2025
CONTEST
WHAT HAPPENED?
The 2025 edition of the European Puppy & Handler Contest brought vibrant and diverse yet. Hosted once again at the iconic Darklands Festival in Antwerp, the contest brought together pups and handlers from across Europe to compete, connect, and celebrate everything that makes our community so powerful.
From heartfelt speeches to playful performances, from quiet moments of support backstage to raucous crowd howls, the contest embodied the essence of our scene: joy, vulnerability, resistance, and kinship.
WHO WERE THE CONTESTAnts
Explore the full lineup of 2025 contenders—each bringing unique identities, voices, and visions for our community:
🐶 Khao Nox — “Nightmare” Husky
🇧🇪 Title: Puppy Belgium 2024
Pronouns: He/HIM
Style: Bipedal, hooded, geeky menace with a heart of gold
Khao blends pup play with geek and gaming culture, embodying a bipedal, anthropomorphic identity. While not often in headspace or moshing, they advocate for inclusive practices (like kneepads and padded floors) and community visibility—often in bright neon!
🐶 Fulkan
🇫🇷 Country: France
Pronouns: HE/She/They
Style: Omega pup with bratty energy and a political bite
For Fulkan, pup play is a personal refuge—a way to disconnect from the stress of daily life and express their true self. Denied eligibility for Mister Puppy France due to gender identity, they’re now stepping up on the European stage to claim space for all those who are gender diverse
🐶 Moe
🇪🇸 Title: Puppy Spain 2024
Pronouns: He/Him
Style: ABDL service pup with cuddly energy
Moe is all about joy, play, and support. For him, pup play is an escape and a form of community care. He wants to celebrate the 10th anniversary of EPAHC and 15 years of Darklands by showing the world what a playful, approachable pup can do.
🐶 Puma
🇮🇹 Title: Puppy Italia 2024
Pronouns: He/Him She/Her
STYLE: Kink and social leather pup with multilingual charm
Puma blends emotional intelligence with strong language skills (Italian, English, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese). Known for creating inclusive events and representing underrepresented voices, Puma sees pup play as a space for connection, healing, and visibility.
🧔♂️ Ken
🇮🇹 Title: Puppy Italia 2024
Pronouns: He/Him
STYLE: Old-school, patient, safety-focused handler
Ken combines tradition with deep empathy, seeing handling as a second committed relationship. He emphasizes safety, consent, and long-term care—bringing decades of lived experience in the fetish and queer scenes.
🧔♂️ Steve
🇮🇹 Country: Italy
Pronouns: He/Him
STYLE: Empathetic, community-focused, definition-seeking handler
Steve aims to better define what it means to be a handler today—across generations and communities. With experience supporting pups and organizing events, he sees the role as both psychological support and community leadership.
Sponsors for 2025
