Runners-Up To The Top 10 Smartest Dog Breeds
Several dog breeds didn’t quite make Coren’s list of the top ten smartest dog breeds. These next 10 runners-up from his research still have a lot to offer, and some are great working dogs too.
Do Smart Dogs Make Better Pets?
You might think a smart dog will do what you want it to do. Not necessarily.
“Smart doesnt mean easy,” Coren says.
“A Doberman is going to get bored and destroy your sofa and vase collection if youre out of the house for 8 to 10 hours a day, while an English bulldog may take 8 hours to figure out youre gone,” Coren says. “Youll come home and hell greet you and your pottery is still on the shelf.”
A border collie is bred to work all day, so if it doesnt have an opportunity to work or exercise, it will be miserable, says Chris Redenbach, an Atlanta-based dog trainer who runs The Balanced Dog training program. “Typically, itll come out in other areas, like destructiveness, running away, nipping at kids.”
Having a smart dog “is like having a very smart kid,” Redenbach says. “Theyre always into something and will get into trouble if theyre bored.
Coren says his beloved beagle, a breed that scored low in obedience tests, is perfect around Corens nine grandchildren because they dont seem to mind — or remember — them pulling on their ears.
Veterinarian Sophia Yin, an animal behaviorist in Davis, Calif., tells people to seriously evaluate the amount of energy they have compared to the breed they want to get.
“Are they the type of person who can exercise it a few hours a day? How much time are they willing to invest in training the dog, because the more energetic the dog is, the more training he might need,” she says. “When they think they want a smart dog, its a huge misconception. They dont need smart; they need attentive.”
The Australian Cattle Dog sits outside the top 50 in AKCs popularity rankings, but dont miss out on this smart breed. Alert, curious and pleasant, the high-energy herders do best with a job.
Known to be great herders, Belgian Sheepdogs are also highly intelligent. According to AKC, they do need a lot of mental stimulation and have a lot of energy.
The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is extremely energetic and highly trainable. For most commands, all they need is a treat as an incentive to obey. Getting them not to bark, however, can be more difficult as their high intelligence also makes them a bit stubborn.
Dobermans got their start in the late 19th century, when a German tax collector named Louis Dobermann wanted a medium-sized pet to act as both a guard dog and companion. Translation: These fearless protectors can hold their own, and hang with kids.
“Data were obtained from 1,888 dogs, and the results were unambiguous,” he shared. “There was a clear trend indicating that larger dogs were able to accurately remember over a longer period of time than their smaller counterparts.” Keep in mind, however, that some companion dogs were bred to have particular traits, like being calm and non-confrontational. Hodgson adds that many small breeds are bred down from larger breeds, and thus have similar drives, instincts and yes, smarts.
The smartest dog in the world | 60 Minutes Archive
What makes dogs smart? Is it their ability to learn new tricks, or how well they obey commands? However you see it, the truth is some dogs are more intelligent than others. So, let’s take a look at the world’s smartest dogs — at least the consensus on the top breeds when it comes to canine intelligence testing. Though it shouldn’t be the only determining factor, it may help you decide if you want to make one of these breeds a part of your home. Table Of Contents
All of these types of intelligence play a role in how smart a dog is. Every dog, regardless of the breed, can be intelligent in some ways.
According to the popular book “The Intelligence Of Dogs,” trainability is the key. Stanley Coren, the author, University of British Columbia psychology professor, and neuropsychological researcher focused on dog intelligence, shares his assessment of 110 breeds to determine the smartest ones. His top ten breeds picked up on commands in five or fewer repetitions and were obedient to the commands at least 95% of the time.