The following is “a list of the smartest breeds of dogs.” Enjoy. And don’t feel bad if your dog breed didn’t make the list, there’s more to dogs than just smarts…
1. Border Collie
2. Poodle
3. German Shepherd
4. Golden Retriever
5. Doberman Pinscher
6. Shetland Sheepdog
7. Labrador Retriever
8. Papillon
9. Rottweiler
10. Australian Cattle Dog
This list is based on the work of psychology professor Stanley Coren, who wrote the novel, “The Intelligence of Dogs.”
He ranked the dog breeds based on their ability to understand new commands and obey the first command.
In other words, the list above really just tells us which dogs are the most trainable, not necessarily the most intuitive or genetically intelligent.
As a result, many working/guard dog breeds made the list, as opposed to hunting dogs and other notoriously stubborn breeds that may have plenty of smarts but tend to be less obedient.
The dog breeds listed above were able to understand new commands after fewer than 5 repetitions, and obeyed the first command 95% of the time.
Of course, people that don’t always listen or follow directions tend to be some of the most creative, brilliant minds, so the term “smart” is really subjective here.
Remember to love and treat your dog with compassion regardless of its perceived smarts.
(photo: dave-f)