Dogs are man’s best companions, and they are extraordinarily smart. Almost all breeds of dogs out there are smart, but there are some specific breeds whose own intelligence is on another level. A lot of factors are usually used to determine a dog’s IQ, and some of these facts may include response to activities, word comprehension, problem-solving capabilities, communication skills (with humans and other animals), and memory.
Smart dogs breeds are nota type of breed that should be idle, they are also high energy dog breeds with boundless energy. Like other dogs we need physical exercise to thrive, smart dog breed will need extra mental and physical stimulation to prevent them from getting bored. But if you get a smart dog breed with a lot of energy and fail to work with them, they might probably fit their own activities to please themselves, and you won’t like their activities. Some of the activities they would exhibit without you putting them to work are biting and other destructive behaviours. These dogs are easy to grade, making them excel as working dog breeds and service dogs.
Tip
To maintain consistency and fun in training smart dog breeds, positive reinforcement such as a treat or praise is the best way to train them.
Here are the ten smartest dog breeds
Border Collie
Considered the smartest dog breed in the world, the border collie is an excellent bearding dog breed that performs its jobs exceptionally well. Energetic with strong stamina, these dogs are very athletic and extremely intelligent, always eager to learn anything their owner or training brings to them. Never feel an exact amount of exercise is enough for these dogs; give them a lot of mental stimulation so you can keep their brains running to prevent them from being destructive.
Breed Characteristics
- Group: Herding Group
- Height: 18 to 22 inches
- Weight: 28 to 48 pounds
- Physical Characteristics: medium-length double coat with a slightly longer body than it is tall; their ears are erect, and the tips curl over, coming in mostly black and white.
Poodle
Some people think it’s only the standard poodle that is smart, but all sizes of the poodle, Toy, miniature, or standard size, are all smart dog breeds gifted with a high IQ. Originally bred for hunting, these dogs may not be hunting again, but they are still smart dog breeds. They are fast learners and easy to train; they can easily learn and master complex dog tricks. For example, your poodle can easily learn to balance on a ball, dance, count numbers, or work as a therapy dog.
Breed Characteristics
- Group: Utility breed group
- Height: 15 inches for standard size; 10 to 15 inches for the miniature size; 10 inches and under for the toy size
- Weight: 45 to 70 pounds for standard; 15 to 18 pounds for miniature; 5 to 9 pounds for Toy
- Physical Characteristics: poodles have curly, dense coats that may come in white, black, grey, brown, and apricot. And you can see some with shaved parts of their coats in some areas.
German Shepherd
Often known as the most popular K9 dog breed, the German shepherd Dog is known for their exceptional loyalty and protective instincts, exhibiting remarkable energy and intelligence. To get the best out of your German shepherd, you have to provide them with a job, even if it is small, just to give them a sense of fulfilment. Their excellent learning ability, protective instincts, and eagerness to learn are some of the characteristics that make them one of the smartest dog breeds in the world and even one of the most popular dogs.
Breed Characteristics
- Group: Heading Group
- Height: 22 to 26 inches
- Weight: 60 to 100 pounds
- Physical Characteristics: medium to Large in size with and athletic build; they have double coat which is either long or short thats comes in various colors, but mostly black and tan or black and red.
Golden Retriever
The golden retriever’s high intelligence is one of the factors that makes them the best therapy dog breed. They are groggy dogs with happy faces. This breed’s intelligence, coupled with other factors like their friendly nature and even temperament, is one of the things that makes them a friendly dog. They are eager to please dog breeds that excel well in any training given to them. This breed’s intelligence also makes them excel in various dog sports and activities.
Breed Characteristics
- Group: Sporting Group
- Height: 21 to 24 inches
- Weight: 55 to 75 pounds
- Physical Characteristics: A strong, muscular body; wide head; light to dark golden fur; friendly and smart eyes
Australian Shepherd
As one of the best herding dog breeds, the Australian shepherd is a bright, active dog breed that is highly intelligent. This dog’s herding instinct is one of the factors that made this breed a hardworking and dedicated dog breed that is very diligent. They require a lot of mental and physical stimulation to keep this breed in check always and to avoid unwanted behaviour. Plus this breed is a fast learner and eager to please, they excel is all dog sport combined.
Breed Characteristics
- Group: Herding Group
- Height: 18 to 23 inches
- Weight: 40 to 65 pounds
- Physical Characteristics: They are medium sized dogs with medium to long coat that comes in blue merle, red merle, black, or red.
Australian Cattle Dog
similar to the Australian cattle dog, this breed is also an extremely focused and intelligent dog breed that forms a strong bond with its owner. Corresponding with its name, the Australian cattle dog was originally bred to herd cattle and they are really good at their job and they are happy with it. This breed of dog needs a lot of mental and physical stimulation because they are highly sensitive and energetic with a high prey drive, and if not given exercise, they might exhibit unwanted behaviour to relieve their boundless energy. Additionally, like most intelligent dogs, this breed is very good at reading people and anticipating their next move.
Breed Characteristics
- Group: Herding Group
- Height: 17 to 20 inches
- Weight: 35 to 50 pounds
- Physical Characteristics: Medium-sized with powerful, muscular body; they have a short, dense coat; erect ears and a long tail held down and curves upward
Shetland Sheepdog
this is another excellent herding dog, they are always alert of their environment. The Shetland sheepdogs are incredibly intelligent, and they are always eager to please and waiting for a go-ahead from you to perform a task. Also called the Shelties, these breeds are very agile and are active dogs in several dog sports. Responding very fast to training, these dogs are indeed a smart dog breed, and they deserve their sport here as one of the smartest dog breeds.
Breed Characteristics
- Group: Herding Group
- Height: 13 to 16 inches
- Weight: 15 to 25 pounds
- Physical Characteristics: medium-sized with a fluffy, full, dense undercoat feathering on the legs and tail.
Papillon
Don’t be deceived by the appearance of the papillon fool you because these little dogs are incredibly smart dogs who are also friendly, alert, and active. The papillon is an eager to please, making them easy to train. They are one of the champions that participate in various dog sports and games. This dog might be a little stubborn but if you apply positive reinforcement as your training technique, they would learn very fast.
Breed Characteristics
- Group: Toy Group
- Height: 8 to 11 inches
- Weight: 6 to 10 pounds
- Physical Characteristics: The dog has a straight, long, single-layer coat, erect ears, and an alert demeanour.
Rottweiler
Used by the military because of their intelligence and guard instincts during World War I and II, the Rottweiler is no dumb dog. When trained properly, Rotties are typically very friendly, affectionate, and playful with people they know but should be controlled and supervised by strangers. Rotties can be stubborn at times, but that doesn’t mean they can be easily trained. This breed is a very smart dog, and mental and physical stimulation is very important.
Breed Characteristics
- Group: Working Group
- Height: 22 to 27 inches
- Weight: 80 to 130 pounds
- Physical Characteristics: Large dog breed muscular body; short coat that is usually black and tan
Jack Russell Terrier
The Jack Russell terrier small dog breed that is fearless and filed with boundless energy. This dog may look small, but their energy is more than and can’t be compared with some other large dog breeds. They are highly intelligent with high brainpower, making them excel in several dog sports. They are very intelligent and they can be taught a lot of dog tricks, although it will require lot of training and patience.
Breed Characteristics
- Group: Terrier Group
- Height: 10 to 15 inches
- Weight: 13 to 17 pounds
- Physical Characteristics: Small dog in compact build; short, dense coat; dropped ears set high.
Breeds to Avoid
All dogs are smart but some aren’t fast learners. If you are someone who loves their dogs performing skilful tricks, there are some dog breeds you should get for the job. It’s not that they are not smart; it’s just that they don’t learn so quickly and are not so agile or tend to have an independent, stubborn streak. Some of the breeds that you should avoid if you want a very smart dog include the Afghan hound and Pekingese.
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