People have said to me in the past, "As a Dog Listener, don't you sometimes get sick of talking about dogs?"

I think I know what they mean - you hear the old chestnut about doctors at dinner parties being asked for their opinion of the the host's haemorrhoids, for example. And I always like the joke about the gynaecologist who can't form a relationship, "If I see one more...".

Well, in a little down time between filming for Channel 7 and returning to Europe (next stop Sweden in mid February, which after being in the Australian summer will be a SEVERE shock), I have, among other things, been reading Russell Brand's autobiography (which may explain the rather risque comments above. He's such a bad influence, don't you know).

Intrigued by the description of some of the TV shows he has done in the past, I have looked for them on Youtube, and as you know, yours truly has a penchant for adding a clip from said website in an attempt to entertain as well as inform.

Sometimes though, I have found a good clip, only to be put off by the barmy comments that some people feel they need to leave underneath the film, not only for or against the clip itself, but sometimes verbally attacking each other, using some right naughty language (I am sounding like Russell again).

Anyway, what does this have to do with dogs? Well, there was one rather nasty exchange between an American and a Brit, culminating with the former going on about the British and their "gross teeth".

I have heard this before from our cousins across the Pond, and speaking as someone whose teeth have "character" (in fact, I think their imperfections rpart of my charm), I wonder why it is such a big deal to them. After all, if they were to criticise someone's appearance on gender or colour of skin, they would be rightfully labelled as sexist or racist (and I am sure that "dentist" does not also mean a tooth bigot... or am I?).

The reason for such an attitude is that fundamentally we are disturbed by difference. Whether race, sex or religion, we feel threatened by something that does not fit in with our world. This is a natural reaction based upon our natural instinct to survive. Just as the biggest threat to a wolf pack is the nearest pack to it, we feel our actual lives at risk from "others". I am not condoning this kind of behaviour, as our society means there is no need for it, but it needs to be understood before we can successfully manage it.

Which brings me back to why I very rarely get tired of talking about Dog Listening, or dogs - there is something of relevance in nearly everything around us, once you are aware. In any case, if ever I don't want to talk about what I do, I pretend I'm a lawyer, which usually results in social isolation! Cheers, Tony Knight

P.S. I was going to add a clip about British teeth, but for some reason there are lots of disparaging comments at the bottom between Brits and Americans. Who would have thought?