Did you know that chimps and share 98% of their DNA. Well it might be almost 98%, but it's around that figure and it's definitely a lot. The point is chimps and humans are very similar. However, a recent study (which I love) says that humans actually have more in common with dogs. Thousands of years of living together has caused us to share many behaviours, such as cooperating, understanding verbal communication and imitation. In this fascinating study scientists taught a dog and a sixteen month old child to carry out various behaviours, and they performed at about the same level.
When you read the behaviours they taught, I was actually surprised that a sixteen month old child could do them as well as a child, but maybe I have smart dogs. (I won't consider the other option!) The whole article makes very interesting reading, and also contains some links to other intriguing reading.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Take care,
Julie x