Sister Snog

Did anyone see The Secret Life of the Dog this week on BBC2? It was amazing! I know that SisterSnogger loves me and I love her but what I didn't realise was why the bond was so strong. Apparently it's all to do with the same amazing hormone that bonds a mother to her baby.

There was an incredible dog on the programme called Betsy who had an understanding of over 340 human words (about the same as a young  child). SisterSnogger says I can manage 3. What she doesn't know is that I actually know loads more. I just choose to ignore her. The other thing we can do is to recognise human gestures, such as pointing. Even chimpanzees can't do that and they're supposed to be next in the intelligence line to humans. I don't think so...

There was also an interesting experiment on nature vs nurture. You may be aware that we dogs are 99.8% wolf. At least that's what our DNA tells the experts. However over the course of thousands of years we've become domesticated and rarely harp back to our canis lupus days. The programmers gave 5 day old wolf cubs to a group who had previously raised 5 day old puppies to see how the wolf cubs would react to being raised in the same way as the puppies. In the very early days there was very little to distinguish them. Until the wolf cubs started to find their independence. And boy did they ever. One cub-carer couldn't even open her fridge door without the wolf cub leaping in to steal any food it could get its jaws into. I know what would happen here if I tried that one...

The best thing of all though for you humans is that we're now helping you to identify genes responsible for human diseases. So mother nature's a wonderful thing isn't she? Now when's the next full moon for me to howl at?

Feeling the pinch post-Xmas? Not me. I've just had a free Xmas. And that included a week in a cosy Cornwall cottage. And all the presents. And all the food and drink. And I could go on...well actually I will. Bet you're thinking well it wasn't really free was it. Strictly speaking you'd be right. I did pay for all those lovely things. However the money came from selling some old gold I'd had sitting at the bottom of my jewellery box for...oooooh too many years to mention.
 
Let's step back a moment to when Krista Waddell joined Sister Snog in August last year. She'd been introduced by Carol Webster who decided to hold a Pure Gold Party which she invited me to. It was all women apart from the lovely Romain who was our Gold Expert. He really knew his 9 carat from his 18 as his day job is with the classic jewellery house Chopard. While one of us was having our gold assessed (weighed, carated and priced) the rest of us were having our own little party with the drinks and nibbles that our hostess with the mostest had lovingly prepared. I was the last guest of the evening to have my gold assessed and gathered quite a crowd as the price of my stash was going through the roof. When it reached the £1000 mark everyone cheered! Especially me. I eventually went home with a cheque for over £1200. And all from gold I haven't worn for years.

So you see you can have a free Xmas. You just have to know how. By the way did I mention? Sister Snog's holding a Pure Gold Party on 19th January. So dig out your unwanted gold and bring it along. It might be too late for a free Xmas but just in time for January's credit card bill!