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.
9. Rottweiler
A mixture of obedience and keen instinct makes the Rottweiler the ninth most intelligent dog breed. They are also very adaptive and make great guard dogs - as well as gentle and respectful family pets. | Canva/Getty Images
10. Australian Cattle Dog
Still used today to herd animals on Outback ranches, the Australian Cattle Dog may not be a common site in Britain's parks but it has brains to spare. They respond particularly well to structured training, while also have an incredible ability to learn for themselves. They'll be running rings around you in no time. | Canva/Getty Images
11. Pembroke Welsh Corgi
The second of three smart smaller dogs on this list, the Corgi is another dog whose intelligence has been used to heard animals. These dogs just love to learn new stuff and show off their canine skills. | Canva/Getty Images