"My dog just can't talk!", "My dog is very smart, and he hides before I even scold him!", "This dog is so smart that he is picky about food!", "My dog learns to learn It doesn't know how to go to the toilet at certain times, does that mean it's stupid?"
Conversations about whether dogs are smart or dull are often heard in the conversations of owners. Every owner wants to know, how high is the IQ of his dog?
Whether a dog can learn the rules of life, whether it is willing to cooperate with its owner, whether it can listen to instructions, etc. is not necessarily related only to IQ.
In fact, it is also closely related to the dog's personality, growth environment, and owner's training methods.
Moreover, different dog breeds also have differences in obedience, such as the Shiba Inu, which has a more independent personality.
Maybe it's not that they don't understand what you're talking about, but that they don't naturally like to please humans and don't want to cooperate with you at all!
However, if you want to know the IQ rankings of different dog breeds, there are still foreign studies that can be used as a reference. They are also the dog IQ rankings cited by many websites and articles. Let's take a look~
Ranking basis of dog IQ: "The Intelligence of Dogs"
The current dog IQ ranking is based on a book introducing the IQ of various famous dogs: "The Intelligence of Dogs: A Guide to the Thoughts, Emotions, and Inner Lives of Our Canine Companions".
Written by Stanley Coren, professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.
The psychology professor spent his early career studying human behavior, cognition, sleep, stress or neuropsychology.
Later in his research career, he turned to studying dog behavior patterns and the relationship between humans and dogs, and published "The Intelligence of Dogs" in 1994.
"The Intelligence of Dogs" is based on a research survey sent to all dog behaviorists and trainers across the United States and Canada.
Experts are asked to evaluate the IQ of the dog breeds they have come into contact with based on the evaluation criteria of "animal behavioral instinct, adaptability, and work obedience ability."
In the end, Stanley Coren received 199 responses from all over the world, and based on the consensus of these experts and his own judgment, he completed an IQ ranking of 110 dog breeds.
The book "The Intelligence of Dogs" caused a lot of media circles as soon as it was published in 1994, and it has been passed down to this day.
However, before looking at this IQ ranking report, we must understand that this research report only collected dog breeds certified in the United States and Canada that year.
Mainly dog breeds certified by the American Kennel Club (the world's most active dog organization, referred to as AKC) and the Canadian Kennel Club.
On the contrary, dog breeds that had not been certified by these two organizations at that time were not included in the study, such as Jack Russell terriers, mixed breed, etc.
In addition, emerging dog breeds that have been recently certified by other organizations and included in the dog breed list, such as the Taiwanese dog that was only certified by the International Canine Federation (FCI) in 2015, have not been included in the dog IQ rankings.
However, we all know that mixed breed and Formosan Mountain Dog are both super smart dogs and have very high obedience.
Therefore, the following dog IQ rankings from the book "The Intelligence of Dogs" are for reference only and do not fully represent the IQ rankings of all dogs!
Dog IQ ranking
Next, let's take a look at the dog IQ rankings evaluated based on "understanding of new commands" and "compliance with new commands" mentioned in "The Intelligence of Dogs"!
Let's first take a look at the top ten dog breeds. The comprehensive abilities of these dogs in the judges' opinions are as follows:
- Comprehension of new instructions: The master can understand it if he repeats it less than 5 times.
- Compliance with new directives: Compliance probability is higher than 95%.
1. Border Collie
Yes, in the eyes of dog experts and trainers, the smartest dog is the Border Collie.
According to the data, almost all participating judges ranked the Border Collie in the top few. It is not an exaggeration to say that the Border Collie is recognized by everyone as the smartest dog breed.
The Border Collie from Scotland is named after living on the border between Scotland and England for a long time. Border Collie's main job in the past was to assist with herding on the farm, and its IQ is approximately equal to that of a 6 to 7-year-old human.
When managing sheep, Border Collies even know how to use their eyes to control the sheep. They are energetic and strong because they can understand many complex commands.
And because of its superb imitation ability, Border Collie can often be seen in major dog acrobatics competitions and dancing competitions.
There are many rumors about the high intelligence of border collies. Foreign media once reported that an extremely intelligent border collie can understand up to 1022 human words and complete corresponding tasks according to different instructions.
Border Collies are recognized as the smartest dog breeds.
2. Poodle
The dog whose IQ is second only to the border collie is the poodle, and the poodle here refers to not only the well-known red poodle.
Poodle breeds also include standard poodles, medium poodles, miniature poodles and toy poodles.
Poodles originally originated from Germany and were bred and raised in France. Because of their elegant appearance and posture, they were quite popular during the reign of King Louis XIV of France.
They are the favorite dog breed among aristocratic women and the upper class, so they are called poodles. Others call them "ladies' dogs."
Poodles have a gentler personality and do not have the excitability and nervousness of sheepdogs, but they also have high intelligence and understanding. They are smart and easy to train and have become popular family dogs.
Poodles are gentle and intelligent, and are popular family companion dogs.
3. German Shepherd
The third most intelligent dog is the handsome German Shepherd, also known as the "German Wolfdog".
German Shepherds are tall, strong and athletic, coupled with their excellent understanding skills, making them a popular choice as police dogs and search and rescue dogs.
German Shepherds have high obedience and are very powerful in appearance. They were used as military dogs by the German army during World War I. They were also raised as military dogs by the Japanese army during the Japanese colonial period in Taiwan.
German Shepherds have high obedience, are tall and powerful, and are the best representatives of military dogs.
4. Golden Retriever
Ranked fourth is the "golden retriever", a very common family companion dog in Taiwan. In the past, it was a good helper for hunters.
Although golden retriever are usually gentle, honest and naive, they are actually dogs with very high IQs!
Golden retrievers, which are retriever, can follow the hunter's instructions, pick up prey that has been hit and fallen into the water, and smartly protect the prey's fur intact.
They are good-tempered and love humans. They are also the best family companion dogs. They often help heal and accompany patients in institutions.
The honest golden retriever ranks fourth in dog IQ rankings.
5. Shetland Sheepdog
The fifth place is the Shetland Sheepdog, which is rarely seen in Taiwan. Like the Border Collie, it comes from Scotland.
In the past, it was mostly used as a working dog to assist with herding on farms, mainly serving as guards and shepherds.
Despite the delicate and delicate faces of Shetland Sheepdogs, they inherit the bloodline of Scottish Shepherds and are extremely active and require a lot of exercise.
The Shetland Sheepdog has long, flowing hair and is very mobile.
6. Labrador Retriever
Ranked sixth is the familiar Labrador dog, which can be seen in various workplaces.
Labrador is a popular working dog due to its high obedience and ability to quickly understand commands. It is capable of various tasks.
Labradors with stable temperaments have extremely low aggression and are not easily affected by external stimuli.
They are ideal for jobs that require frequent access to public places and are also an excellent choice for guide dogs.
A trained Labrador can understand a variety of commands, guide a blind person to walk, and stop at turns, intersections, or when there is potential danger.
It can also help deliver items. When disturbed by passers-by or the outside world, it not only knows how to refuse food, but can also completely ignore it and will not attack the source of stimulation.
Labradors have a stable temperament and are not easily disturbed by the outside world when entering and leaving public places, so they often serve as guides for the blind.
7. Papillon
The seventh place is the butterfly dog, the only small dog breed in the top ten (the second-placed poodle includes large and small dogs), with a height of only 20 to 28 centimeters and a weight of 3 to 4 kilograms.
The biggest feature of the Papillon Dog is that its ears are upright and spread out. With the long hair under the ears, it looks like a butterfly spreading its wings, so it is called the Papillon Dog.
Like many small dogs, Papillon Dog are wary, possessive, neurotic, and love to bark.
However, the Papillon Dog has a high level of understanding. As long as the owner guides and trains it from an early age, and patiently teaches it, the Papillon Dog can also become a well-behaved and stable dog.
The Papillon ranks seventh in dog intelligence rankings and is the only small dog in the top ten.
8. Doberman Pinscher
Doberman Pinschers were bred in Germany in the 1890s as guard dogs. They are brave and good at fighting, with strong bodies, quick movements, and strong bite force and power.
Because of their instinct to defend their home and defend their territory, they are an excellent choice for military dogs.
The Doberman Pinscher's personality is confident and bold, but relatively aloof and difficult to get close to.
But they are quite loyal, and properly trained Dobermans will quickly attack intruders. They are also very popular family companion dogs in Germany.
The Doberman Pinscher originates from Germany and is a natural guard dog.
9. Rottweiler
The Rottweiler, a super-large dog, is muscular and energetic. It is also produced in Germany and is a commonly used guard dog by the German army. The eighth-ranked Doberman pinscher has Rottweiler blood.
The Rottweiler is also a dog full of vigilance and needs to be raised by an owner with professional training experience, otherwise the Rottweiler's temperament may become unstable and very aggressive.
Many Rottweiler owners try to avoid crowds when taking their dogs out to avoid attacks.
However, a well-trained Rottweiler will be a very loyal family member and very fond of its owner.
The Rottweiler, which is quite powerful in appearance and personality, is also a common breed of military dog.
10. Australian Cattle Dog
The Australian Cattle Dog was bred in Australia in the 1800s. At that time, Australian immigrants needed dogs that could work hard and help drive cattle in rugged terrain, so the Australian Cattle Dog was bred.
Australian Cattle Dogs are strong, durable animals capable of traveling long distances, and they nibble on the heels of livestock to urge the herd forward.
Therefore, owners who want to keep Australian Cattle Dogs at home should be reminded that they may nibble on children's heels out of nature.
Australian Cattle Dogs are strong and energetic and require a very large space, so they are rare in Taiwan.
Because they are loyal, strong, and athletic, they are loved by many European and American men, and they also have many well-known owners, such as Hollywood actors Matthew McConaughey, Mel Gibson, etc.
The strong Australian Cattle Dog used to be a good helper for settlers in Australia.
Corgi ranked 11th, Samoyed ranked 33rd, and Husky ranked 45th
Due to different opinions on the IQ ranking of dogs after the 10th place, there are many dog breeds tied for each ranking, so I will not list them one by one in this article.
Referring to the dog breeds ranked 11th to 26th, the overall ability evaluation is as follows:
- Comprehension of new instructions: The owner can understand them after repeating them 5 to 15 times.
- Compliance with the new directive: the probability of compliance is higher than 85%.
Among the 11-26th place, the more familiar dog breeds are: Pembroke Welsh Corgi, ranked 11th.
It is not only the dog raised by the Queen of the United Kingdom, but also the common Corgi breed we have.
Next is the Schnauzer at No. 12, and the petite and cute Pomeranian at No. 23.
Corgis are also smart dogs and can handle many tasks on the ranch.
The overall ability evaluation of the dog breeds ranked 27th to 39th is as follows:
- Comprehension of new instructions: The owner can understand them after repeating them 15 to 25 times.
- Compliance with the new directive: the probability of compliance is higher than 70%.
Among them, the more familiar dog breeds include: Yorkshire Terrier ranked 27th, Samoyed ranked 33rd, and Dalmatian ranked 39th.
The overall ability evaluation of dog breeds ranked 40th to 54th is as follows:
- Comprehension of new instructions: The owner can understand them after repeating them 25 to 40 times.
- Compliance with new directives: The probability of compliance is higher than 50%.
Among them, the more familiar dog breeds include: Siberian Husky (Husky), which is ranked 45th, Bichon Frize, Dachshund, which is ranked 49th, and Akita Inu, which is ranked 54th.
The overall ability evaluation of the dog breeds ranked 55th to 69th is as follows:
- Comprehension of new instructions: The master must repeat them 40 to 80 times before they can understand them.
- Compliance with new directives: compliance probability is higher than 30%.
Among them, the more familiar dog breeds include: Pug at 57th place, French Bulldog at 58th place, Maltese at 59th place, and Chihuahua at 67th place.
Huskies, ranked 45th in dog IQ, have a capable and handsome appearance, and their obedience is higher than 50%.
The dogs ranked after 70 are considered by the author of "The Intelligence of Dogs" to be dogs with low obedience and working ability.
For example, common dog breeds are Shih Tzu at No. 70, Mastiff at No. 72, etc.
Taken together, the dog's obedience plays a large determining factor in this dog IQ research survey.
Therefore, the dogs ranked at the bottom do not actually mean that they are stupid dogs! Maybe it's due to your innate personality or your upbringing.
Want to raise a smart dog? You should pay attention to these things
Many owners want to raise smart dogs. After seeing this ranking, some of them may have already made their choice~ But wait first!
In fact, smart dogs are not that easy to raise. Before you want to raise any dog, you should first evaluate your own abilities and determine whether you can take care of the dog for a lifetime.
1. Training dogs is not easy, and owners also need to be trained.
The biggest common misunderstanding among pet owners about dog training is that as long as it is a smart dog, it can learn everything by giving it the temptation of snacks.
In fact, this is a huge myth. When training dogs, you must use a professional method and communicate with them in a way that dogs can understand.
This is why there are professional pet trainers who can assist in the behavioral education of dogs.
However, if you want to train dogs, you don't just need to send them to classes. The owners themselves also need to be trained.
Basically, owners must also learn the correct parenting methods of education, rewards and punishments, and learning, so that they can grow together with their dogs.
In addition, owners must also understand that the purpose of training dogs is to increase the emotional connection between people and dogs, accompany the dogs in sports, provide life education, etc.
The main purpose is to allow both dogs and owners to have a better quality of life, rather than specifically training dogs to show off, attack others, etc.
2. Dogs are very active and energetic and need long-term companionship.
If you look at the top ten dogs with the most intelligent dogs, you will find that most of them are herding dogs, hounds and other dog breeds.
And these dogs are the best representatives of being strong and energetic!
Their endless energy and curiosity must be consumed by their owners' extensive companionship, exercise, and games.
Choosing toys that are chewable and can hide food is a way to consume energy and educate the mind.
What will happen if these energies are not released completely? Smart dogs will find ways to consume and cause trouble on their own!
Therefore, tragic situations will occur in those homes where the sofa is bitten, the door is broken, the bookshelf collapses, etc. The other side of the smart dog is actually the invincible king of destruction.
If you want to control these smart dogs, you must make sure you have a lot of time to spend with them. These dogs are not happy just by leaving them at home to train, sleep, and eat.
For example, Border Collies, recognized as the smartest dogs, require almost 24-hour companionship when they are puppies.
Otherwise, if the golden period of companionship and education is missed, the border collie may become extremely destructive when he grows up.
Another example is the Australian Cattle Dog, ranked 10th, which is strong and sports-loving. It needs 2 to 3 hours of vigorous exercise every day to consume enough energy.
Herding dogs and hounds require a lot of exercise every day, and owners must ensure that they have enough time and space.
3. Satisfy the curiosity of smart dogs so as not to cause damage
In addition, highly intelligent dogs are also prone to boredom, so in addition to a large number of activities, owners also have to change different ways of interaction from time to time.
They are smart and will quickly learn something. They will also quickly become bored with the same thing or no longer curious about it.
A dog who is bored with life will soon turn into an invincible wrecker. After all, if you don't give it fun, it will have to find fun on its own.
The toy selection also includes educational toys, which allow dogs to challenge different levels of difficulty. The most popular series of Snuffle Mat can also be a choice.
If you don't have enough time, space, patience and love, and you don't have the confidence to take care of these dogs for their entire lives, please think twice.
In summary, even if your dog is not among the rankings, don't be too discouraged~
Aside from the breed restrictions and obedience issues mentioned earlier for this study, every dog is unique!
In the eyes of owners, they are also the smartest and most lovable family members. In the days spent with dogs, the most precious thing is the relationship and daily life with the dogs, not how many talents the dogs have.
