If you are looking to add a dog to your family then there’s plenty of choice - there are 221 different breeds of pedigree dog to choose from, alongside numerous crossbreeds.
When it comes to intelligence, certain breeds tend to shine - something animal psychologist Stanley Coren delved into in his book The Intelligence of Dogs.
He ranking breeds by using three different measures, namely:
- Instinct: The nature to perform specific tasks, such as retrieving, guarding, or herding, without any training at a young age.
- Adaptive problem-solving: What dogs learn to do themselves and the problems they solve, such as how to open a box, find a way around a barrier, or get a treat out of a tube.
- School learning: What dogs learn to do with human instruction, such as understanding human language and learning new tasks and cues.
Taken together he produced the most authorative guide to doggy IQ.
Here are his top 11 clever boys and girls.
1. Border Collie
Of the canine masterminds, the Border Collie is the undisputed top dog when it comes to intelligence. Commonly utilised to herd sheep, that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to their sky-high doggy IQ. They can learn a huge number of words and commands, and can turn their paws to an impressive range of jobs and tasks. Brainy boys and girls - although they need lots of exercise. | Canva/Getty Images
2. Poodle
Don't let their curly hair, high-fashion looks and cute demeanor fool you - Poodles have a razor-sharp brain second only to the Border Collie. Whatever size you choose - Standard, Miniature and Toy - these furballs are hugely smart, making great service and therapy dogs. Very much more thsn just a pretty face. | Canva/Getty Images
3. German Shepherd
Used for everything from drug detection to sniffing out explosives - by everybody from the army to the police - the German Shepherd is another breed in the top tier of canine intelligence. These bright sparks can understanding a new command after only five repetitions and following the command at least 95 per cent of the time. The other five per cent of the time? The command is probably the wrong one. | Canva/Getty Images
4. Golden Retriever
As intelligent as they are friendly (which is to say, very!), Golden Retrievers are perfect as seeing dogs and search-and-rescue dogs due to their obedience, big brains and dedication to tasks. Often in the shadow of their close cousin's the Labrador, they beat them paws-down when it comes to intellect. | Canva/Getty Images