In 1994, psychology professor Stanley Coren of the University of British Columbia, Canada, wrote a book called The Intelligence of Dogs. He studied over 100 dog breeds through a survey of judges from Canadian Kennel Clubs and American Kennel Clubs. And then he identified three aspects of intelligence:
- Instinctive intelligence (the ability to perform tasks for which this breed was bred).
- Adaptive intelligence (the ability to independently solve problems and learn from previous mistakes).
- Ability to work and obey a person (ability to learn).
And the main indicators of a canine mind for the author of "Dog Intelligence" were such criteria as the dog's understanding of the new command and the execution of the command the first time.
According to the research results in the top three the most intelligent dogs turned out to be a border collie, a poodle and a German shepherd. This is because they are easy to train. Does this mean that they are the smartest in the canine world? Or does it mean that they are not that smart because they always follow the directions of people and do not think for themselves? You can argue both ways.
And here the stupidest dog breeds according to Stanley Coren.
10. Basset Hound
Calm and sociable dogs, friendly to other animals and children. Like many other "stupidest dogs", Bassets are stubborn, slow and pay more attention to the amazing smells around, rather than the commands of the owner. For a treat, they will do what you want them to do. However, if you have nothing to offer the basset, he will "forget" the command he has learned.
Don't be deceived by the sad eyes of the Basset Hound, behind them lies a strong, inquisitive and unwilling to obey personality
9. Mastiff
You would hardly dare to say "stupid dog" right in the face of a large, muscular mastiff. However (behind their back) we recognize that a high level of activity and ease of training are not among the distinctive features of this breed.
Due to the sheer size and good guarding qualities of the breed, it is important that the mastiff owner starts training and socializing his pet at an early, puppy stage. And then the mastiff will become a respectable and formidable protector of the whole family.
8. Beagle
These dogs love to follow where their scent leads, which can sometimes lead to trouble. The beagle's fun and affectionate nature, combined with its deceptively sad gaze, can make you think it's the perfect home toy. But this is not the case. Beagles are extremely active and motivated dogs, they have a difficult character and cannot resist the desire to explore the world. Due to their unique sense of smell, representatives of this breed help police officers in the search for explosives.
7. Pekingese
Unlike many breeds, which were originally conceived as working dogs and later became companions, the Pekingese from the very beginning played only one role - the human pet. Intelligence has always ranked last on the list of qualities of this breed. But the Pekingese are very beautiful, funny, friendly and can be kept in a small apartment.
6. Bloodhound
Bloodhound "sees" the world primarily with his extremely sensitive nose. These dogs are difficult to train because they are constantly distracted by all the smells around.They also have a ton of energy, stubbornness, and determination, and they are absolutely unstoppable when they take the scent trail. You can hardly force a Bloodhound to do anything against his will. But on a large area outside the city, where the dog can move freely, your pet will be happy, cheerful and contented with life.
5. Russian hunting greyhound
These dogs with amazingly beautiful silky coat are independent freethinkers. They can also be extremely stubborn, so learning a greyhound is an exercise in patience.
For these dogs, frequent but short training sessions are best, rather than hourly sessions. In the house, they are usually very well-mannered, calm, clean and very affectionate.
4. Chow Chow
Chow Chows may look like adorable teddy bears, but they are not always cute and kind. Created to be guard dogs, Chow Chows are serious, independent and fearless animals. They are strong-willed and stubborn, and still very strong, so an experienced dog breeder is needed for training.
Chow Chow is not the stupidest dog in the world, it's just on its own mind. A well-bred Chow Chow dog is a noble, loyal and reliable companion.
3. Bulldog
This breed is known for its stubbornness. English Bulldogs are imperturbable, and even lazy, but at the same time rudely elegant and very affectionate to people. They are excellent companion dogs for the phlegmatic person. And French Bulldogs are more temperamental than their English counterparts, friendly, do not require long walks and are ideal for busy people.
Due to their lazy nature, obstinacy and tendency to be distracted, Bulldogs require more training than other dog breeds. They are not the best guards for a private home, not service dogs, and they do not crave exemplary command, as, for example, the German Shepherd. The Bulldog is an excellent family companion dog and don't expect more from it.
2. Bassendzhi
This African barking dog is known for its independence and aloofness. Some people describe this breed as having a feline quality, and in fact many Bassenjis use their paws like cats.
Bassendji dogs have earned a reputation for being "uncontrollable," but ease of training is not always an accurate indicator of intelligence in this case. On the contrary, these animals are intelligent, curious and playful. They have excellent hunting qualities and are still used for hunting in Congo.
Training a Bassendji can sometimes feel like taming a wild animal. They are vigilant and careful, but also fearless and very stubborn. You cannot bring them up with a stick, only patience and affection.
1. Afghan Hound
We can say that these graceful dogs with luxurious long hair are controlled by the nose. For this reason, Afghans are difficult to train because they do not look up, they look down. Dogs of this breed are not very interested in listening or pleasing people. They are more interested in what smells around, and they also want to chase everything that moves.
At the same time, Afghans are very affectionate and kind animals. And the fact that they are in no hurry to execute the owner's commands does not mean at all that the pet is unteachable. The Afghan Hound was bred for hunting. Often these dogs overtook the hunter on horseback and drove the beast on their own, without a person's instructions. As a result, they have developed an independent and tenacious character. Give the Afghan the opportunity to show his hunting temperament and you won't find a better companion.
Not all scientists agree with the classification of the dumbest dogs on Koren's list.
«I don't think there are concepts like smart dogs and stupid dogs. It is simply a return to the linear version of intelligence, as if the intelligence is a cup of coffee that is more or less complete. Different dogs are good at different things. And they are all geniuses in their own way"Says Brian Hare, associate professor of evolutionary anthropology at Duke University in North Carolina.
the dumbest dog is a husky and a dolmatian. they are unteachable
This is a story from the category of "a crooked dancer gets in the way." if a person expects a dog to rush at a click, losing his slippers, to carry out some commands that are completely uninteresting to her (and this person, by and large, does not care for her), then yes, these breeds are like that. if a person does not know how to negotiate and explain what he needs from a dog, does not know how to convince her that she needs his whims for some reason, then this is also about these breeds. and about many others, such as huskies, alabaevs, great Danes, terriers, and just ordinary dwarves. in a word, about all dogs, for communication with which aFFFtor is simply not ripe.
Once again I come across the stubborn opinion that Afghans are stupid! God forbid all two-legged to be as stupid as these greyhounds! A cunning, cunning nimble mind, the ability to calculate for several moves! And the fact that does not lend itself to training - so it is not from the mind! Rather, it is because of an arrogant desire to dance to anyone's tune! My Afghan woman knew the commands very well, they were carried out if she so desired. But if she didn’t want clownery, then that’s all, no sit-and-lie — give a paw! Free-loving, independent and sooooo smart dog! An aristocrat both in appearance and in spirit! Themselves stupid, those to whom the Afghan woman did not condescend!
Two-legged raised one dog and decided that all Afghans are geniuses))
there are no stupid dogs, there are stupid owners. Some people, not like a dog, a hamster, should not be allowed. In general, intelligence does not depend on the breed, but on the upbringing and simply on the character. Just like a child, if not educate, what is in the genes will grow up. Even cats have different characters and different behaviors, although they live with the same owners. I have two cats in my house, one year apart, but completely different. And of all the dogs that lived in our house, the smartest was Juliet - a small poodle. She lived 17 years and at the end of her life was smarter than some people.
Here huskies are offended in the comments. But one must understand that she was originally a hardy sled dog of the tundra, an assistant to reindeer herders and hunters. After a series of inbreeding for the sake of fixing decorative features, urban husky clones of course do not shine with intelligence. In general, the dumbest dogs are representatives of the human breed.
I had a Pekingese, remembered everything every count of times, caught on the fly, but yes, wayward and considered himself the main thing, the breed is ancient and it is impossible to remake the character.
Stupid, smart ... There is no dependence on the breed! The character of people is different + upbringing + mutual understanding!
Whatever it was, I have never met creatures dumber than people ...