Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Intelligence Ranking

According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), dogs are ranked according to their trainability and intelligence. A series of tests might have been carried out to rank the dogs.

Here are the rankings:

Brightest Dogs

  • Understanding of New Commands: Fewer than 5 repetitions.
  1. Border Collie
  2. Poodle
  3. German Shepherd
  4. Golden Retriever
  5. Doberman Pinscher
  6. Shetland Sheepdog
  7. Labrador Retriever
  8. Papillon
  9. Rottweiler
  10. Australian Cattle Dog

Excellent Working Dogs

  • Understanding of New Commands: 5 to 15 repetitions.
  1. Pembroke Welsh Corgi
  2. Miniature Schnauzer
  3. English Springer Spaniel
  4. Belgian Shepherd Tervuren
  5. Schipperke
    Belgian Sheepdog
  6. Collie
  7. German Shorthaired Pointer
  8. Flat-Coated Retriever
    English Cocker Spaniel
    Standard Schnauzer
  9. Brittany
  10. Cocker Spaniel
  11. Weimaraner
  12. Belgian Malinois
    Bernese Mountain Dog
  13. Pomeranian
  14. Irish Water Spaniel
  15. Vizsla
  16. Cardigan Welsh Corgi

Above Average Working Dogs

  • Understanding of New Commands: 15 to 25 repetitions.
  • Obey First Command: 70% of the time or better
  1. Chesapeake Bay Retriever
    Yorkshire Terrier
  2. Giant Schnauzer
  3. Airedale Terrier
    Bouvier des Flandres
  4. Border Terrier
  5. Welsh Springer Spaniel
  6. Manchester Terrier
  7. Samoyed
  8. Field Spaniel
    Australian Terrier
    American Staffordshire Terrier
    Gordon Setter
    Bearded Collie
  9. Cairn Terrier
    Kerry Blue Terrier
    Irish Setter
  10. Norwegian Elkhound
  11. Affenpinscher
    Silky Terrier
    Miniature Pinscher
    English Setter
    Pharaoh Hound
    Clumber Spaniel
  12. Norwich Terrier
  13. Dalmatian

Average Working/Obedience Intelligence

  • Understanding of New Commands: 25 to 40 repetitions.
  1. Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier
    Bedlington Terrier
    Fox Terrier (Smooth)
  2. Curly Coated Retriever
    Irish Wolfhound
  3. Kuvasz
    Australian Shepherd
  4. Saluki
    Finnish Spitz
  5. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
    German Wirehaired Pointer
    Black and Tan Coonhound
    American Water Spaniel
  6. Siberian Husky
    Bichon Frise
    English Toy Spaniel
  7. Tibetan Spaniel
    English Foxhound
    American Foxhound
    Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
  8. West Highland White Terrier
    Scottish Deerhound
  9. Boxer
    Great Dane
  10. Dachshund
    Staffordshire Bull Terrier
  11. Alaskan Malamute
  12. Whippet
    Chinese Shar Pei
    Wire Fox Terrier
  13. Rhodesian Ridgeback
  14. Ibizan Hound
    Welsh Terrier
    Irish Terrier
  15. Boston Terrier

Fair Working/Obedience Intelligence

  • Understanding of New Commands: 40 to 80 repetitions.
  1. Skye Terrier
  2. Norfolk Terrier
    Sealyham Terrier
  3. Pug
  4. French Bulldog
  5. Brussels Griffon
  6. Italian Greyhound
  7. Chinese Crested
  8. Dandie Dinmont Terrier
    Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen
    Tibetan Terrier
    Japanese Chin
    Lakeland Terrier
  9. Old English Sheepdog
  10. Great Pyrenees
  11. Scottish Terrier
    Saint Bernard
  12. Bull Terrier
  13. Chihuahua
  14. Lhasa Apso
  15. Bullmastiff

Lowest Degree of Working/Obedience Intelligence

  1. Shih Tzu
  2. Basset Hound
  3. Mastiff
  4. Beagle
  5. Pekingese
  6. Bloodhound
  7. Borzoi
  8. Chow Chow
  9. Bulldog
  10. Basenji
  11. Afghan Hound
Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs


  1. This article is quite brief, but it does sum up the important factors in the canine intelligence ranking. There are various dog IQ tests that can be done. In fact, some of them can be done at home. Want to know how your dog fares in the intelligence scale? Read here: http://dogsaholic.com/training/dog-iq-test.html