Smartest Dogs List
Okay, we know the doberman pinscher dog is one of the smartest breeds but where does it rank on the smartest dogs list?
Psychologist and dog researcher, Dr. Stanley Coren, author of “The Intelligence of Dogs” came up with a dog training survey to assess which dogs displayed higher intelligence. He states that there are three types of dog intelligence.
- Adaptive Intelligence (learning and problem-solving ability). This is specific to the individual animal and is measured by canine IQ tests.
- Instinctive Intelligence. This is specific to the individual animal and is measured by canine IQ tests.
- Working/Obedience Intelligence. This is breed dependent.
Dr Coren created a dog intelligence list that ranks 110 dog breeds. More than 200 professional dog obedience judges helped compile this list. The dog breeds in the top 10 have ranked high as they can understand new commands with less than five repetitions and will obey first command 95% of the time.
Top 10 Smartest Dogs
- Border Collie
- Poodle
- German Shepherd
- Golden Retriever
- Doberman Pinscher
- Shetland Sheepdog
- Labrador Retriever
- Papillon
- Rottweiler
- Australian Cattle Dog
The doberman ranks in the top 5 smartest dog breeds in the world. Not bad at all.
I think it’s important to note, that these are generalities and genetics will play a big part in your dogs mental ability. Also working dogs are bred to follow commands but following a command doesn’t necessarily equate to intelligence. Lastly, if you evaluate “smartness” with what the dog was bred for, the list may be different.
Keep in mind that a smarter dog may also be harder to train since he knows what you’re up to and might not be easily tricked into doing whatever command you ask.
Curious which dogs rank the lowest?
If you own a Chow Chow, Bulldog, Besenji or Aghan Hound, well, you can still love your dog even though he might not ever win an Einstein award.
What do you think of the smartest dogs list?
