Welcome to the den of a radio-collared Northwestern wolf, Canis lupus occidentalis, born in Yellowstone's Lamar Valley and kept in captivity. I am known by (and only referred to as) 1227M in online spaces. Offline, I am simply called Wolf. “Human” labels do not resonate, so treat me as you would treat any other male wolf. If labels help you, you may consider me a theriform holothere, since those are the only terms that slightly fit. A mahogany-scented, socially neutral delta miscecanis.
Protective alter within a medically recognized system with a known headcount of around nine or ten. Not diagnosed and not seeking such. Uses we/us and I/me interchangeably, normally depending on context. Delusional and occasionally psychotic. Likely schizospec, but unchecked. Collectively identifies as a butch lesbian. Also diagnosed with chronic pain as well as POTS, though it is extremely rare to see posts about it.
Generally pup safe (for regressors/dreamers, perma-pups, and minors), since there will be minimal swearing and no inappropriate content. However, we are an adult (bodily 19 in human years), so we will not respond to private messages from anyone below the age of eighteen. We also collectively support BDSM, kink practices, proshippers, and paraphiliacs within the community. Adult posts/conversations will always be tagged as 18+, filter that if you'd like.
No specific interaction criteria since it does not entirely deter anyone, but we do block freely. Just don't be weird and we'll get along fine. General stance on most things is live and let live, unless it is harmful. Anti-contact (neutral for non-harmful paras), pro-recovery, and pro-fiction.
By now I'm sure many of us have noticed the uptick in wolf therians identifying themselves using tracking collar IDs rather than names, alongside a few members of other species doing their equivalent. While tracking collar numbers do not resonate with me (as a werewolf, I would just take it off the next time I changed to human shape if that were to happen to me), they are a part of a general topic that interests me very much - wordless names.
A wordless name is, well, pretty much what it says on the tin. A name which contains no words. This is a concept that I think many alterhumans may find interesting, because it is a way to refer to yourself that is closer to the way that animals likely think of each other in some cases, or may simply be "dehumanizing" in others.
To talk about wordless names, we first have to think about what makes a name in the first place. Most naming conventions dictate that a name should be pronounceable, and be able to be written, usually using the standard alphabet of the name's language origin. However, that is not always the case, even in the human world. Lets look at some examples of human names outside of this framework, before we get into ideas for nonhuman ones.
A name does not have to be pronounceable:
Names spoken in sign language may never be verbally spoken, and yet these are very much names.
Names used online often include emojis and unpronounceable letter combinations, but we still understand them as names.
The Artist Formerly Known as Prince changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol which also cannot be written in the standard alphabet.
A name does not have to be written:
Throughout history, there have been many oral cultures which had no written language, and yet members of these cultures certainly had names.
Even in cultures with written language, for most of history the majority of the population has been illiterate, meaning many people's names were never written, or may have been written with no standardized spelling at all.
If a name does not have to be spoken, pronounced, or written, then we are left with the idea that a name is any signifier that can be used to refer to you specifically. This includes aforementioned radio collar IDs, but it also includes one of my favorite kind of wordless names - tuponyms.
A tuponym is a pattern-name. A name which is formed by patterns unwritten, unpronounceable, and non-linguistic. Tuponyms were first conceptualized by Bluesky user GoopyPanther, in her zine "Tuponyms", which I highly recommend reading. Some examples of a tuponym included in the zine are:
The individual gait of an animal's stride. If you can recognize which of your family members is approaching your door based on the sound of their footsteps, you may already be familiar with this type of name.
The individual frequency emitted by a radio collar.
The pattern of light and color left by a flashing night-walking dog collar.
I myself have thought of a few more, such as the shape of the border of an animal's territory, the pattern of their markings, or the unique shape of their tracks. The possibilities are almost endless.
One unique example of this in the wild that we can confirm is used by animals is the pitch of a wolf's howl. Each individual wolf in a pack howls in a specific pitch which the pack can use to identify them, as well as to harmonize together. This association is so strong, that if a new wolf joins the pack who howls in a pitch that is already taken, they will have to change their howl to an unoccupied one.
Neither of the types of wordless name discussed so far touches on the most common animal name of all. though. This is, of course, scent. It belongs in a category of its own. Each individual creature carries its own unique scent, which not only names who they are, but also communicates how well they are doing, what they have been up to lately, and who they have been hanging out with. Scent is the most common method of naming and knowing in the animal kingdom, and, in some ways, is most similar to human writing. A scent message can be scrawled into the landscape, explicitly intended for use by others, and can also be a passive trace of a presence on the breeze. I will admit that I may be biased here as a canine, but scent speaks in volumes, and because of its powerful tie with memory, I think it makes a wonderfully rich name woven from memories of the creature bearing the scent.
The concept of a "signature scent" is nothing new, and with the rise in popularity of the miscecanis community, the concept of a personal scent is something that gets talked about in the alterhuman community fairly often, but I believe that scent as a name is taking things a step further. The difference between natural scent, like is being used by animals, and artificial scent, like is being chosen in the form of scent products to represent yourself, becomes a bit of a divide here. Though both are useful.
Even without your theriotype's nose, by paying attention to the natural scent of yourself and your loved ones, you can pretty quickly pick up on its identifying features, and even some of the other info I mentioned, like where they may have been, what they have been doing, and even some information about their health. I have gotten pretty good at noticing the changes in my mate's scent when he is having a bad mental health day, vs when he is feeling fine, for example. Much like a written letter from a loved one, natural scent can also be used to comfort you in their absence, cuddling with their blanket becomes a comforting name spoken sweetly.
Chosen scents like cologne and perfume also communicate a lot. Imagine you have no spoken name, and no chance to communicate verbally, yet you are trying to communicate to someone who you are and what you're about. What scents would you chose, and what would you hope that they say about you? This is something of a chosen name. One of the most unique ways that I have heard of chosen scents being used as a naming, was by a kinkster who spoke about how whenever he enters a new dynamic with a sub, he takes them to pick out a "scent collar" which they would wear during all scenes so that the scent of it would instantly put them into the right headspace for their dynamic. Eventually, this scent would be worn at all times as a completely invisible day collar.
All this to say, there are numerous ways that animals communicate identity and recognize each other, which are not traditional names. There are also lots of non-traditional name ways that humans recognize and refer to animals. If you are a wild animal, it may be fun to think about what sort of wordless names others may give you. If you are a predator that protects a certain range of territory, others of your species may name you by the shape of the territory you defend, and the scent hovering at your marking places. At the same time, prey may name you by the pattern your paws leave in the mud, and know to steer clear. If you are a deer, your kin may name you by the impressive antler rubs you leave, while humans might recognize you by the estimated score of your antlers. A bird may be named by the hue of his dazzling feathers by a mate, and by the scratches his dance leaves in the dirt by the snake. An angler fish may be known the the wavelength of light her lure gives off, or the texture of her skin in the dark.
These names are fluid, descriptive, and immediate. They prevent you from easily being spoken about in your absence, a fact suited to the flow state inhabited by most animals. Each moment is faced for exactly what it is, with complete mindfulness. It is an interesting thought experiment, to think about the ways that different modes of language change the very way you think.
What do you think of wordless names? Are there any you identify with? If you would like to make some of your own, here are a few ideas:
The shape of the path you take most often when you walk through your neighborhood
The mixture of your natural scent and the scent left behind by your favorite hobbies (eg, the smell of warm bread if you like baking, dirt and leaves if you hike, salt water if you fish in the sea, etc)
A specific signature scent you chose to represent yourself
The sound + rhythm made by your key-chains or collar tags jangling when you walk
The pattern made by an LED night collar, should you chose to adopt wearing one
The pitch of your howl
Your preferred silhouette in clothing
All of this isn't even getting into the kind of names that could be used by alien species, spirits, or fictional creatures.
Ever since I was a child, I've always suspected that something was a little.. off.. about me.
Whenever I was introduced to the term, “therian,” it all began to make sense.
In kindergarten, I'd wander the playground at school on all fours and communicate via barks, growls, and strange hissing sounds. My peers never really said anything about it, they simply avoided me like the plague; because, honestly, who wants to talk to a five or six-year-old who can barely string together coherent sentences without adding in some offputting animal noises?
During the frequent family roleplays that commenced between my peers, I would always beg and plead to be the pet. They'd always allow it, because I swore not to make it a big thing and it wouldn't interfere with anything else.
My teachers were confused, obviously. My habit of eating food from the floor began around this time, as did the bullying from my peers for my strange behaviors.
However, that's normal for a child, right? I was still developing, figuring out how the world works. No child is normal during this time. I know this, you know this, we all know this.
It first started to become an actual “problem” for those around me throughout my elementary school years.
The first year or so was normal. Like other kids my age, I was disruptive and socially inept. I made friends with a girl who claimed to be a vampire (I still think of her often, I hope she's well) and a boy who said his mom was the president. A child's imagination is near-incomprehensible to the adult mind, even though we've all experienced it in the past.
Around the time that third grade was starting, everyone around me seemed to be.. growing up. They were forming large friend groups (most of which ended up lasting until highschool graduation), becoming aware of their surroundings, and understanding human body language.
I felt as though I was stuck in time.
Unfortunately, my way of expressing feelings and emotions had yet to progress. I was still making weird sounds and scrunching up my face to showcase discomfort. I violently wiggled my lower body as a sign of excessive happiness. Basically, I hadn't figured out what the human equivalent to these signs were.
At the creek near our house, surrounded by my family, I'd remain horizontal. I despised walking on two legs, for it took me longer and it made me feel strangely tall. I was never meant to solely use my hind legs, none of us were.
I'd fold my hands to imagine them as paws and use them to dig large holes in the dark sand. Once I had a big enough hole, I defended it with my life and referred to it as my den. Some would call this early signs of derangement, but I refer to it as the early tells of who I truly was.
My family would stay at the creek for hours upon hours. On all fours with me, for the most part, was my younger brother and cousin. They were simply copying what I was doing. Whenever they pleased, they felt comfortable stopping these behaviors and returning upright. I did not.
The drive home was always devastating for my younger self. Everyone else was fine with it, ready to rest after a long day of wasting away beneath the sweltering sun. I missed my den.
If it were up to me, I'd have spent my entire life down by the water in my little den.
It wasn't up to me, though.
In the fourth grade, my cousin, brother, and I formed a sort of wolf pack. I was the leader, because I knew the most about how packs functioned in the real world, and because I was a very controlling child during this time.
We acted out this wolf pack every time we saw eachother, for hours on end. It was always my idea. They were younger, so they complied.
This continued for several years. We had extensively discussed our characters, lore, and pack dynamics. It was the highlight of my childhood, and I look back on it quite fondly.
Around this time, my family took note of the behaviors I hadn't seemed to grow out of. They told me to stand up, speak correctly, and act “normal.” So, I did just that.
Middle school attacked me like a freight train before I could even comprehend that life was moving on in the first place.
Classes got longer, recess was completely scrapped, and I no longer saw my brother and cousin as often as I once had.
Those years went by in a haze, as did my time in highschool. Dissociation kept me standing and (somewhat) mentally sane.
I was absolutely miserable, though. I felt like an animal forced to go through all the motions of being a human. These feelings persisted for so long that I believed they would become my normal.
At seventeen years old, I fully dropped out of highschool in pursuit of an early finish. I got my diploma equivalent in eleven days and, within a month, I was enrolled in college.
College was.. a lot, especially during my first year. The workload was nothing like what I had ever experienced before and studying took up most of my free time. I quickly became depressed and, as a result, spent the last bit of my free time in online communities for my favorite games.
In one of these communities, I met someone online. For the sake of their anonymity, I will refer to them as Clover.
Clover was an elk therian. At the time, I knew close to nothing about therianthropy, so I had plenty of questions for them. And, luckily, they were kind enough to answer every question that I broached them with.
Upon learning about Clover's identity, I grew curious. That little wolf-child within me who had been silenced and locked away for their own safety and sanity had begun gnawing at the bars of their mental jail cell.
The next year passed slowly as I grew to accept every part of myself again, and show myself the love in which I deserve. Over this period of time, I created this account to make likeminded friends and learn more information about the community.
Finally, I had a reason as to why I acted the way that I did whenever I was younger. I wasn't just some strange child with an inability to move on. No, no. I was a pup, lost and confused and raised by humans who refused to accept me for who I was.
All therians will, at some point, start off this way; as pups, or kits, or hatchlings, or chicks, or whatever the term may be.
As they grow, they will turn into the incredible creatures that they are. Their wings will carry them far, their paws will spread out to encompass the world, and their antlers will reach the treetops.
Therianthropy is a beautiful thing, one that shouldn't be feared or slandered. One day, I hope that everyone will understand it, or, at the very least, respect it, more.
Short essay written by user WULFBONES on Tumblr, 2026.
could you explain how someone gets radio collared? someone recently explained to me what a radio collar is, but I'm curious how someone goes about getting a radio collar? is it just something thats part of their identity? like they choose it? I'm just genuinely curious and would like a very detailed explanation for my very autistic brain, if you can't answer thats totally fine
to be brief, since i’m low on energy, creatures choose their own ID numbers based on different factors. it could be birth date numbers, awakening date numbers, lucky numbers, or numbers that just “feel right”. it is a part of their identity, most similar to a name.
my pack mates @wulfbones and @collared-pacific may be able to answer better, if you’re still lost. sorry anon!
Rebarking with 1813M’s experience if Anon would like to read it. This is very personal to him, so of course it will be different for every canine.
TLDR; For 1813M, it is an involuntary aspect of his identity. He was not born with it, and he cannot change it easily.
———
For him, this identity is not voluntary. Being collared is not voluntary. He was collared by a past handler, and conditioned to believe it was for the best for him. It is a tool to track him and keep him with his handler.
It became a part of his life, so for years he put up with it. At this point in time, it is so embedded in his life and identity that he feels he could not remove it even if he tried. It was something that was put on him without his input or consent, and now he must live with it.
That is 1813M’s experience, but again, this is only one perspective. Other canines will have other experiences.
Adding on to my packmates' statements with my own view on things.
I am not in the best headspace for in-depth discussions since I am currently sick, but I still wish to help with answering this question, so: please pardon any poorly-explained segments.
During my personal puphood, I had always felt detached from humankind, but I also had a strange connection to them at the same time. I felt as though they frequently controlled my behaviors and kept track of what I was up to, similar to how humans use radio collars to monitor animals kept in captivity (and occasionally wild ones).
Whenever I discovered my theriotype, I eventually learned about radio collars. It felt as if I had finally found the answer. I felt controlled by humans because I was captive-kept.
The radio-collaring experience is different for everybeing, of course. It may be involuntary, voluntary, or a mixture of the two. It may be a number chosen by the creature themself, their handler, or perhaps somebeing else. The ID may go along with a “regular” name, or simply used by itself. What matters most is whether or not it would limit one's species dysphoria.
Block this disgusting, exclusionist bigot. Because 1813M actually knows what ‘bigot’ means, unlike this asshole. This comment is literally just throwing words around that they do not understand.
They cannot even say something like this to 1813M’s face—they blocked him before he could even see the comment on the post.
At least Tumblr notifications do not disappear automatically when you leave the app.
this is the home of the British Columbian sea wolf ; more specifically 'J3939M'. J3939M has been radio collared and researched for quite a long time, though has recently been switched to a new research team.
J3939M is a juvenile male wolf, only a few months away from adulthood. he responds positively to attention, both from other wolves, humans, and whatever else is willing to interact. he seems to be completely apathetic to human discourse.
J3939M has internal packmates — for lack of a wolf equivalent term, he has DiD. he also engages in a small pack of other radio collared canidae.
J3939M struggles with indirect questions ; the wolf needs straightforward communication.
This likely won’t be a complete list, and I’m sure there are other posts of this nature already up on different blogs, but I thought I’d also make one!
Anatomy:
Hair -> Fur
Teeth -> Fangs
Hands/Feet -> Paws
Butt -> Hindquarters
Mouth/Jaw -> Muzzle
Activities/Actions/etc. (most of these I learned from @wulfbones !) :
Taking a walk -> Patrolling your territory
Shopping for groceries -> Hunting down prey
Dogs/Pets -> Pups
Singing -> Howling (if you cannot howl or it is unsafe to do so)
Speaking -> Vocalizing
If anyone has anymore that they can think of feel free to comment them and I can add them to the list! :3
Generally just called 07. Male in his fourties. Alter within a DID system. Gatekeeper and physical protector. Bull herder, German shepherd, and Belgian malinois cross. Simon “Ghost” Riley fictive, but if he was a canine instead of a man. Dry, formal way of speaking; hard to befriend. Minors, DNI.
MALICE ⛧ she he it. scorpio. eng. goth femme lesbian. sled dog in human clothes. full-time pervert with no off days. shitposter. aspiring writer. ex wattpad glazer. nonbinary van palmer truther. jackieshauna brainrot.
