One of the great unknowns that humans have had about animals is to find out what cognitive capacity they have, and for this reason it has been the subject of research in different species. A study carried out by a team from the Family Dog Project of the Department of Ethology of the Eotvos Lorand University, in Budapest, Hungary, tested 40 dogs of different breeds through intensive training for months.
This training included interactions between the dogs and their owners in which the names of the toys were repeated several times, weekly sessions with a dog trainer to relate to the objects, etc.
As a result, Shany Dror, the co-author of the study, reported that “All seven dogs that demonstrated this exceptional talent are Border Collies, a breed intended to cooperate with humans for herding purposes .”
Border collies were the breed with the greatest ability to understand words and therefore proved to be the most intelligent.In addition, this breed was the one that was most involved in the study because in other previous works it had already proven to be the most intelligent. Other breeds that were part of the distinguished group are: Border Terrier, King Poodle, Tony Poodle, Australian Shepherd, Schipperke, Kelpie, Vizla, Whippets, Schnauzer, Weimaraner, Mudi, Mongrels, and Labrador Poodle.
Also, recently the WebMDportalhad published the list with the ranking of dog breedsnaturally more intelligent and they are:
-Border Collie: Without a doubt, this breed is considered the most intelligent in the world since it has a wide learning capacity in different areas . In addition, it stands out from other breeds because of the strong bond it creates with its owners and because of its great predisposition for physical exercise. In fact, it is very common to see them in canine agility championships, known as “agility” championships.
-Poodle: This breed has different sizes. He is a docile, intelligent, faithful and affectionate dog with his master. In addition to this, he is a very affectionate dog. It adapts both to living with active people, and to living with more passive people, such as those who have reached old age.
-German Shepherd: For something this breed is the most popular in the police force. His intelligence is made up of a whole set of amazing and special traits: obedience, curiosity and a real thirst for mental stimulation.
-Labrador and golden retriever: They are two of the favorite breeds of the Spanish. They are ideal for living with the family and they are very affectionate and intelligent dogs. For this reason they are trained to be therapy dogs, to work for people with special needs or to help solve police cases.
-Doberman pinscher:The Doberman Pinscher is a very sociable, active and intelligent dog that hates loneliness and boredom. On the contrary, the Doberman dog enjoys exercising and being with his family. He will always take care of her. It is a noble and beautiful dog that is always vigilant and attentive.
-Shetland Sheepdog: At the level of intelligence, the Sheltie ranked 6th in Stanley Coren’s classification of the intelligence of dogs. His research determined that an average Sheltie could understand a new command in less than 5 repetitions and would obey the command the first time 95% of the time or more.
-Papillon:The breed is fortunate to possess high intelligence and a strong desire to please, making them willing companions, although they present a challenge to the owner. They can be easily trained to carry out household chores.
-Rottweiler: It is a very intelligent dog although sometimes it can become a bit stubborn. It has a great learning capacity but you have to be aware that it does not respond to external stimuli.
-Australian Cattle Dog: It is a loyal, energetic, brave and very intelligent dog. They learn very quickly the rules and regulations that they must comply with, although they are very energetic and tireless, so they need training from a very young age.
