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Border collie is probably the most intelligent breed but intelligence is not the only quality to be valued in a house pet.

I have had many breeds of dogs all of whom have wonderful qualities. As a kid I had some sort of terrier mutt and she lived to be almost 18 years of age and was a perfect companion for us kids. I have bred akitas and found them to be a noble animal, wonderfully protective and full of common sense.

I have bred border collies and the female was docile and a homebody but the male not only looked like the cartoon character Sylvester the cat but had worse morals. He cost me a fortune in gynecological bills for every bitch in the neighborhood whom he knocked up. He was so intelligent it was impossible to keep them in the house if he smelt something intriguing even a couple of miles away. He would simply jailbreak and come back bedraggled at dawn. He was the son of the world champion border collie and he certainly was top-of-the-line but not to be recommended as a house pet. He was donated to a farm here in Bavaria where he could herd cows and horses to his heart's content-an instinct in this breed which is remarkable to watch.

Good luck in your quest.

Border collies and other herding breeds (shelties, Corgi’s, German shepards) might be smart, but they are not good with small children. They are fine with them until they run or move (which is basically, always). Then they want to herd them!

To claim that one breed is generally smarter than another is canine racism.

Those breeds victimized by being portrayed as "less intelligent," must be granted privileges and positions now occupied by the privileged breeds.

Pit Bulls can be trained and hired to herd sheep.
There is no reason why Chihuahuas cannot be trained to find snowbound travelers and deliver little barrels of brandy to them.
Shih Tzus must be hired to track escaped convicts.
Yorkshire terriers are to be hired as guard dogs.

My brother-in-law has an akita. One of the smartest dogs I’ve ever encountered. He talks like a human, even to the point where you can make-out the rhythm of the words he’s trying to say. When he’s trying to be really emphatic, you can see his facial expressions changing and his word tones adjusting as he works-out his sentences.

Another benefit: my brother-in-law lives in a bad neighborhood, and *no one* messes with his house. That dog is built like a tank and afraid of nothing.