Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Here Are The ’Smartest’ Dog Breeds, According To A Psychologist
BI ^ | 1-26-2017 | Gus Lubin

Posted on 01/26/2017 11:09:29 AM PST by blam

There’s no easy way to rate dog intelligence.

As psychologist Stanley Coren wrote back in the 90s, there’s adaptive intelligence (i.e., figuring stuff out), working intelligence (i.e., following orders), and instinctive intelligence (i.e., innate talent) — not to mention spatial intelligence, kinesthetic intelligence, interpersonal intelligence, and more.

Indeed, as animal behaviorist Frans de Waal has argued, humans tend to judge animal intelligence in limited and unfair terms and often bungle the experiment.

While labs at Yale, Duke, and around the world are studying this question, for now we do at least have data on one metric: working intelligence.

Coren, in his book, "The Intelligence of Dogs," featured the results of a lengthy survey of 199 dog obedience judges. The responses, he said, were remarkably consistent; however, he noted that many judges pointed out that there are exceptions in every breed and that a lot comes down to training.

Here’s what he found:

TOP TIER—the brightest working dogs, who tend to learn a new command in less than five seconds and obey at least 95% of the time.

1. Border collie
2. Poodle
3. German shepherd
4. Golden retriever
5. Doberman pinscher
6. Shetland sheepdog
7. Labrador retriever
8. Papillon
9. Rottweiler
10. Australian cattle dog

(snip)

(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...


TOPICS: Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: animals; doggyping; dogs; pets; psychology; smartdogs; smartest; smartestdogs; top10
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 161-169 next last
Click on my name to see my canine crew.
1 posted on 01/26/2017 11:09:29 AM PST by blam
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: blam

The dog on the left looks like the brains of the outfit.


2 posted on 01/26/2017 11:12:51 AM PST by Pearls Before Swine
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: blam

That’s breedist!


3 posted on 01/26/2017 11:13:59 AM PST by Vince Ferrer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pearls Before Swine

That’s what I said but I was wrong!


4 posted on 01/26/2017 11:14:08 AM PST by \/\/ayne (I regret that I have but one subscription cancellation notice to give to my local newspaper.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: blam

Australian Shepard #42

Sorry but this study is just not believable.

Who did it? The same people who had Hillary with a 90% chance of winning?


5 posted on 01/26/2017 11:15:52 AM PST by qam1 (There's been a huge party. All plates and the bottles are empty, all that's left is the bill to pay)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: blam

“While labs at Yale, Duke, and around the world are studying this question, for now we do at least have data on one metric: working intelligence.”

If labradors are going to Yale and Duke, they must be the smartest dogs.


6 posted on 01/26/2017 11:16:40 AM PST by Timpanagos1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: blam

Out of the dozens of dogs I have owned, one lab was the smartest dog I ever owned, and another was,,,well,,,he was,,well he had a good heart. Bless his dumb soul.


7 posted on 01/26/2017 11:17:31 AM PST by dangerdoc ((this space for rent))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: blam
Border Collies are very smart -- too smart. I tried one once, and she was just too much for me. Energy like you can't believe and then there is the brain power -- for an example:

We have one of those dual metal dish holder, one side for food, one for water. Well, she had gotten into the habit of eating her food, then, taking the metal dish out of the holder and batting it around the house. She looked like she was having fun; but, it was noisy. Anyway, hubby will, at times, remove the dishes and run them thru the dishwasher to clean them up. He did this, then put water in one dish and put the dishes back on the floor. Well, she kept trying to pick up the water dish, full of water, to get it out of the holder and bat it around. I finally realized that, that dish must have been the one that normally held her food -- the dish she would normally pick up and bat around the house. I couldn't believe that she could tell the difference after they had been run thru the dishwasher.

8 posted on 01/26/2017 11:17:48 AM PST by LibertarianLiz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: blam

Article has to be racist.
/ s


9 posted on 01/26/2017 11:18:07 AM PST by Blueflag (Res ipsa loquitur: non vehere est inermus)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: blam

The one on the left does look like the brains of the outfit!


10 posted on 01/26/2017 11:19:36 AM PST by ColdOne (( I miss my poochie... Tasha 2000~3/14/11~)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: blam

I’ve always heard border collies are the smartest - but what about Jack Russell Terriers?


11 posted on 01/26/2017 11:19:53 AM PST by PGR88
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: blam

I can’t believe chihuahuas are not in the top ten. Ours is so smart its frightening.


12 posted on 01/26/2017 11:20:55 AM PST by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose of a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: blam

I had a Lab.
Stupidest dog I’ve ever owned..................


13 posted on 01/26/2017 11:20:57 AM PST by Red Badger (If "Majority Rule" was so important in South Africa, why isn't it that way here?.......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: blam

There are a couple of wild dogs running around the area - a German Shepherd and an Australian Cattle Dog, working as a team. They’ve learned to recognize the dog catcher’s truck by sight and sound, and move away from areas where traps have been set.

The Cattle dog appears to be the brains of the outfit, while the Shepherd provides the muscle - attacking joggers, etc.

So I’m not sure I agree with the order of the list.


14 posted on 01/26/2017 11:21:17 AM PST by PAR35
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dangerdoc

Apparently Labs come in two kinds:

Super smart or super stupid.

Mine was the latter...............


15 posted on 01/26/2017 11:22:33 AM PST by Red Badger (If "Majority Rule" was so important in South Africa, why isn't it that way here?.......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: blam

My Heinz would put em all to shame...


16 posted on 01/26/2017 11:22:45 AM PST by maddog55 (America Rising)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: blam

I love your dogs! They’re beautiful! Glad to see a GSD in there! We have three of those, one still a baby.


17 posted on 01/26/2017 11:22:56 AM PST by jazminerose (Adorable Deplorable)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Vince Ferrer

You just won the internet for that post.


18 posted on 01/26/2017 11:23:28 AM PST by jazminerose (Adorable Deplorable)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: blam
I've been owned by Border Collies....And they were great.

I'm currently owned by a Blue Healer....who is pretty dang sharp.

I can't say who is sharper....Kinda different in character.........Both breeds I love.

19 posted on 01/26/2017 11:23:31 AM PST by Osage Orange (We can all live together as brothers or perish together as fools)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: blam

Isn’t this just confirmationial info?


20 posted on 01/26/2017 11:23:55 AM PST by Paladin2 (No spellcheck. It's too much work to undo the auto wrong word substitution on mobile devices.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 161-169 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson