one of us is a complex individual in our own ways... and that means that all of us have the capacity (and possibly the interest) to fill multiple roles in our lives...
in both our Kink lives as well as our non-kink lives.
For example: I consider myself an Alpha Pup in Training... which is to say that I'm still learning how to truly fulfill the role of Alpha as I interpret it. I tend to take on a dominant role with others when presented with submissive energy, but, I also tend to take a submissive role with those who project a dominant energy to me. I'm naturally a switch and I'm able to be submissive to my Alpha, my Husband and my Sir... while also being equally capable of being dominant towards my Pup Brother and some of my other friends & playmates (Pups & Boys alike).
Alpha
The Pack Leader
As I mentioned above, I see the Alpha as the leader in a Pack situation. We'll save a deeper discussion of what a Human Puppy Pack is for another blog; but it is most likely EXACTLY what you're thinking... a group of Pups who are all submissive towards the head of the Pack, The Alpha.
As the Pack Leader, it's the responsibility of the Alpha to provide for his Pups... but maybe not quite the way that phrase tends to imply. No, I'm not advocating that the Alpha be the Sugar Daddy to all of the Pups he takes under his guiding paws... the "providing" I'm talking about is specifically within the Kink realm. The Providing I'm talking about is the kind that involves Providing Education and Maintaining Relationships with their Pups. The Pups an Alpha raises are, for all intents and purposes, a reflection of that Alpha.
Alpha
The Educator
Education is Key! An Alpha who takes on a Pack of Pups should be passing on their knowledge and insights. While there are MANY ways to express yourselves as Pup and each individual Pup should be encouraged to express their own unique self; I find it incredibly helpful to have the guidance and insight of my Alpha to help me discover my own ways to express Pup while also learning more about how my Alpha expresses their own unique Pup. It's important to pass on what we learn to the next generation... else we loose important information.
Side note... I've been told that my mannerisms as Farrstrider remind people of my Alpha Gadget... *wags*
Education can also be KEY when it comes to Safety. Some of the first things my Alpha taught me were Presentation positions and what some of the most important gear is for being on all fours as a Pup! Humans weren't exactly designed (bodily) to be on all fours after all... Presentation positions allow a Pup to be in a Puppy-like position but also see their surroundings without straining the neck... and equipment like Knee Pads and Gloves are super important when interacting as a Pup on all fours... even more so when you're moshing with other Pups!
Alpha
Pup Relationships
I mentioned that I feel it's important for an Alpha to maintain a relationship with each of the Pups they take on. I think this is equally important to the Educational component of being an Alpha. Remember though, Relationships come in different shapes and sizes... and no two relationships are ever alike... it boils down to a question I once asked myself:
If you don't regularly interact with "your" pups... are you still their Alpha?
For me, the answer is simply: Nope.
That might seem harsh, but think about it yourself for a moment. If someone is an Alpha to a Pup... how can they really be an Alpha to that pup without regular interaction?
*Yes, I know everyone Pups & Alphas in their own way... this is, again, my own opinion*
I feel it's very important for an Alpha to have regular interactions with their Pup(s). Now, that doesn't mean there can't be successful long-distance Alpha/Pup relationships... it just means, like with other long distance relationships, that it takes work to ensure the relationship doesn't fade.
Regular interaction with my Alpha is a big part of my life, and a very big part of my life as a Pup. In my case, my Alpha and I grew into a significant relationship... but there are all kinds of ways to interact with Pups as an Alpha. Ranging from Friendship to Spouses... as long as the relationship works for all parties involved; then its the right relationship for that Alpha and Puppy.
This though, brings me to a related comment about Pup Relationships... and a Pack. When an Alpha forms a Pack, it really is important that all parties in a pack are "on board" when it comes to adding a new Pup to the Pack. To me, a Pack is just like a family... it's what we in the LGBTQIA+ community a "Chosen Family." I haven't actually heard anyone else apply that term to a Human Puppy Pack before... but that's how I feel about it myself. It has a lot of the same principles behind it... the idea of choosing those you wish to see as your family unit... where an Alpha and their Beta are the "Heads of Household" and the Pups are, in many ways, like siblings to those heads of household. However you look at a pack, if an Alpha wishes to bring a new Pup into the fold... it's best to make sure that relationships of one kind or another are able to form between the pups in the pack... otherwise, it can be a... less than ideal situation.
An Alpha in the Wild
To bring this blog home, I wanted to touch on the idea of an Alpha as an individual... out in the wild... among Pups who aren't "their Pups" and their interaction with those Pups.
As an Alpha in Training, I'm still learning the ropes and finding my way to a place where I will feel personally comfortable taking on the responsibility of taking Pups under my own Paws. That said, I have flexed my own Alpha muscles out in the wild as an Alpha Pup. One of the primary ways I've done this, is to take on the role of a Puppy Trainer.
I've had the distinct pleasure of being able to pass along some of what I've learned to others! Being able to pass along that knowledge, by training someone else, is an incredibly rewarding experience... and it's what I endeavor to do for my own Pack one day... and in the meantime, I'm doing my best to model my vision for an Alpha in the Wild as best I can... which is to say that I do my best to offer knowledge to those who are willing to learn from me.
This mentor role is really something I feel is important. In Pup, I found a community, one that I really connect with... and I want to share that with others! I've been reached out to both in person and online; and I do my best in each circumstance to pass on what I know, offer any advice I can (including referring to other sources). It's important to me, as someone training to be an Alpha, that I model the behavior I want to see myself exhibit as an Alpha.
Summing Up the Role of: Alpha
To sum this blog up... I see the Alpha as a Leader and Mentor. An Alpha is an individual in the community who can help to guide newcomers towards finding their path while also being someone who can directly educate and mentor pups of their own; some of whom may grow up to be Alpha Pups themselves!
Thanks for reading! As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts! Please comment on the blog, on social media or even by email! Let me know what you're thinkin!
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Awrufff! *wags*
