Posted on 05/10/2008 3:26:00 PM PDT by fings
Bo (woof) In Commentary:
Why are our owners so obsessed with finding out how intelligent we are? All they need to know is that we got it going on upstairs. How else to explain us living in their homes, eating their food and having them pick up our feces? And all of that without us paying them a dime.
In the interest of giving my parents some bragging rights, I decided to take this Canine IQ test from NBC News 26, by Mike Conroy. Let’s go question by question and see how I fared.
Test 1: Food under can
This is a test of your dog’s problem solving ability. How to do the test
1. First sit the dog, if it won’t stay you’ll need someone to hold the dog by the collar. 2. Show the dog the tidbit of food and let it sniff it. 3. With the dog’s full attention, slowly place the tidbit on the ground about two meters away and place the can over the tidbit. 4. Start timing and encourage the dog to get the food.
Scoring: If the dog knocks the can over and gets the tidbit in 5 seconds or less 5 points; 5 to 15 seconds 4 points;15 to 30 seconds 3 points; 30 to 60 seconds 2 points; [over 60 seconds and it’s still looking for the treat? Then we’ll give the dog a point for being able to breath on its own]
No need for a stop watch on this one. I’ll sit and wait until my owner picks up the can and gives me the treat underneath it. No energy exerted, maximum treat scored = genius but the scoring on this test will give me:
+0 points for being lazy
Test 2: Dog under towel
This is another measure of your dog’s problem solving ability. How to do the test
1. Your dog should be awake and reasonably active 2. Let the dog sniff the towel 3. With a quick smooth motion throw the towel over the dogs head so its head and shoulders are completely covered (you may want to practice this without the dog first). Start timing and watch silently.
Scoring: If the dog frees itself in 5 seconds or less 5 points; 5 to 15 seconds 4 points;15 to 30 seconds 3 points; 30 to 60 seconds 2 points
I think the test results on this one are hinged on ‘your dog should be…reasonably active’. At my age, if someone throws a towel on me it’s because I’ve wet myself not because my teacher sprung a surprise quiz on me. I’ll gracefully bow out of this question. That way I don’t have to worry about someone throwing a towel at me and ‘turning out the lights’ as I’m walking toward a stairwell. Canine IQ score for this question:
+0 points for being safety conscious
Test 3: Can your dog recognize a smile?
This is a test of social learning.
How to do the test
1. Pick a time your dog is sitting about 2 meters away from you 2. The dog must not have been told to stay or sit 3. Stare intently into your dogs face, when your dog looks at you, count silently to 3 and then smile broadly
Scoring: If your dog comes with tail waging 5 points; If your dog comes slowly or only part of the way with no tail waging 4 points; If your dog stands or rises to a sitting position but does not move toward you 3 points; If your dog moves away from you 2 points; If your dog pays no attention 1 point
Why should I start wagging my tail if I see my owner smile? The only reason I can think of is if he’s got spinach or pesto between his teeth that he’s going to let me pick clean.
A more appropriate test would be to see if, after a dog farts, his owner’s facial expression changes. If Rover wags his tail in less than 10 seconds, not only is he capable of social learning but he’s also the proud owner/operator of a highly efficient fart power plant. Resulting Canine IQ score:
+0 points for being emotionless
Test 4: Retrieving from under a barrier
This is a test of your dog’s problem solving (con't at http://boknowsonline.com/2008/04/25/canine-mensa/)
This is fun ping.
The test is not that complicated. If you paid money for it, your dog has a higher IQ than you do.
My dog is a criminal mastermind...he constantly evaluates my IQ.
It looks to me like it’s free and it’s funny.
I passed with flying colors, but I will admit, that can thing had me stumped at first.
LOL!
I’m going to try a few with my dog just for fun. She’s fairly intelligent but somewhat neurotic because I try things like this with her.
My little shepherd is a hurricane rescue from New Orleans, and true to his origins, he’s a born looter. Two weeks after I adopted him I came home and found a big screen tv and a brand new pair of Nike basketball shoes.
Stop it! You’re killing me.
I hope you kept the TV.
I told him he needed to take it back wherever he got it, but I suspect he buried it in the yard somewhere.
Ping to Barkley.
My Border Collie doesn’t need this test ....she gives them.
ROFLMAO!!
I’ll probably try this. I think my dog is going to be off the charts simply because she’s tiny, always hungry, and moves at about 50 MPH minimum.
I give my dog extra points if he doesn’t try and hump the mailman’s leg, or do a butt scoot in from of my mother-in-law. However, gooseing under my sister’s skirt with a wet nose is a triple bonus.
Is your’s a paddock BC or a field BC?
Mine is a paddock BC ....
Big Ben is a cutie .... how old?
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