A smart dog is the dream of every person. Choosing a four-friend, one wonders: “Which dogs are the most intelligent and faithful?” It should be noted that all animals are smart enough, however, some breeds cope with certain tasks better than others. In our article, we want to find out which dogs are the most trained and reliable. What is the intelligence rating of dogs?
Border Collie
According to the largest organization of dog breeders in the United States, which compiled a rating of dogs by intelligence, the first place went to the Border Collie breed, bred in the UK. These animals have serious mental abilities and a thirst for service to man. According to many independent surveys, this breed is the leader in the lists.
She was bred in England by the selection of shepherd dogs. The best specimens were selected, from which new puppies were received. The Border Collie was supposed to graze animals, so dogs were taught to be hardy and unpretentious in food, attentive, able to learn quickly, remembering everything new on the fly. The breed was officially registered in 1915, although it was known about it in the 18th century.
Border Collie is very wary of strangers, but does not show aggression. But with the owners she is playful, sensitive and attentive. A collie dog, the characteristic of which is given by us in the article, is distinguished by obedience, which means it is very easily trained. Puppies begin to train from eight months. And after a year and a half or two, the dog will easily carry out all your commands. Probably for this reason, the Border Collie is recognized as the best dog for all competitions. It is quite simple to prepare it for the exhibition, agglomeration, freestyle, flyball. Obedience makes it possible to use representatives of this breed to help rescue groups.
The habits of the smartest dogs
Border Collie has a rare hard work. She likes an active lifestyle. Dogs willingly perform at exhibitions, can graze sheep. Because of such a thirst for activity, border collies are not recommended to be kept in the apartment, because she constantly needs to do physical and mental work.
Dogs of this breed are very playful and funny, from a very young age they need society, and therefore they need to devote enough time. They can be wary of strangers until they make friends. But sometimes they can show some aggressiveness towards their relatives, but only at first.
As for mental abilities, the Border Collie tops the dogs rating for intelligence. At a young age, animals can indulge in pampering, having matured, they behave like smart calm creatures. Therefore, they are great companions.
In general, when thinking about what breed of dog to get, be sure to think about border collie. A friendly, active, cheerful, intelligent animal will become the most wonderful friend of the whole family. Since the dog loves communication, you will not have to get bored with it. She will not sit still, looking for more new entertainment and work. In addition, the Border Collie is distinguished by a loyal attitude towards its owners.
Representatives of this breed can have both long and short wool of medium hardness. It protects the animal well from the weather and almost does not absorb bad odors. Therefore, contrary to the opinion of many people, caring for an animal is not as difficult as it might seem. The dog just needs to be combed several times a week. But training should be approached with all seriousness, starting it as soon as possible.
Poodles
The rating of dogs by intellect is able to surprise inexperienced dog breeders with their representatives. Who do you think takes the second place in it? Very unexpected, but it's a poodle. It turns out that these are very smart dogs. They are able not only to perform with circus programs (although this is not subject to all dogs), but also to many other actions. For example, poodles are excellent swimmers, they can save a drowning person. There are a lot of varieties of the breed : there are small and large. There are even hunting poodles that help owners during bird hunting. Therefore, it should be noted that they were not accidentally in the ranking in second place.
Since childhood, we have become accustomed to the fact that a poodle is such a curly funny kid. But in fact, large representatives of the breed are excellent defenders of their owners, so do not neglect them.
There is an opinion that a poodle is a female dog, but this is not entirely true. This is a beautiful, athletic, active animal, proud and strong. This breed has become one of the most popular in the world. Meanwhile, poodles have a long history. Although they are the national breed of France, their roots go to Northern Europe. Once they were exclusively hunting dogs.
Poodles come in four sizes. The largest representatives are able to protect their owner, but do not take such a dog as a guard, since poodles are very good-natured creatures and will never begin to attack the enemy themselves. In addition, the animal needs to pay a lot of attention, it needs your praise and affection.
A large poodle must certainly undergo a dog training course; its extraordinary abilities will find worthy application. Even dwarf breeds do not want to just sit on their hands. They need active leisure. They love long walks. It is important for them that the owner is next to them. Poodles are always ready to fool around and play. If you practice the dog and give it proper attention, then it will bring a lot of joy and fun to your family.
German Shepherd
Continuing to discuss the rating of dogs for intelligence, it should be noted that the third place in it is occupied by the German shepherd. There are many speculations about the origin of this breed, but the truth has been lost somewhere in the mists of time. However, it is known for certain that in the seventh century AD such a dog already existed in Germany.
Representatives of the breed are very intelligent and loyal to humans, therefore, they rightfully took their rightful place in the list of the most intelligent dogs. Shepherd dogs are great for the role of guards, in contrast to soft and good-natured poodles. It is no accident that the police use this particular breed of dog as an assistant.
It should be noted that in the USSR, at the service of internal organs and border guards there was not a simple dog - an East European shepherd. It was bred in the thirties specifically as a service breed for the army and the needs of the national economy. The progenitor of the breed was a German shepherd imported from Germany.
In general, these animals are one of the most trained and intelligent, but they must certainly be dealt with. The beginning of the training of the German Shepherd should occur at a very young age. This is not an easy process, but you cannot do without it. It will require great patience and firmness. However, in no case is not cruelty, otherwise the dog can become naughty.
Relative to shepherd dogs, a stereotype of aggressiveness has developed. But this is a wrong judgment. Such behavior in an animal can be formed under the influence of improper upbringing. The German shepherd will certainly protect its owners and be distrustful of strangers, but by its nature it is non-aggressive.
Golden retriever
Distributing the breeds of dogs by intellect, experts assigned the golden retriever an honorable fourth place.
He has a calm, sometimes even too imposing character. The character of the animal perfectly combines traits such as sensitivity, calm, ability to easily master new knowledge and skills. In the process of training dogs show exceptional hard work and performance. The animal is always ready to come to the rescue, it gets along well with children. In addition, the Golden Retriever is completely non-aggressive against strangers and animals.
Very often, representatives of this breed are used as guides for blind people and for medicinal purposes. This dog is great for children with psychological problems. Retriever training usually causes absolutely no problems. Dogs are great swimmers and love water. They take root well both in apartments and in private houses. Life expectancy is from twelve to fourteen years.
Doberman pinscher
Dobermans, short-haired service dogs that were bred in Germany, are fifth in the ranking of the smartest dogs.
Representatives of the breed are outstanding individuals who need not only good care, but also a healthy family climate. They can reveal all their potential abilities only in patient and smart hands. Dobermans are very smart, but need good training, otherwise they can simply become uncontrollable. Training is an indispensable element of education, otherwise, a remarkable mind can only work towards leprosy and tricks. This breed of dog can, if necessary, protect its owner.
Scottish shepherd or sheltie
Among the huge variety of shepherd dogs (Belgian Shepherd Tervuren, Malinois, Groenendael) I want to highlight the Sheltie. This is essentially a miniature collie. Those who have long wanted a collie and did not dare to start it because of their size should think about the Scottish Shepherd. It should be noted that the animal is not only very beautiful, but also capable. Sheltie is distrustful of strangers, she does not like the obsessive desire to scratch her ear. The Scottish Shepherd is well trained.
Labrador retriever
Sometimes people mistakenly believe that the dog breed Labrador and Retriever are two completely different species. In fact, it is one and the same animal. The breed was bred for hunting. However, the creature turned out to be playful, perky, loving. And therefore, the representatives of the breed have become ideal family dogs around the world. Labrador retrievers love to walk, play and frolic. Active entertainment they are ready to do all day. Such a dog is suitable for any family, the only condition for keeping it is sufficient time for walking. The character of the Labrador is so docile that even a child of ten years will cope with his upbringing.
Papillon
The eighth place in the list of the smartest dogs is papillon. This breed has a regal history, since the ancestors of the modern species were favorites at the royal court. Not every breed can boast of such a past.
The papillon is a descendant of the spaniel. The breed originated in the fourteenth century, and France and Belgium are considered the birthplace. A distinctive feature of this species is beautiful ears, similar to butterfly wings. The breed owes its bright past at the court primarily to its mind.
Rottweiler
The Rottweiler is rightfully ranked ninth among the smartest animals. Dogs of this breed are distinguished not only by power and strength, but also by their balance of character.
Rottweilers are very hardy, they like to work, always energetic and full of strength. They are loyal protectors of their masters. As a rule, dogs tend to establish very close relationships with only one member of the family.
Rottweilers are courageous and self-confident. But a timid person will not be suitable for them as a master, because firmness and confidence will be required in raising an animal. With a good trainer, Rottweilers learn everything they need very quickly, but they definitely need training and solid discipline. They need a lot of space for games, because they have tremendous energy. An important quality of the Rottweiler is the ability to get along even with the smallest children.
Australian shepherd dog
The Australian Shepherd closes the ten most intelligent dogs. It was bred artificially in America in the twentieth century. It was not exactly established which breeds were mixed, but the experiments were so successful that people around the world are currently enjoying the company of a faithful and reliable friend.
Continuation of the list of smartest dogs
Further on the list of the most intelligent dogs, sixteen other representatives appear. All of them are distinguished by good performance. Different teams are trained in five to fifteen repetitions. Dogs quickly remember everything new, but only practical exercises can improve results. So, the list continues the following breeds:
- Welsh Corgi Pembrokes.
- Miniature Schnauzer.
- Springer Spaniel (English).
- Belgian Shepherd Tervuren.
- Groenendael.
- Collie.
- Kurzhaar is a hunting dog and companion.
- Cocker Spaniel (English).
- Epaniol Breton.
- American Cocker Spaniel.
- Weimar Pointing Dog.
- Belgian Shepherd Dog Malinois.
- Pomeranian Spitz.
- Spaniel Irish.
- Hungarian Pointing Dog.
- Welsh Corgi cardigan.
Perhaps all the breeds listed by us are distinguished by excellent mental abilities. Not for nothing that many of them have gained popularity around the world. Of course, many breeds have long lost their true purpose, such as, for example, the Belgian Shepherd Dog Malinois and many others, and nowadays they are simply wonderful pets and just friends of a person.
Each breed has its own history, and some species have been formed over the centuries, gaining the best performance. However, it should be noted that times are changing, the requirements for dogs are changing. If, for example, strong, hardy animals were previously valued, like a kurtshaar - a hardy and athletic dog, then nowadays completely miniature salon dogs have come into fashion, requiring special attention.
Perhaps many will not agree with the presented rating of the smartest dogs and will be right, because for each owner his four-legged friend is the most intelligent and talented.
And those who are just thinking of getting an animal should definitely consider what kind of dog you want to see nearby. It's no secret that everyone wants to get a smart pet that will become a real member of the family. However, it should be understood that any dog will require a lot of attention from you. In order for the animal to show all its abilities, it is necessary to regularly train it and surround it with care.