There’s no doubt that Dogs are one of the most intelligent animals in the kingdom. And of course, they are man’s best friends. Talking about the most intelligent dog breeds in the world, it is very difficult to measure a dog’s intelligence. Because intelligence in dogs cannot be just measured in one factor like humans.
Intelligence in dogs can come down to how easily breeds can train, their ability to understand humans, how quickly they understand commands, how well they perform certain tasks, and much more.
If it’s bred to hunt, herd, or retrieve, the dog is more likely to be quick on performing these tasks. It will learn faster in these fields. If a dog is bred to be a guard dog or a scent hound, it may learn these abilities faster rather than herding.
But that doesn’t mean that the less smart dogs cannot be trained. Even if some breeds are more witted, trainers say any dog can learn the basics like sitting and staying. It just might take them longer to catch on.
Here are the top 10 most intelligent dog breeds in the world.
10. Australian Cattle Dog
The Australian Cattle Dog is an extremely focused and driven dog breed. This dog was bred to herd cattle and is happiest with a job to do. This dog is a breed of herding dog developed for droving cattle over long distances. The Australian Cattle Dog excels in obedience training drills and is capable of learning new commands quickly.
9. Rottweiler
Rottweiler is a large breed of dog from Germany. The Rottweiler really knows how to read people by studying body language and facial cues. This breed may show a different side of its personality based on how much it trusts a person. They can be aggressive but that is only because some owners train them to be so. They are very protective and reliable.
8. Papillon
The papillon is more than a fancy lap dog. Papillion dog is a great family dog and an excellent pet. In fact, the papillon is one of the smartest of all toy breeds. These little dogs are friendly, alert, and active. The papillon has the ability to read its owner’s minds and emotions. A Papillon can exhibit behavior based on its owner’s state of mind.
7. Labrador Retriever
The world’s most popular dog, the Labrador retriever is also one of the most intelligent dog breeds in the world. They enjoy being in the water and retrieving the gamefowl. This dog is also a great family dog and loves being with people, especially kids, and with other dogs also.
Labrador Retrievers are one of the most trainable dogs in the world. Police and army around the world rely on this dog’s sense of smell to track and prevent the smuggling of banned substances.
6. Shetland Sheepdog
The Shetland Sheepdog or the Shetland Collie is a descendant of the Rough Collie from Scotland, it’s a small herding dog. Collies are the smartest dogs in the world. This breed inherits its intelligence from its ancestors. The Shetland Sheepdog is also a great family dog and a therapy dog. This dog dominates dog sports such as dog agility competitions, tracking, herding dog competitions, and tracking.
5. Doberman Pinscher
The Dobermann Pinscher is from Germany. Dobermann is an excellent guard dog and an intensely loyal companion dog. Like the Rottweiler, Dobermann is also aggressive at times and has a reputation for being a dangerous dog. But that is only because they are trained or that.
When Karl Friedrich Louis Doberman developed this breed, he developed and bred it to be an ultimate guard dog. After Dobermann’s death in 1894, the Germans named the breed Dobermann-pinscher in his honor. At the hands of an experienced owner, this fearsome dog can be a great family pet.
4. Golden Retriever
Golden Retriever is one of the world’s most cute, and loved dogs. It is much like the Labrador Retriever. Golden Retrievers also excels at retrieving games for hunters, tracking, sniffing out drugs for law enforcement, and as therapy and service dogs. They’re great with kids and very protective of their humans. Their intelligence enables them to perform a wide range of tasks.
3. German Shepherd
The German Shepherd has a wolf-like appearance, is a relatively modern breed of dog, with its origin dating to 1899. German Shepherds were bred specifically for their intelligence. In a list of breeds most likely to bark as watchdogs, Stanley Coren ranked the breed in second place.
This breed is energetic, versatile, and excels in several service fields especially in police and the army. This dog also makes a great companion dog. German Shepherd excels as a search and rescue, cadaver search, narcotics detection, mine detection, therapy dog, and as a herding dog.
2. Poodle
Poodles are often seen as performing animals, especially the smaller ones. You can teach a poodle to balance on a ball, jump through a hoop, or do a wide range of other actions. Poodles also excel in dog sports and dog agility competitions where other breeds participate.
Despite its fancy or classy appearance, the poodle is a highly intelligent dog. Tiny, miniature, or standard in size, this breed is gifted with some of the best canine brainpower.
1. Border Collie
Extremely energetic, athletic, and driven, the Border Collie is Originally bred as a sheepdog, They are known for their herding abilities. Border Collies can perform just about any job you can give them. In fact, if you don’t keep them constantly moving and working, they might start getting destructive in the home. Border Collies are intelligent and are capable of managing their herd on their own with little help from their human master.