“eBay!” exclaims 32-year old lighting technician Tom when I ask him where he found his full-body latex dog costume.

“My first accessory when I discovered the pup life was a simple orange collar and a lead, but over the years I’ve collected many outfits and accessories to perfect my Dalmatian look!”

Tom, or ‘Spot’ as he enjoys to be called, is a human puppy. This peculiar subculture of role play was first developed as a sexual fetish, but has now mellowed considerably from its BDSM origins and become a way of life for many men around the world.

Now the bite’s been removed from the bark, what’s the point of these peculiar pooches? Tonight, an exploration of Tom’s curious canine world, The Secret Life of Human Pups, is to be broadcast on Channel 4, putting this dotty Dalmatian under the spotlight.