There’s no denying the widespread adoration for dogs, but one man’s love has led him to literally embody his affection. Unfortunately, the man — who spent $15,000 on a human dog costume to transform himself into a canine — has expressed sadness over misunderstandings surrounding his unique choice, with some labeling it as a “fetish.”
Toco’s Collie dog costume has been described as a “fetish”
Ever since he was a child, Toco had an “unspecific fantasy” of transforming into an animal. Although he has invested thousands in an extremely realistic Collie outfit out of love for the species, people continue to misunderstand his unusual hobby and label it as a “fetish.”
However, Toco has been open about the reality of his journey, confessing that he becomes distressed when he faces criticism from online trolls. In a past interview with The Mirror, he opened up about his fear of “coming out” in real life due to the reactions he faces. “I rarely tell my friends because I am afraid they will think I am weird,” he said. “My friends and family seemed very surprised to learn I became an animal.”
In response to questions about the adverse comments associated with his fetish, Toco expressed to The New York Post (via The Mirror), “I’m just sad that people can think that. I love animals and enjoy play-acting like a collie.” Continuing, he added, “This is my hobby, so I will carry on. It makes me happy and other people happy, too.”
Why does Toco wear a human dog costume?
Toco, a Japanese native, reportedly dedicated a whopping two million Yen to a life-size Collie outfit to look like his favorite dog breed, thus accomplishing his lifelong dream.
On his YouTube channel, Toco frequently posts “a day in the life” videos where he demonstrates his learning journey of eating, playing, and training like a dog. His videos have amassed thousands of viewers. One video titled “I want to be an animal” shows Toco taking a stroll on the streets, sniffing dogs in the park, and even rolling on the floor.
For Toco, transforming into his dog alter-ego is an ongoing experience. He finds joy in imitating behaviors that are specific to canines, which gives him a sense of authenticity. He loves belly rubs and imitates the actions of a Collie.
And that’s not all. Toco consumes imitation dog food, sleeps in a hammock, and even has his very own cage. Nonetheless, the human tasks that still require his hands become more of a challenge, as his “paws” tend to get in the way.
