A psychologist says he has found the smartest dog breeds based on the time it takes to learn a new command and their level of obedience.
In his book “The Intelligence of Dogs,” Stanley Coren has showcased the results of a lengthy survey that includes 199 dog-obedience judges. Coren noted in his results that there are exceptions for every breed and that a specific dog’s “intelligence” can come down to the training methods used.
So without further ado, here’s the top 10:
- Border Collie
- Poodle
- German shepherd
- Golden retriever
- Doberman pinscher
- Shetland sheepdog
- Labrador retriever
- Papillon
- Rottweiler
- Australian cattle dog
These breeds are considered the brightest working dogs, who tend to learn a new command in less than five seconds and obey at least 95% of the time.
On the opposite end of the spectrum are the least effective working dogs, who only obey about one-third of the time. They’re also slower at learning new tricks, with the average pooch picking up a trick after more than 100 repetitions. They include Basset hounds, bulldogs, and the lowest-rated breed, Afghan hounds.
To view the entire list and find out where your dog’s breed ranks, click here.