Dogs are the most human-friendly creatures and have an excellent capacity to think an ability like humans. Considered as the man´s best companions, dogs are well known for their loyalty, capacity to please their masters and of course, their high level of intelligence. However, there are some striking differences among dog breeds when it comes to their level of intelligence. Here is the list of top 15 Smartest dog breeds in the world.
Smartest Dog breeds
1. Border collie
The Border Collie is a dog breed that has been developed in the Anglo-Scottish border region. They were developed basically for herding livestock, and also for their intelligence and obedience. The Border Collie Dog breed possesses a double coat that may be smooth or rough and occasionally curled. They are considered a highly intelligent, extremely energetic, acrobatic and athletic breed that compete in sheepdog trials and dog sports. Also, they are the most intelligent of all domestic dogs which are generally employed in traditional work of herding livestock throughout the world.
The breed has been initially trained on the border of Scotland and England and hence the name. There is no breed that can beat the border collie in intelligence and one of the smartest dog breed named Chaser (Border Collie) has been recognized as the smartest dog breeds and it is said that she remembers the name of more than 1,000 objects. Another Border Collie named Jumpy holds a Guinness World Record for dog skateboarding i.e 100 meters in less than 20 seconds.
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2. Poodle
A poodle is a group of formal dog breeds, which is believed to have been developed from Germany as a type of water dog or from the French Barbet. They are very energetic, active, intelligent and elegant dog breeds and ranked as the second most intelligent dog breed just after the Border Collie as per the American Kennel Club. Also, the poodle is skillful in many dog sports and activities, including agility, obedience, tracking, herding and much more.
Additionally known as Pudelhund (German), Puddle (Old English), Caniche, and Barbone, however, it is believed that the breed has been originated in Germany where they were bred as water dogs and hunters. The breed is popular for both beauty and brains. One of the small dog breeds is the second smartest dog breed in the world who loves to sleep for 13 hours a day. One of the excellent water dogs also known for its impressive swimming abilities and coats are water-resistant.
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3. German shepherd
The German shepherd is a German dog breed that has originated in Germany. It is a medium to the large-sized working dog, which is sometimes abbreviated as GSD. Also, this breed is known as the Alsatian in Britain and Ireland and is a relatively new breed of dog, with their origin dating to 1899. They are well known all over the world for their energy and strength, intelligence, and obedience and that is why they are often the preferred breed for many types of work, including disability assistance, search-and-rescue, police and military roles, and even acting. It is also listed as one of the dangerous dog breeds in the world.
One of the smartest dog breeds in the world can learn tasks after only 5 repetitions and obey the first command that they are given 95% of the time. Because of natural curiosity, they are named as one of the perfect search and rescue dogs in the world. The lifespan of the breed is approximately 10-13 years and popular for shedding a lot. The breed loves to play and is extremely active and hence you all need to take them to for walking and exercise to keep them occupied.
Also Read: Top 10 Hunting Dog Breeds in the World
4. Golden retriever
The Golden Retriever is one of the most popular and beautiful dog breeds in the world. They are large, strongly built breed with a dense, water-repellent wavy coat. Also, the Golden Retriever dog breed is very much human-friendly and demonstrates a tolerant attitude that makes them a fabulous family companion. Moreover, their intelligence makes him them highly capable working dog for hunters, trackers, sniffers and also as therapy and assistance dogs. They also demonstrate well behavior in dog sports including agility and competitive obedience.
The breed is known for incredibly powerful scenting ability and it is one of the best among all breeds in the world. Retrievers are the best swimmers with the help of large webbing between the toes and long-tail makes swimming extremely easy for them. It has 2 layers of fur, the inner one is to keep warm, however, the outer layer is waterproof. Also, they have a very high tolerance for pain and can tolerate the extreme pain that other breeds would not able to do it.
5. Doberman pinscher
Doberman pinscher was originally developed in Germany around 1890 by Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann, a famous tax collector. It is a medium to the large-sized breed of domestic dog that has a long muzzle. They also have cropped ears and docked the tail. However, Dobermanns are known as the intelligent, alert, and tenaciously loyal dog breed that is often considered as the loving and devoted companions.
The breed is multitasking because they are used for police work, coursing, scent tracking, diving, therapy, and search and rescue dogs. The 5th smartest dog in the world known for its knowledge and intelligence that can be an amazing family defender and companion. They need a lot of exercise and have great running speeds. A solid Doberman can keep running up to 44 kph.
6. Shetland sheepdog
The Shetland Sheepdog, nicknamed as the Sheltie, is a breed of dog that originated in the Shetland Islands, Scotland. Shetland sheepdog is herding, the hard-working small dog known for their intelligence and ability to please. They are incredibly loyal dogs and are often referred to as “shadows” because of their attachment to the family. Shelties possess a double coat with long, rough guard hairs on top and soft hairs undercoat.
The breed can reach up to 13 to 15 inches in height and 22 to 40 pounds of weight. Talking about the appearance, it has almond-shaped dark eyes with small ears and folded tips. The dog can be easily trained by using positive reinforcement methods. The breed is suitable for both in the apartments and in the houses; however, it requires regular daily walks a few times a week. Shetland Sheepdog has an average lifespan of 12 to 15 years.
7. Labrador retriever
The Labrador retriever is one of the most popular breeds of dogs in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. They are useful for working dog breed and a family-friendly companion. Also, Labrador retriever is as good-natured and hard working breed which is commonly used as a retriever for hunters, assistance dogs to the handicapped, and search and rescue dog for other people.
One of the most common guide dogs known for its intelligence, gentle temperament and one of the smartest dog breeds that can be trained easily. The average lifespan for a Labrador is 10 – 12 years and actually originated in Newfoundland (Canada). It loves to stay around people, however, it needs a lot of affection and love with plenty of exercises to burn off all that energy. The skin coat is in two layers, one is short, thick topcoat and the other one is relatively water-resistant undercoat. This two-layer coat protects them from cold and wet weather.
8. Papillon
Papillon is a Spaniel type breed of dog and also one of the oldest of the toy spaniels. It has been named for its butterfly-like fringed hair on the ears. However, it is a very alert and friendly dog breed than any other dogs. Also, they are very active, energetic, intelligent and easy to train. They are mostly medium-sized with round eyes, have thin and black rims.
The cutest dog in the world is mostly dark in a shed and possess a long tail which is set high carried over their body and covered with long, fine hairs. Talking about the appearance, it is known for its distinctive feature that includes large, fringed, butterfly-like ears. During an alert situation, each ear forms an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the head. The average height for both males and females is 10 inches.
9. Rottweiler
The Rottweiler is a medium-large breed with abundant strength, energy, and intelligence. They have a slightly longer body than it’s tall and robust with a powerful and substantial build. They are often black coated with clearly defined rich tan markings, giving them a powerful noble look. However, this breed is well known all over the world for its endurance, proportionality, intelligence, and strength. The huge and massive dog lives only for 8 to 10 years making it one of the shortest living breeds in the world.
Talking about the appearance, Rottweilers are usually black in color with distinct tan markings on the cheeks, over the eyes, chest, muzzle, and legs. The male breed can range up to 90 to 130 lbs while the female one weighs around between 80 and 110 lbs with the coat is short, straight, and of medium length.
10. Australian cattle dog
Australian cattle dog is a medium-sized, short-coated dog breed that occurs in two main colors i.e. brown or black. The Australian cattle dog has great endurance with bursts of speed and the extreme agility necessary in controlling unruly cattle. This dog breed is also very sturdy and compact, with a short, dense undercoat and moderately short, straight outer coat of medium texture.
11. Belgian Tervuren
One of the smartest dog breeds always draws attention because of its dark and long silky coat. The dog breed was originally developed as a versatile farm dog that could take care of the animals and the property. It is one of the types of Belgian sheepdogs and the other three are the Belgian Malinois, the Groenendael, and the Laekenois. The breed was named after his native place that is Belgian village that was home to a man named M.F. Corbeel who was the owner of the two dogs and this will become of the breed’s foundation couple.
12. Bernese Mountain Dog
The dog breed is popular for its black color and the markings are red or rust or white. It requires frequent brushing because of the thick and fairly long hairs to keep them healthy and free of mats. The stronger male breed measures around 25 to 27 inches, however, female one measures approximately 23 to 26 inches tall. Both males and females have a stronger muscular build and weight ranges from 75 to 120 pounds. The good-natured dog enjoys learning new things, however, they can be a good watchdog.
13. Bloodhound
The dog breed belongs to the group of scenthounds and its descendant of St. Hubert hound has created in the St. Hubert Monastery in Belgium approximately 1000 years back. Initially, it was created to smell the blood of deer and wild boars, however, later it was used to locate various thieves mostly in the North American during the colonial times and also in England during the 19th century. The dog breed can be seen in many movies in the role of the police dog. The breed can reach up to 23 to 27 inches in height and weight approximately 80 to 110 pounds of weight. The average lifespan of the breed is 10 to 12 years.
14. Pembroke Welsh Corgi
The breed is popular as the smartest and affectionate dog breed across the globe. It is believed that the ancestors of the dog brees dates back to the 10th century, according to the Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club of America, However, it is still unknown if they are descended from the Swedish Vallhunds that was considered to be brought back Vikings or some of the ancestors of present-day such as Schipperkes and Pomeranians brought to Wales by Flemish weavers. The dog breed is one of the most loyal house dog breeds and used to be loving pets for the families.
15. Alaskan Husky
Alaskan Husky doesn’t need to be confused with the Siberian Husky or the Alaskan Malamute because it is used as a working dog and it was originally bred in the Alaskan villages from a mix of various Northern breeds that includes Siberian Husky, Greyhound, and the German Shorthaired-Pointer. They can be seen in many colors such as grey, black and white and it can be in any pattern of markings. The breed has brown eyes, however, Siberian has blue eyes. The dog breed is really fast and it can run up to 28 mph.
16. Keeshond
Keeshond is a medium-sized dog bred know for its two-layer of the coat of silver with black fur. It was originated in holland and the closed relative is the German spitzes. Talking about the history of dogs, they were previously known as the Dutch Barge Dog. The name is given because they were normally seen in the canals near to the rivers of The Netherlands. One of the smartest dog breeds is considered as the symbol of the Patriot faction in The Netherlands. This was during the political unrest of the country preceding the French Revolution.
17. German Shorthaired Pointer
It is one of the most popular family dogs, however, it does not like to sit around. The dog breed is used for general hunting and they are playful and intelligent as well. It needs daily exercise and an open place for physical activities. One of the smartest dog breeds looks like a proper athlete dog breed. It can grow up to 22 to 24 inches tall and weigh around 45 to 70 pounds. Talking about the history of the dog, it is believed to be to exist since the 1600’s and considered as the Hybrid between a Hanoverian hound and Hanoverian hound.
18. Flat-Coated Retriever
One of the smartest dog breeds is also known as the gundog breed which originates in the United Kingdom. It is also a popular sociable and friendly breeds which are considered as a retriever both on land and in the water. Like other dog breeds, it loves to carry something the mouth but does not link to chew excessively. It is believed to develop in the chew excessively as an answer to the popularity of shooting birds for sport and these dog breeds can easily retrieve them when they are on the ground.
19. English Cocker Spaniel
English Cocker Spaniel is also a breed of gundog which is popular as a sporting and active dog breed. Apart from US it is known as the Cocker Spaniel. The medium-sized dog breed was named Cocker Spaniel because they are used to hunt woodcock in England, however, they can even hunt birds.
20. Standard Schnauzer
Standard Schnauzer was originated in Germany and believed to exist since the 14th-15th century. They have similarities with the Giant Schnauzer and Miniature Schnauzer. The dog breed is considered to be highly intelligent and can be easily trained. Still in the Mechlinburg, a state as old as 14th century, there is a statue of the dog with the schnauzer crouching at his feet standing in between of the market place.
These are the smartest dog breeds in the world. Do post your comments.
