Posted on 04/28/2008 1:05:46 PM PDT by Clint N. Suhks
The CBS "Early Show" ran a story this week about dogs and their intelligence, or lack thereof. In the story, they shared their list of the top 10 smartest and top 10 dumbest dog breeds. These were their picks.
#10 Dumbest: The Basset Hound may be so sad-eyed because it was ranked the tenth least intelligent dog breed.
2 of 20 : #10 Smartest: The immensely trainable Australian Cattle Dog was called the tenth smartest breed. 
3 of 20 : #9 Dumbest: Don't tell the Westminster Kennel Club, but Uno, the beagle who won their 131st annual dog show, belongs to the ninth least intelligent dog breed. 
4 of 20 : #9 Smartest: The Rottweiler was called the ninth smartest breed. This one looks a tad surprised by the ranking. 
5 of 20 : #8 Dumbest: This Mastiff hangs its head in shame over being ranked the eighth least intelligent dog breed. 
6 of 20 : #8 Smartest: The Papillon, ranked eighth smartest, floats like a butterfly and knows its ABC's. 
7 of 20 : #7 Dumbest: The Pekingese is more famous for its "dustmop" look when groomed correctly. This one must be getting a haircut to avoid being associated with the seventh stupidest dog breed. 
8 of 20 : #7 Smartest: The most popular dog breed in the nation is also the seventh smartest: the Labrador Retriever. 
9 of 20 : #6 Dumbest: We know the Bloodhound has a brain somewhere beneath all those lovable wrinkles, but the "Early Show" rankings had them pulling sixth among the dumbest breeds. 
10 of 20 : #6 Smartest: The Shetland Sheepdog's agility, as shown here, helped it rank sixth smartest. 
11 of 20 : #5 Dumbest: Borzois are considered the fifth least intelligent dogs. 
12 of 20 : #5 Smartest: The Doberman Pinscher's intelligence is on full display here on a rescue mission. 
13 of 20 : #4 Dumbest: This Chow Chow can live with being considered the fourth least intelligent breed, so long as you keep its hair nice and fluffy. 
14 of 20 : #4 Smartest: Golden Retrievers were fourth on the list of smart dogs. 
15 of 20 : #3 Dumbest: The Bulldog was rated the third stupidest dog breed. 
16 of 20 : #3 Smartest: Loyal workhorses, the German Shepherds were ranked as the third smartest breed. 
17 of 20 : #2 Dumbest: The Basenji is considered the second least intelligent dog breed, but hey, it could be worse. 
18 of 20 : #2 Smartest: Love 'em or hate 'em, Poodles were ranked as the second smartest dog breed out there. 
19 of 20 : #1 Dumbest: Stylish and mysteriously ancient, the Afghan Hound nonetheless merits the dubious honor of being ranked the single least intelligent dog breed. 
20 of 20 : #1 Smartest: The Border Collie was ranked the single smartest dog breed. Do you think this one looks just a little bit proud of it? 
Ruby's 'big sister' Shelley is an audacious flirt even though she was spayed at 7 months, and I'm afraid she's already taught Ruby how to cozy up to the guys.
Are you stalking me????
This explains a lot about Truble . . . he is part #1 & #6 of the dumbest dogs.
he is part #1 & #6 of the dumbest dogs.
Make that #10 & #6.
No it wasn’t me.
But..
I’m going to file it away in case I’m ever standing in line w/ a bag of dog food.. :^)
Now that's funny.
Mine only lived about 3 1/2 years. She got IMHA, something I'd never heard of.
Spent thousands at a major animal hospital but she still only lived a week after she was diagnosed.
One quick story...
She would go after any animal she saw on the TV. You don't realize how many animals are used in commercials until something points each one out.
Anyway, my wife and I had out easy chairs w/ the backs toward the fireplace.
Made the dog lay down between the chairs, facing away from the TV so she wouldn't see the animals.
She was watching the TV reflection in the fireplace glass doors!
An animal came on the screen, she would turn around and bark at the TV.
She loved kids.
Yeah. It seems to me you can tell which poodles are the dumb ones by how persistantly the owners brag how smart they are. The more bragging, the dumber the poodle. But I agree, I’ve seen some poodles that were so smart it was freaky. And some of them seem to live way longer than dogs are supposed to live.
I read somewhere that poodles are the only breed that when you cross it with something other breed, the pups are less healthy and less intelligent than the parents. Every other breed known to man gets a boost from the F1 hybrid vigor principle. But not poodles. The more pure their bloodline is, the smarter and healthier the dog.
They just aren’t normal.
As a long time owner/friend of Labradors, and someone whose sister breeds Goldens, I have to agree with your comments. Goldens are sweet dogs, but brains are not the breed’s long suit. My Labs run and play rings around her Goldens at the annual family get-together. All the dogs are comatose by the end of the day, but my Labs want to get up the next morning and do it all over again. Her Goldens, on the other hand, have “Do Not Disturb” and “Room Service” hang tags at the end of their beds. Obviously Labs are the smarter breed . . . . Ya think?
THe smart list seems fairly reasonable to me. But I don’t think I buy the dumb list. I’d put these dogs on the dumb list for sure...
pomeranian
pug
husky
yorkshire terrier
A friend of mine had a home day care center with a large grassy front yard for the children to play. It was not fenced. No need, she had two border collies. If the little tikes got anywhere near the edge of the yard, the dogs would “herd” them back. All day long, non-stop, these dogs ran back and forth, dashing toward any child that moved in the direction of the sidewalk, and zig-zagging back and forth directing the kid in the proper direction. Strangely, the children were not afraid but seemed to sense the dogs were “protecting” them and never tried to run beyond them.
I just watched the video link you provided. I dispute the assertion that the GSD is smarter because he wasn't fooled by the fake throw. The GSD may be smarter, but I don't think that test proved it. The golden is more enthusiastic about retrieving. That's all that test proved, imo.
LOL I’ve got to remember that one (4 cats, 1 dog household here)
There is no way Basenjis are the 2nd stupidest dog breed!! We’ve owned five of them, and they are very smart. They just aren’t biddable, meaning they may or may not do the bidding of a human. We love our Basenjis.
OK. I have to defend our basenjis!!! We’ve owned five and when our female died, her mate, Chammie, grieved as did her three daughters. They are very smart sighthounds and are used for hunting in Africa.
Subject: Goldens vs Labs
Goldens: NEED attention
Labs: WANT attention
Goldens: MUST be touching you at all times
Labs: WANT to touch you all the time
Goldens: They must be Catholics (They understand the need to confess their guilt)
Labs: They must be Protestants (What guilt?)
Goldens: If they had a job they would be Social Workers
Labs: If they had a job they would be standup comedians
Goldens: If they could speak, they’d constantly say “I love you” And if you come home to find that the lamp is broken they’d say “broken lamp? I must have done it. I know I was outside the whole time, but I must have done it, oh no. Someone’s unhappy”
Labs: If they could speak, they’d say “love me” And if you come home to find that the lamp is broken they’d say “broken lamp? I did it. I was having tons of fun. Want to see me break the other one?”
Goldens: hang on you
Labs: body slam you
Goldens: Long hair in your food, on your clothes, on your couch.
Labs: Shorter hair in your food, on your clothes, on your couch.
Goldens: Brush daily
Labs: Wash and wear!
- Karen & Dick Kennedy
Pleasant Pine Labrador Retrievers
At our last hunt club picnic, the hostess (who also has a dog who runs agility) set up her agility equipment and invited everybody to let their dogs play on it. The lady who introduced me to retrieving has a Black Lab that is an HRCH but also an AX and AXJ and a CD (pretty neat dog). I met her when I was running agility.
So the two of us hit the equipment and each did a course with the dogs individually and then a relay tag course, just as though we were in a Pairs Relay class in a competition. Tori and Shelley played up like champs (they are both really a couple of hams) and 'high fived' each other at the finish.
The reaction of the hunting guys was, "How the (*)*^(&^ do you get those dogs to DO that?" They were pretty impressed.
My favorite breed, the Australian Shepherd, is listed at #42.
Maybe the ASs they saw were average, but mine was the smartest, most loyal dog I’ve ever owned, with the best personality I’ve ever seen.
If I were to get another dog, that’s the breed I would choose.
Nice link, potlatch.
Thank you for the ping!
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