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Most intelligent dog breeds
Most intelligent dogs
Dog intelligence
Smart dog toys
Smartest dogs
Smartest large breeds
Highly intelligent breeds
Top five most intelligent breeds
Smartest small dog breeds
Many people ask dog trainers this question: "Which dog breed is the smartest?" or "Which dog breed is the most intelligent?" Each dog breed was created for a specific purpose and each breed is smart and intelligent in its own special way. Some dog breeds are easier to train than others and many people consider that quality as a merit by which a dog's intelligence can be measured. The following list is of top smartest dog breeds features the breeds that respond very well to training and as a result are considered by many to be the top five most intelligent dog breeds.
The intelligence of dogs
What is a dog's intelligence? Dog intelligence (another name for this concept is dog cognition) is the process in dogs of acquiring, storing in memory, retrieving, combining, comparing, and using in new situations information and conceptual skills. There are two factors that determine a dog's intelligence: genetics and environment. The genetics and the environment play an important role in shaping a dog's level of intelligence. Observational learning or social learning in dogs occurs when dogs watch and then imitate the behavior of other dogs or humans. Modeling is another name for this concept. Animal behavior specialists and scientists conducted various studies and experiments and came to the conclusion that dogs do learn by observing other dogs and/or humans. For example, puppies learn by observing a more experienced dog performing certain tasks.
When a puppy is born, his brain has billions of neurons. As the puppy grows and learns, the brain doesn't add more neurons, but it does add more connections between neurons. A puppy who grows up in a boring environment with nothing to investigate, nothing to play with, or learn will not be able to develop as many connections between neurons in comparison to a puppy who grows up in a mind stimulating environment.
There are many various mental exercises that a dog owner can use in order to help the dog develop intellectual capacity. There are so many examples of dog owners who by working on their dog's cognitive abilities were able to achieve great results. For example, a border collie named Chaser was taught by the owner to recognize over a thousand different toys by name. That's not all - Chaser was documented as capable of learning the names of new objects "by exclusion", and capable of linking nouns to verbs. If your goal is to develop your dog's intelligence - one of the ways would be to teach your dog to recognize new words. When you get a new toy for your dog, let the dog know the name of the toy. Every time you play with the dog using the toy - remember to name the toy by its name so that eventually your dog will be able to recognize this toy by its name. After a few days the dog will remember the name of the toy. Only use one toy at a time to avoid any confusion. The important part is to keep this mental exercise positive and fun.
Most intelligent dog breed
The Border Collie takes first place among the top most intelligent dog breeds. Originally bred for herding, the Border Collie had to keep its mind sharp for many generations in order to successfully herd the sheep. This medium size breed is a very high energy dog that needs lots of space to exercise every single day. This smart dog needs both mental and physical activities every day and this breed is not meant to live in a small apartment. The Border Collie is happiest when it has a purpose in life. This breed is great for farms where the dog can have enough space to run and can be your helper every day. The Border Collie is not a good choice for families with small children.
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Smart dog toys
Interactive dog toys can help develop a dog's intelligence, improve the dog's cognitive abilities and help to manage dog problem behaviors.
Kong Dog toy is a great tool to stimulate a dog's mind. Active playtime is a great way to not only connect with your dog, but also to help him learn while having fun. A Kong Dog toy is a wonderful tool that can be used in many ways to provide mental stimulation for a dog. Dog owners often utilize Kong Dog toy to help ease a dog's anxiety when training the dog to be comfortable with riding in a car or even during crate training. Kong Dog toys are frequently used during dog training as a motivational tool or a reward for good behavior.
Kong Dog toys are available in several sizes and can be very helpful in eliminating various dog behavior problems when used as a motivation tool.
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Highly intelligent dog breed
A Poodle takes the second place on the list of the most intelligent dog breeds. A young Poodle puppy is very smart and observant. It quickly learns which behavior is rewarded by the owner and which behavior is considered as negative. Stay consistent with your Poodle and you will be amazed at the dog's intellectual capabilities. Training your dog will keep the dog's mind active and stimulated. Poodles are very athletic and enjoy a variety of mind-stimulating dog games including frisbee. Poodle mixes often inherit the impressive intelligence of their Poodle parent. Get to know all Poodle mixes.
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Most intelligent large breeds
The German Shepherd takes the third place among the top most intelligent breeds. Fearless and athletic German Shepherd makes a good watchdog. For German Shepherds, their work is their life. This large and smart dog breed is easy to train. German Shepherds are often used by the law enforcement services as well as by the rescue teams. German Shepherds are still used for herding today among other jobs. German Shepherds make an excellent companion and a family dog as long as you properly train and socialize the dog.
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Smartest breeds
Golden Retriever takes the fourth place among the smartest dog breeds. This big dog breed makes an excellent family dog who can get along with young children and older adults equally well. Famous for its friendly and playful nature Golden Retriever breed is not suitable to serve as a guard dog. As one Golden Retriever owner explained, the Golden Retriever breed is so friendly that it will welcome a thief on its territory and may even help the thief. This large dog breed is often employed by search and rescue teams. A Golden Retriever can be trained as a guide dog for the blind and as a hearing dog for the hearing-impaired people.
Golden Retriever crossbreeds are gaining popularity as these mixed dog breeds are highly intelligent and family friendly. Goldendoodle, for example is a hybrid dog that was developed by crossing a Golden Retriever and a Poodle. Since both of these breeds are very intelligent, Goldendoodles inherit their high intelligence from their parents.
Goldendoodle pros and cons
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Top five most intelligent dog breeds
Doberman Pinscher takes the fifth place among the most intelligent dog breeds. This large working dog breed was originally created for personal protection. Doberman Pinscher is very alert, smart, energetic and easily trainable. But this dog breed is not for everyone. Since this dog was created to protect the owner, there's an element of aggression present in the dog's genetics and this breed is not recommended for families with young kids. Some owners claim that the dog can be great with kids and it is possible to socialize your Doberman from a young age with kids so that the dog can be trusted around children. The dog needs to be properly trained from a young age.
For this particular large and strong breed it is important to have an owner who can be a true pack leader for the strong willed and at times stubborn Doberman.
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Smartest small dogs
Papillon is considered to be the most intelligent breed among toy breeds. This smart small dog is perfect for an owner who enjoys to make the most of the dog's intellectual abilities. Papillons enjoy pleasing the owner and these clever dogs are easy to train. Papillons have a good attention span and with positive, reward based training approach this small intelligent dog can shine in obedience training.
Papillons can be trained to do a variety of tricks.
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Resources for dog owners
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Non shedding dogs list
Best service dogs for emotional support
Dog training advice
Here's how much your dog will cost you per year
Compare large dog breeds
Compare medium dog breeds
Compare small dog breeds
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