Gay veterans were looking for a space where they could understand each other and share their unique experiences. Using symbols and language inspired by their military experience, leather clubs formed in different cities and, over time, established a leatherman code with strict hierarchies and practices, including an emphasis on sadomasochism.
Puppy play developed out of master/slave dynamics common in the ‘leather’ community.
The advent of the Internet allowed more people, including heterosexuals and women, to discover this activity and incorporate it into their own sexual and power dynamics.
