As a dog owner, you don’t love you pooch more or less because he is or isn’t one of the smartest dogs. Dogs have been at man’s side for thousands of years, and they’ve always been our best friends. While some canines are incredibly loveable, they can also be totally clueless, but we love them for it! However, some breeds are much more intelligent than others.
Back in the day, it was believed that dogs only had short-term memory. But we all know that dogs have a great memory, bot long-and-short-term. While most dogs are as smart as 2-3-year old kids, some outshine the rest with their intelligence.
A look at the smartest dogs
Border Collie
Always on the lookout for something new, Border Collies are some of the world’s smartest dogs. These dogs listen to commands, whistles, voice tones, and hand signals. They’re also excellent sheepherders (if that’s your jam) and understand more words than most dogs.
Poodle
Poodles rank second in intelligence among all dogs, and they’re 7th when it comes to popularity across the world. These active dogs are hypoallergenic, making them an excellent choice for people that have allergic reactions when dogs are in the vicinity. Poodles are easy to train and were bred to track, hunt, retrieve, and obey commands. On average, poodles can learn a minimum of 200 words!
German Shepherd
German Shepherds are fantastic dogs and make great family pets and working dogs. This dog loves to work next to humans, which makes them outstanding guard dogs. Courageous, confident, and smart, the German Shepherd is easy to train and loves to please his humans. They are also fiercely loyal and amazing with kids.
Golden Retriever
Bred to retrieve, the Golden Retriever is an eager genius. These dogs will go out of their way to please their family members and make for great assistant dogs. Known to be service dogs, Retrievers are excellent when it comes to assisting in search and rescue missions and assisting the blind.
Doberman
Bred to be a war dog, it’s not hard to understand the Doberman’s looks and fearless attitude. These dogs live to serve and protect. Besides the fact that they make excellent guard dogs, they’re also fantastic family pets. With superior strength, endurance, and speed, the Doberman is very energetic and needs to exercise regularly to lead a long, healthy life.
Labrador Retriever
People often confuse the Labrador Retriever with the Golden Retriever, even though both breeds are equally as intellectual. Labradors are known to be family dogs because they are almost over-eager to please. They also make for great guide and rescue dogs.
Rottweiler
Rottweilers are brilliant service dogs, herders, therapy animals, obedience competitors, and devoted companions. It takes a little more effort to properly train and exercise this breed, which is why they need engaged owners. In return for their owner’s input, Rottweilers spoil their families with an abundance of love and loyalty.
Final thoughts
While it might be awesome to own one of the smartest dogs, intellectually gifted breeds can quickly get bored. Dogs are a lot like toddlers, and when they get bored, they often get destructive too. If you own one of these breeds, it’s essential to keep them occupied and exercise them frequently.
