5 Smartest Dog Breeds: Easy To Train And Teach

by John Griffith
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Dogs are man’s best friend. However, humans and dogs haven’t formed such a good bond just because these fluffy friends are super adorable (although it certainly helps). Their intelligence, skills, and agility has helped humans throughout the centuries. Dog intelligence is defined by four types, according to professor Stanley Coren, phD (author of The Intelligence of Dogs).  These types are instinctive, adaptive, working and obedience. Instinctive intelligence focuses on what the dog was bred to do, while adaptive focuses on how well the dog solves problems and learns from its environment. Working and obedience focuses on how hard a dog is willing to do its job and willing to please people. So, let’s see which dogs classify as the smartest dog breeds.

Their intelligence, skills, and agility has helped humans throughout the centuries

four dogs sitting on a wooden log

Smartest Dog Breeds

#Border Collie

The border collie is the smartest breed known to man. If you are looking for a dog that can learn commands in just five repetition and do it around 95% of the time, then this dog is for you. These dogs are amazingly smart. A border collie from South Carolina called Chaser can recognize over 1000 words!! These dogs were bred to be super crafty, smart and athletic, as they needed to survive the dangerous and rocky landscapes of England, Scotland, and Wales. Keep in mind that this dog needs a ton of physical and mental stimulation.

The border collie is the smartest breed known to man

smartest dog breeds black and white border collie

#Poodle

While there are plenty of variations to this breed, the good old poodle tends to be quite the smart cookie. After the border collie, this breed is the second-smartest dog breed. While this French breed is often considered high-maintenance thanks to their coat, this breed gets high marks for both its cognitive and emotional intelligence. You may be surprised to learn that thanks to their smarts, these dogs helped serve during wartimes. They were used for carrying food and supplies to the soldiers on the battlefield. These dogs love activities that challenge them, such as tracking or hunting.

This breed is the second-smartest dog breed

brown beige poodle running mid air

#German Shepherd

The German shepherd is another highly intelligent dog, and it’s in third place. These dogs can even learn a new command on the first go. Impressive! The German shepherd was bred to be smart, have a high level of focus and a desire to be obedient. All this means training these dogs is as easy as it gets. This dog has a brain of its own, it can easily evaluate tricky situations and decide on what the best course of action should be. That’s why we often see them working in law enforcement, service dogs and search-and-rescue teams.

The German shepherd is another highly intelligent dog

german shepherd close up of face

#Golden Retriever

One of the smartest and friendliest dog breeds out there. These dogs are people pleasers, which makes them supper willing to comply with their owner’s command and tasks. Golden Retrievers are dependable companions, they are kid-friendly and love being around people. Like, German shepherds, these dogs are also employed in search-and-rescue operations and as guide dogs. This breed was originally bred for hunting, however they love acting like playful goofballs.

Golden Retrievers are dependable companions

smartest dog breeds golden retriever in the park smiling

#Doberman Pinscher

The Doberman Pinscher is not only an amazing guard dog, it’s also an alert, loyal and highly intelligent breed. These dogs were bred by a German tax collector, who had some free time, to be the perfect canine bodyguards. While they may have a scary reputation, these dogs are actually quite gentle, making them the best of both worlds. They do incredible when having to learn new tasks and cues. You’ll never have to worry if they will follow commands unerringly.

While they may have a scary reputation, these dogs are actually quite gentle

smartest dog breeds brown and black doberman pinscher up close

If you are interested in checking out what are some other smartest breeds are check out this video

These were the smartest dog breeds. We hope you enjoyed this article. Now you know which of our four-legged friends are easier to train and faster when it comes to learning tricks. So, if you’re looking for a smart dog, we hope you found your perfect breed.

Now you know which of our four-legged friends the smartest

labrador dog in a field

Sources:

John Griffith

John Griffith is a young, passionate journalist. Writing has been John’s hobby ever since he was a boy. He has worked in some of the UK’s most successful news portals over the course of his professional career but found his forever home at Archzine.