You don’t just love dogs if you’re like me; you completely worship them. And this applies to every breed, and to every size, whatever their intellect. At the same time, I think it’s interesting that many dogs are more likely to master another, doing well in one role.
In other words, I love the fact that every single dog has a different level of intelligence, and they have a very unique IQ, just like humans. For this reason, I figured it would be interesting, instead of giving you a list of my favourite breeds, to write about the most intelligent dogs in the world.
But before we take a look at the world’s smartest dogs, how do we know that certain dogs have a higher degree of intelligence?
It is possible to calculate a dog’s intelligence, as already described. Latest experiments at the University of Edinburgh’s London School have actually shown that this intellect can also be related to human cognitive abilities.
The skill or ability a dog has to read, think and solve problems is canine intelligence. It may not be that easy, but based on in-depth studies, a dog breed may be categorised as “smart” or “intelligent” based on the following criteria:
Adaptive-This is a metric to assess how well a dog not only learns but also adapts to its environment. Also among dogs of the same breed, it differs widely.
Instinctive-The intent of a dog, i.e. what it was trained to do, has to do with this. Some dogs are bred for hunting and others for herding, protecting, etc. With no human interference, dog breeds with strong instinctive intelligence carry out their responsibilities.
Obedience and work-This has to do with both what a dog knows and how fast it happens. T
his is through training in obedience.
Now, here’s a list of the top six of the world’s most intelligent dogs:
TOP 6 of the World’s Most Intelligent Dogs
- BORDER COLLIE BORDER COLLIE
As you might know, Border Collies are generally recognised as one of the world’s smartest dogs. In most cases, these beautiful little workers are better known as “herders” or farm dogs and are most suited to life in the region.
But why are they so highly considered?
You see, Border Collies are very active and make great watchdogs, but they react very well to positivity at the same time and can learn incredibly quickly.
What’s more, when it comes to small children in particular, they are very much a family dog and very safe. Interestingly, their territorial instincts are the foundation of this defensive way, which is also what prompts them to protect their owners.
In general, Border Collies are particularly smart and very low maintenance, which just further reinforces these claims of being the world’s most intelligent dog.
- POODLE
Not only are poodles tiny and cute, but they are also lively. In fact, this fun-loving family dog is also one of the most energetic of all the smartest dogs in the world.
You will also see poodles on dog shows all over the world with this in mind, but ironically, this is also why owners need to be extra vigilant when it comes to protecting their habitat.
That is to say, with such a high degree of intelligence that they require no encouragement to wander beyond the back garden, poodles are good at leaping.
When communicating with individuals, their level of insight is also evident. The poodle, after all, really knows how to “act cute” and capture attention. In reality, on this interaction, poodle thrives and make the perfect companion and family pet.
Back to Intellect, but!
Were you aware that the tiny poodle was originally a hunting dog? It’s true; they were very good at sourcing and water retrieval. As if that were not enough, poodles were so smart that they were adopted by the circus as performing dogs and we all know that the travelling troupes would choose only the most intelligent dogs in the world.
- Shepherd GERMAN
Are you familiar with why in the United Kingdom the German Shepherd is called ‘Alsation’?
After World War II, Animal Rights advocates determined that it was important to protect the dignity and worldview of the German Shepherd. That is, these dogs are so clever that, for very nefarious reasons, even the Nazis used their intelligence. That being said, time has passed and today, along with being one of the most intelligent dogs in the world, the German Shepherd is known for better reasons.
Every day, a German Shepherd needs a lot of exercise and when you combine this physical superiority, we can see why they are often used as police and military dogs. That being said, while most owners claim that they are much easier to train than other breeds, they are equally good at herding, guiding, rescuing or acting as watchdogs.
The German Shepherd was also awarded third place by the American Kennel Club some years ago in a rundown of the world’s top 50 most intelligent dogs.
- GOLDEN RETRIEVER
Out of all the breeds on our list of the most intelligent dogs in the world, Golden Retrievers may require the least maintenance. The Retriever is easy to please and extremely positive, and is also known to be very obedient when it comes to training. As with the Border Collie, during this training, the Golden Retrievers are also very obedient and respond best to positivity. For the most part, they are referred to as family pets, rescue dogs, and are commonly used as disabled service dogs.
Needless to say, for such roles, only the most intelligent dogs in the world are selected. Their high degree of intelligence also helps them to be able to satisfy humans at the same time. With this in mind, we can see many owners train their Golden Retriever to perform menial or enjoyable tasks around the house, such as picking up the magazine, closing doors or looking for their shoes!
- SHEEPDOG of SHEETLAND
The Smart Dogs
There is just something about the Shetland Sheepdog that is so sweet and so beautiful. It might have anything to do with a TV series from the 1980s (Lassie), but they are still just the sweetest and gentlest pets. The Shetland is one of the easiest-going dogs on our list and is popular with families around the world, and owners are also required to motivate them to exercise. They have a very soft personality, as described, and love nothing more than satisfying the individuals around them.
Fortunately, their high intellect helps them to do so with ease.
The Shetland Sheepdog is, after all, such a hard-working animal and the best friend of any farmer. This wonderful dog is obedient in training and smart on the field, one of the best tools to have in the countryside, but the fact is, they have so much intelligence that their beauty and kindness are sufficient to find them endearing.
- DOBERMAN
Sadly, for Doberman Pinchers, their strong stance and poor media portrayal give them a bit of a bad name. The fact is, he’s one of the world’s smartest dogs and a fiercely loyal friend to humans. They like to move around as much as possible because of their physical power, but their level of intellect also means that they love nothing more than mental stimulation.
Social and compliant, they can easily be trained by owners when Doberman is young to be respectful and gentle with young children in particular. Doberman reacts well to positivity, as with other races on the list, and their intuition is evident in the number of Doberman pinchers we see in today’s military or police units. In addition, this adorable creature is also a common option for both rescue and therapy, but they are probably better known as watchdogs, having said that.
There are, in conclusion, several breeds of intelligent dogs; Bulldogs, Husky, Papillon, etc. However, as illustrated in this post, others are more intelligent. Do not forget to properly train your dog, as training is a big factor in dog intelligence. As you can see, each of our top six dogs could easily be awarded the world’s smartest dog.
