Top 10 Smartest Dog Breeds

Home
Top 10 Smartest Dog Breeds

Introduction

Dogs are clever. That's an undisputed fact. But are some breeds more naturally intelligent than others? It has to be said, yes, there are. The breeds used as rescue dogs, police dogs, and drug and explosive detection dogs are chosen because those breeds are pretty canny pups. Some pups are so pawsomely smart, they're capable of recognizing the names of items and have even been trained to use computer keyboards. No, it wasn't a doggo that wrote this article, but a pup can be taught to recognize symbols to obtain a treat. That's puptastically clever. So which breeds are the smartest? Here are the top 10 most intelligent pups around!

Border Collie

A Border Collie has a high level of intelligence and responds to training and discipline. This is a pup who loves to work and never takes their eye off the job. Border collies are super smart and capable of maintaining their concentration. They're top dogs in the pup intelligence rankings.

German Shepherd

German Shepherds are one of the most pawsomely smart doggos you could wish for. They can be trained to a high level of response for a variety of tasks such as drug detection, sniffing out explosives or apprehending criminals on the run. They are also superiorly protective of their pet parent.

Labrador Retriever

Labrador Retrievers are known for being great family pets, but are also pup-tasically clever. They are responsive to learning new commands and love to be in a working environment showing off their skills. They have a sharp sense of smell, which along with their super-charged brain cells, makes them perfect sniffer dogs.

Looking for a dog walker?

Connect with highly rated dog walkers in your neighborhood

Papillon

Papillons are a toy breed with cute fluffy ears. Don't let its teddy bear-like appearance fool you; it's one smart cookie. The Papillon excels at activities like agility and is quick to respond to commands when they're given. The Papillon is one dog who knows it's left from it's right.

English Springer Spaniel

English Springer Spaniels are a popular choice for bird hunters because of their pawsome level of obedience. Tell a Springer Spaniel to sit and stay put, and it won't move until the command is given. They have pup-tastically sensitive noses too which makes them pawfully good at drug sniffing.

Saint Bernard

The Saint Bernard is a breed which is often underestimated on the intelligence front. These pups have adorable faces and a gentle nature which is perfect for a family pet, but that doesn't mean they're not clever. These pawsome pups can be trained to find victims of avalanches and earthquakes.

Jack Russell Terrier

Jack Russell Terriers are feisty and energetic pups that love to be busy. Originally bred as working dogs for hunting vermin and foxes, they know how to sniff out trouble. They are surprisingly fast on their feet considering their size, and are super responsive to training and voice commands.

Doberman Pinscher

The regal Doberman Pinscher breed really are in a class of their own when it comes to intelligence. While the Doberman's natural stature has previously been exploited for protection purposes, these pups are capable of differentiating between good and bad, and can be trained to respond to highly complex commands.

Poodle

It doesn't matter what size of poodle it is, standard, toy, klein, miniature or teacup, they are all hyper-intelligent. Mostly seen as just an attractive domestic pet, poodles actually hold second place in the rankings for most intelligent breed. They are puptastic at retrieving and learn new commands in minutes.

Bloodhound

The sad eyes and melancholic appearance of the Bloodhound breed masks an astute intelligence. These pawsomely beautiful hounds have a natural capacity to sniff out scents and track them down, and they don't give in until they find what they're searching for. These smart pups are number one for law enforcement duties and hunting tasks!