Dog Intelligence: Fun Tests for the Most Intelligent Dogs
The Smartest Dog Breeds May Not Be What You Guess
People with highly trainable dogs tend to allege that trainability and intelligence go hand in hand. People with difficult-to-train dogs often say that refusal to follow rote commands is a sign of intelligence. Really, both owners are correct—the most intelligent dogs are the ones that meet definitions of intelligence, not our expectations for how the breed should behave.
Intelligence is defined as the capacity to acquire knowledge or learn and understand, apply that knowledge or solve problems, and engage in abstract reasoning, so dog intelligence based on breed should be defined by how the breed meets the external benchmarks.
An intelligent Border collie watches and controls sheep; an intelligent beagle follows trails and finds rabbits. If they switched jobs, neither would perform the new challenge as well as its own—so which are the most intelligent dogs?
Finding the Most Intelligent Dogs
Studies comparing intelligence in different breeds prove only that different breeds excel at different tests.
A test that asks a dog to “stay” favors breeds like spaniels that were bred to stay put while a hunter follows a bird. A test that asks dogs to follow directions favors breeds like retrievers or herding dogs that were selected to follow human commands. A test that asks a dog to follow a maze favors breeds like hounds that were selected to work on their own.
Choosing the smartest dog breeds is impossible, because there is no single fair test of intelligence.
In the mid 1990s, a list was published that ranked dog intelligence based upon the perceived ease of training different breeds. Unfortunately, many people misinterpreted the results as a ranking of overall intelligence.
Not surprisingly, dogs at the top of the list were bred to follow human direction. Herding dogs need to follow commands, so they know which way to drive the herd, and retrievers need to follow commands, so they know where to look for a downed bird. At the bottom of the trainability list were breeds that needed to act without human direction. Hounds and terriers must pursue quarry without checking back with a person. Wolf-like breeds, like spitz-type dogs, also tended to be near the bottom of the list for the same reason.
Test Your Dog’s Intelligence
Maybe one of the most intelligent dogs is yours! Try a few tests and see.
Let your dog watch you hide treats in airtight containers around the house or yard—the containers prevent him from using scent to find the snacks. Then, remove him from the area and make him wait five minutes. How many can he find when you let him loose?
Retrievers should be good at this, since retrieving requires a dog to remember where more than one downed bird has fallen. Every dog, though, should be able to find several of the treats.
Try improving your dog’s memory by practicing—place a treat on the other side of a barricade, so that your dog has to walk away from the treat and around the barricade to reach it. How long does it take him to figure this out? Does he get better with practice?
Independent thinkers, such as hounds and terriers, should be best at spatial reasoning tests like this one, since their size requires them to find other ways to follow their quarry while hunting. Once your dog has figured this test out, put him in another situation. Does he remember the concept and solve it faster?
Next, place a treat far under the sofa, so that your dog can only reach it using his paw. Can he get it? Terriers tend to be best at these manipulation tests, since they are often required to dig their way to prey. Give your dog extra credit for other solutions, like pushing the sofa out of the way—or just looking at you with sad eyes until you give in and help him! That’s a special kind of dog intelligence, too!
Ten easily trained breeds (in no particular order):
- Border collie—he gets jobs done fast.
- Poodle—she’s a retriever at heart.
- Labrador retriever—you throw, he fetches!
- Belgian Malinois—he’s at your service.
- Papillion—she’s got big smarts in a little package.
- Beauceron—his smarts are a big surprise.
- German shepherd—no dog has done more for mankind.
- Shetland sheepdog—he wants to do it all.
- Golden Retriever—she’s the golden child of the obedience ring.
- Collie—she saves the day!
Ten more difficult breeds to train (in no particular order):
- Basenji—he’s a hunter that’s too fast to wait for anyone.
- Bloodhound—he’s following his nose.
- Beagle—she’s on the hunt without you.
- Bullmastiff—he doesn’t need any help guarding the place.
- Siberian husky—she listens best when the command is to chase!
- Cairn Terrier—he thinks for himself underground.
- Miniature Pinscher—she’s rooting around for things without you.
- Pekingese—she’s always been spoiled; she’s been bred to ignore you.
- Chow Chow—he’s bred to protect at all costs, not follow rules.
- Chinese Shar Pei—she’s a princess, too; don’t expect work from her.
The Smartest Dog Breeds Still Rely on You
Your dog might seem super-smart, but don’t overestimate your dog’s intelligence, either.
Dogs don’t come with an inborn traffic sense, for example, and even the smartest dog breeds can’t read street signs when they’re lost. Do your part as the smarter member of the team and keep your dog safe—even if he is one of the most intelligent dogs around.
Caroline Coile, PhD, is the award-winning author of 26 books about dogs. Her own dogs have been top ranked in show, obedience, agility and coursing competitions, but she most enjoys the time she shares with them at home.