10 Most Intelligent Dog Breeds

The intelligence of the dog is often associated with ease of training. Smartest dog breeds can receive specialized training to act as service dogs or police dogs. Though highly intelligent dogs may be easier to train than their less intelligent counterparts, intelligent dogs do best when they have frequent intellectual stimulation. Giving an intelligent dog a job to do helps prevent them from becoming bored. Boredom could lead to destructive behavior.

Many of the dogs on a list of the smartest breeds of dogs are in the working class of dogs. Therefore, they have a long history of being bred to perform jobs. The tenth most intelligent dog is the Australian Cattle Dog. Rottweiler dogs are the ninth most intelligent dog breed. The Papillon dog breed is the eighth most intelligent.

The seventh most intelligent dog breed is the Labrador Retriever. The Shetland Sheepdog is the sixth most intelligent dog breed. Doberman Pinschers are the fifth most intelligent dog breed. The fourth smartest dog breed is the Golden Retriever. Golden Retrievers are often used as service dogs. Their intelligence, gentle nature, and ease of ownership make these very well suited for service dog work.

The German Shepherd is considered the third most intelligent dog breed. German Shepherds are commonly used as police dogs and service dogs. Not only are they known for their intelligence, but also for their loyalty.

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the list is that Poodles are the second most intelligent dog breed. Unless a person has personal experience with the intelligence of a Poodle, the person may not realize that Poodles are an exceptionately intelligent dog breed since they do not have that reputation like German Shepherds and Golden Retrievers do.

The most intelligent dog breed is the Border Collie. Border Collies have a natural instinct for herding. Border Collies do best if they have plenty of exercise and mental stimulation. They sometimes receive specialized training for police work, such as working with narcotics police officers. Border Collies are used as service dogs as well. One way of giving an intelligent family dog some much needed mental stimulation is by using clicker training to teach them obedience and tricks.