Cynology: The Study of Dogs

Martin and Bosco Day Button Giveaway

Life can feel a bit bleak in 2026, so I decided my Tumblr community could use a bit of fun. I'll be giving away Martin and Bosco Day buttons! The awesome design is by @stinkybrowndogs.

I'll be covering the shipping costs, so the final number of winners will depend on postage, which I'm still working out. I'm doing my best. XD

To Enter: Reblog this post. That's it. You do not need to follow me and be subjected to my weird posts.

The fine print:

One entry per blog.

Winners will be randomly selected on June 21, 2026 at noon (Toronto time).

If you're selected, I'll contact you through Tumblr Messages to arrange shipping.

Due to shipping costs, this giveaway is limited to residents of Canada and the United States. I apologize to my international friends!

If you're selected, you'll need to share your name and mailing address with me so I can mail your button.

I'm eternally delighted that Martin and Bosco have their own Tumblr holiday.

#hello again martin and bosco!! sending you boys round for another go :)

#Martin and Bosco is literally the most valid use of Tumblr blaze ever i love this post to bits #THEY’RE SO JOYOUS WOWA #joyous reblogs

of a dog wearing a vest

that says “unemployed.”]

Basil Nightingale (British, 1864-1940). A Flatcoat Retriever, 1909. Oil on canvas.

Brindle is not very playful as a mom, but she spends a lot of time grooming her 9 week old pups, who are still allowed to nurse. There are several tick-borne fatal diseases here, so a strong trait of removing ticks is probably an important survival trait. All dogs do “nibble-grooming” or “cobbing”, often on us, so we can be grateful even if we have no burrs or parasites!

This is also a good instance of relaxed or playful voluntary appeasement/submission as opposed to fearful appeasement. The pup enjoys the interaction. There have been discussions online about how to interpret a dog that rolls over; is is fearful or tense, or is it inviting petting?

The pup’s body and paws are floppy, tail isn’t tucked, and it interacts gently back at mom.

I mean technically bitesports are, at times, Cop Simulator, which is why I call them Dog Attack Simulator.

IGP comes from 1920s-1940s German military and police training. You can put the rest of those dots together.

French and Belgian Ring comes from border patrol programs for those countries.

PSA came from a desire to create a realistic personal protection program accessible to civilians instead of mostly being centered around police and military dogs.

American Schutzhund is a recent branch off IGP to be closer to its roots in terms of requirements and measurements of the dogs in question.

Mondio Ring was created from people involved in the other Ringsports to be accessible as a dog trainer's sport instead of as a test for military and police.