What Are the Smartest Dog Breeds?
How do you define a dog’s intelligence? To determine what makes a dog “smart” experts look at their instincts, obedience, and adaptability. Some dogs may be superior in one or two of these areas but lack in another.
For example, Terriers aren’t great at taking directions, but they have an excellent sense of hearing.
Experts find the following dogs to knock all of those categories out of the park, and that’s why they consider these to be some of the smartest dog breeds.
Border Collies
Known commonly as being brilliant pups, these herding dogs want (and even need) a good challenge. Border Collies are workaholics who need an owner who can put in the time and energy to keep them mentally and physically stimulated. You’ll discover these canines to possess grace, agility, substance, and stamina – agility courses are a walk in the park for these pups. At the end of the day though, Border Collie’s love a good cuddle and are extremely affectionate towards their owners.
Poodles
Poodles are sophisticated creatures that are considered to be elegant athletes. They move with light, seemingly effortless, strides. The Poodle comes from the line of working retrievers, explaining their athletic and intelligent composition. An added bonus, Poodles are also hypoallergenic.
German Shepards
You probably know these dogs as serving for the US forces, as well as police stations across the country. German Shepards are also commonly used as seeing eye dogs, medical assistance dogs, and therapy dogs. Obedience is practically their middle name. Most owners praise German Shepards for their extreme loyalty, courage, and confidence that make you feel safe and protected.
Golden Retrievers
Also known as the country’s most popular family dog, Golden Retrievers were originally bred to be hunters so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that they’re athletic and robust creatures. They’re also famous for being easily trainable due to that they enjoy obedience and competitive events. Golden Retrievers are also excellent for fieldwork and search & rescue missions. These golden pups also have a silly streak to them and love a good play session.
Doberman Pinscher
These fearless four-legged friends are known for holding their own and being excellent guard dogs, while simultaneously being excellent companions who are great around children. Doberman Pinschers are powerful dogs with magnificent instincts and extreme agility.
Experts might consider these dogs to be some of the smartest breeds, but that doesn’t mean your furry friend isn’t capable of all these qualities as well. With the right training, any dog can be both a great companion and obedient canine.