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 ...
We had a blue heeler. 3/4 Australian Cattle Dog, 1/4 border collie. Amazingly smart. Great athlete. I miss him a lot.
miniature schnauzers ...
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Agreed ,, mine is very smart and I would say is smarter than a German Shepherd/lab mix I had a while back that was VERY intelligent... my Boxers ?? Not So Much.. but sweeties.
Why did you have to post that last pick?
Now I’m jonesing for a lab puppy.
After decades of living on a farm with 4 (or more dogs) at a time, I’m living in the city with a single (nonlab) dog. Life is too busy right now for a pup, but man that picture makes me want one.
Psychologist: haha haha haha...whoa...hahahahahahahhhaaahhhahahah!
Chocolate Lab puppies have the most beautiful green eyes. They typically will slowly turn brown as the puppy grows to adulthood, but occasionally you’ll see one that keeps them throughout life. This is considered a “fault” by show dog standards I believe, but it’s very striking. They look sort of fierce, despite being the sweet lovable goofs that Labs inevitably almost always are. I had a Chocolate Lab like that in my life for nearly 15 years, loved him dearly, miss him still. He was a puppy from hell with a taste for sheetrock but he eventually calmed down into the greatest dog in the world. Nearly 15 is a grand old age for a Lab and I’m grateful, but what I’d have given for more years. They go far too soon.
We kept a female intact to have a litter many years ago. 9 little wigglers. The kids were little back then and every day we would take the kids out to the barn and turn them loose. My daughter called it puppy party, they would all be rolling in the grass with the puppies swarming all over them.
A truly special time.
Have fun with your little one and don’t be shy about posting a few pictures.
Thus ensued a long span of yellows in our lives. We had 3 at one time. Insanity. Slacks and pants fashion choice, went from black and charcoal, to khaki.
So, this new gal, is going to be a nice change-up. What I love most about Labs, is that they only shed twice a year. For six months in the spring, and six months in the fall. ...
You’re going to have to get a new wardrobe. Brown, black and gray. You’ll look somewhere between a beat poet and a monk, lol.
I distrust this study. Australian Shepherds belong in the top tier - at lease mine do. My wife taught the boy three tricks within minutes.
I wish you were closer. I'm in WA state.
Strange thing happened after I lost our corgi. We went for a while without a dog in the house. In that interim, we replaced our furnace and had a good air cleaner installed with it. We found a little corgi; but, when I got him home and he was in the house for a while, I began to have the same reaction I have with cats. Itchy eyes and nose and throat. We had to return the corgi to the breeder. So, I thought that I was going to need to go with a breed that is hypoallergenic. My hubby is not so sure about another dog; but, I really miss having a dog in the house. I was thinking about a toy poodle. You wouldn't happen to know any good toy poodle breeders in my state, would you?
Hey Liz:
I sent you a Private Freeper Email.
China
DONE!
*FRAMED.*
Dachshunds are reincarnations of vaudeville comedians. They only thing they are missing are seltzer bottles & rubber chickens!
her "sister" (1/2 Chihuahua 1/2 Jack Russell) is dumber than a sack of hammers.
Go figure.
btw, I canNOT say “Chihuahua” without pronouncing it like Less Nessman of WKRP in Cincinnati... “Chi-Hoo-a-Hoo-a” :)
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