Dogs come in all shapes and sizes - the UK Kennel Club recognises 221 different pedigree dogs, from Affenpinscher to Yorkshire Terrier (there are sadly no dog breeds starting with the letter ‘z’!).
Then there are all manner of crossbreeds, from so-called ‘designer dogs’ to lovable mongrels.
Together they make up the population on over 13 million pups in the UK - that’s around one for every three households.
Each has its own list of positive and negative attributes, and it’s important to take plenty of time to think about what breed will fit into your lifestyle the best - for instance a smaller dog if you live in a flat, or a hypoallergenic dog if the mere mention of dog hair makes you think about sneezing.
There’s even academic guidance to seek out, with Psychologist Stanley Coren’s book The Intelligence of Dogs ranking breeds by instincts, obedience, and the ability to adapt.
His fascinating research definitively ranked breeds of dog by IQ.
Here are - officially - the 22 most and least brainy breeds of pooch.
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21. Shih Tzu
If you've ever looked at your adorable Shih Tzu and wondered what they were thinking, the answer is probably 'not very much'. When you are this cute though, brains aren't really required. | Canva/Getty Images
22. Lhasa Apso
An ancient breed that has been around for over a thousand years, the Lhasa Apso comes from Tibet and were used as sentinels at palaces and monasteries located high in the Himalayan mountains. Remakably they are exactly as smart as they were ten centuries ago (not very). | Canva/Getty Images