In reality, beagles have a good nose, a lovely disposition and not much more. Its sole purpose has been to be an affectionate lap dog, a task that requires little in the way of intellect. Creator of the dog IQ scale, Coren ,writes that he almost gave up even trying to train a beagle after it took a year to learn what his Nova Scotia retriever learned in four weeks. You may need to call for your Afghan Hound a few times before it comes back inside of the house but perhaps that's a small price to pay for gorgeous. The book explains Coren's theories about the differences in intelligence between various breeds of dogs. Like a bulldog. Stanley Coren is a neuropsychologist and professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. Used as war dogs by British tribes against the Romans, they were taken to Rome by Julius Caesar to kick lion and gladiator butt in the notorious Coliseum. And indeed, the dog brings its proud owners plenty of emotional satisfaction and even health benefits. They are an ancient breed with a regal appearance. This elegant, dignified breed is notoriously difficult to train and housebreak. Heavy shedders can not only coat your house in hair, but this isn’t just an eyesore: Shed hair can carry dander and saliva around, which can cause allergic reactions in intolerant people. Although they are indeed intelligent dogs, they can be stubborn and not very well mannered pooches. This is breed dependent. A fresh take on sports: the biggest news and most entertaining lists. All dog lovers believe their chosen breed of pet is noble and genius, if not sacred. A surprisingly good natured, kid-friendly breed despite its size and violent background, mastiffs are the gentlest of giants. To be sure, obeying the commands of bossy humans is not the be all and end all of a dog's raison d'etre. They were champions in dog fighting until all blood sports were outlawed. All dogs shed at least a little bit, but some shed waaaaaaaay less than others.. The Afghan Hound is one of the oldest breeds of dogs known today. One Borzoi website describes the breed as being bred to be hunters and being consequently independent - as if independence is code for not being able to get with the program - but owners love them anyway. The American Kennel Club ranks this breed as the 15 th most popular in the U.S. and classifies it in the... 10 Basset Hound. One known for their ferocity and courage, they were used as watchdogs in rural England. The least intelligent of man's best friend One of the most daunting parts of owning a dog is figuring out how to train it. He often depended upon Jo-Fi for an assessment of the patient's mental state, which may shake your faith in psychoanalysis. The Border Collie came out on top, followed by others you’ve seen trained as successful service dogs, like German Shepherds and Labs. Another difficult-to-train breed, Basenjis are just not good at learning new things or remembering behaviours that improve the quality of life. Using data from a University of British Columbia professor, PetBreeds has compiled a ranking of the least-intelligent dog breeds. One of the world's most intelligent dog breeds, the Australian Shepherd is brilliant, active, and friendly. Freud’s favourite dog was a Chow Chow named Jo-Fi. Shortstop with power to all fields. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel: Unfortunately because of a history of being inbred there’s a lot to be desired in the intelligence department with this breed. Doberman Pinscher. We aren't going to say "least intelligent" because all dogs have their own kind of genius, right? Another not-so-popular dog, but let’s bring it to the spotlight. Here are the top five least intelligent dog breeds. They almost always have compensating character attributes. The Afghan Hound has long and silky coat, very low shedding and is considered hypoallergenic. There’s a difference between smart and intelligent, and that gap is noticeable in the Chow Chow. The four-legged fur babies who made our list, however, are some of the least intelligent dog breeds. They have recently dropped from 37th in popularity in America to 77th according the American Kennel Club. You might think your beagle is the smartest canine on the block, but they have got the dubious honor of being among the least trainable of dog breeds. This one really is just another pretty face. They were so highly regarded, Lafayette gave some to fellow Revolutionary George Washington for his hunting pleasure. … The Afghan Hound is a hunting dog originating from Afghanistan. Dr. Coren has published articles in medical journals including The New England Journal of Medicine, American Journal of Public Health and Sleep. In "The Intelligence of Dogs," University of British Columbia psychology professor Stanley Coren examined rankings from dog obedience judges of 110 breeds. These particular groups take awhile to … This high-energy herder can learn a new command in under five seconds and follow it at least 95 percent of the time. The intelligence ratings were based on how many repetitions it took for a certain breed to master a new command. The droopy face and ears, impassive demeanour, homely face and ungainly little legs make for an... 9 (tie) Mastiff. Originally developed in France to track small game, Bassetts were bred for their noses - not their brains. Check out these 7 Reasons Every Kid Should Grow Up with a Big Dog. Least intelligent dog breeds: Afghan Hound. Let us study the traits of the 20 smartest dog breeds: 1. This is a relatively rare cat breed that originated from crossing the Siamese with several other breeds. The Afghan Hound is also an intelligent, loyal and devoted companion. But while they may be a great pet, not all dogs are created equal. Well, humans were once bred to be hunters and we’ve gone on to learn a thing or two, so there may be hope for this dim breed. Very demanding, jealous and difficult to train, the Chow Chow website insists: “Again, this dog isn’t stupid, it has proven to be very hard to train because of the nature and personality of the dog. A score of 54 and over classifies a dog as “brilliant.” What follows is the list of those breeds which consistently scored 18 or under, which indicates a breed “clearly deficient in many areas of adaptive intelligence and may be extremely difficult to live with.” But most of the mentally challenged breeds have been bred for things that don’t require a high level of intelligence. 1. From Retrievers to German Shepherds, check out the most popular dog breeds. Good luck keeping up with them. The Basenji Club of America says the breed can “look right into your soul”. While all dogs make for best friends, some are, um, more lovably clueless than others. To give them their due, bloodhounds are rescuers and life savers. 5. It’ll take a while. These pups are gentle, affectionate, even-tempered, friendly, persistent, dependable, brave—but you won’t see any dominating an agility course or sniffing out trails. 2 of 11. Ranking of Dogs for Obedience/Working Intelligence by Breed. Border Collie. Some studies suggest marriages of dog owners are more likely to succeed and that a dog owner is 4 times more likely to survive a major heart attack. The breeds named in the top 10 of Coren’s The Intelligence of Dogs had to meet specific requirements. 4. They are slow to respond to commands even when they have learned them, … It’s said that hockey enforcers are animals on the ice and the gentlest of souls off the ice. The breeds on our list took at least 80 repetitions (or more) to learn a new command, and tended to obey first commands less than 25 per cent of the time. The World's 10 Least Intelligent Dog Breeds 11 Shih Tzu. Based on a dog trainer's survey. Still valued as fearsome guard dogs, they have evolved into being very affectionate, gentle and yet almost totally vacuous. We recommend our users to update the browser. What they lack in smarts, however, they make up for in affection towards their owners. 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Dog Intelligence Ranking. Top 10 Smartest Dog Breeds. Its Canine IQ, on the other hand, says slow. © 2021 Reader’s Digest Magazines Ltd. - All rights reserved, We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer), This site uses “cookies” for the purposes set out in our Privacy Policy. Among those with a high IQ, pets include the papillon, golden retriever, and Rottweiler. Related: Top 17 Dog Breeds With Floppy Ears. Their ability to follow scents days old is unmatched. Not so much. The American Kennel Club ranks this breed as the 15th most popular in the U.S. and classifies it in the Toy Dog category. Working/Obedience Intelligence. Now, they're known for their docility as well as a short attention span that takes a long time to learn simple things which are quickly forgotten anyway. But still, these are scientifically the dumbest dog breeds, as determined by experts. They are formidable competitors in dog shows. Between that and their cat-like tendency to clean themselves, the Basenji doesn’t score high on your classic dog trait test. One of the most popular dogs around, its name derives from the old British blood sport of bull-baiting at which bulldogs, with their tenacity and strength, excelled. They are beautiful though! Like cuteness, or hunting. Trivia: Elvis sang Hound Dog to a Bassett on the Steve Allen show in 1956. Back in 1994, judges from the Canadian and U.S. Kennel Clubs were asked to determine the intelligence level of various breeds, based mainly on how many repetitions it took the pups to master new commands. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. They were around during ancient times... 2. They are sweet and loyal to the ones they love, but the breed is wary of strangers so don’t expect a warm greeting if you come across one out for a walk. The Intelligence of Dogs is a 1994 book on dog intelligence by Stanley Coren, a professor of canine psychology at the University of British Columbia. They are bred for looks and indeed, they look like they spent every day at the beauty parlor. To review this information or withdraw your consent please consult the. Understanding of New Commands: Less than 5 repetitions. Or is that delusional? The least intelligent dogs need 40 or more exposures just to understand what is being asked of them. Top 10. 22 Healthiest Dog Breeds With the Least Health Problems. The breed is loyal to its family, but becomes very dominant in the household and is wary of strangers. Least Intelligent Dog Breeds The Afghan Hound This particular breed to dog is known to be quite sensitive and loving which may make up for some of their perceived lack of intelligence. Some studies. The 20 Best Dogs for Kids and Families. Golden Retriever. This is a breed that should be no surprise when it comes to the list of the least obedient dog breeds. They are known as the King of Dogs - but then, Michael Jackson was known as the King of Pop. Its background as a sheepdog has made this breed a diligent worker that desires physical activity and mental challenges. Its name is Russian for fast. A workhorse on the job, they are alas one of the one-dimensional breeds. Most dogs are smart, but in different ways. Border Collie. The nose is all it knows. Drawing from Coren's research, Stacker has compiled the breeds that ranked in the lowest half of working and obedience intelligence. Poodle. You won’t see any of them teaming up with the police department or being commissioned for search and rescue any time soon! Steve Earle fan. So without further interruption, in the pages to follow we’d like to share with you ten of the least intelligent dog breeds out there…. What they lack in smarts, however, they make up … And unless you count slobbering, passing wind and staring blankly when you call it, hunting is pretty much where this hound's talent ends. This form of canine intelligence represents a breed's ability to learn and respond to commands and training, described by Coren as a "measure of what the dog can do for humans." They are famed for their low obedience level and there's no chance of calling your Afghan just once to come in. The 17 least-intelligent dogs were ranked by obedience intelligence using data from a University of British Columbia professor and PetBreeds’ dog breeds topic. This elegant, dignified breed is notoriously difficult to train and housebreak. A basset hound needs to be watched and usually leashed outside. Training them has been likened to training a very stubborn, spoiled child.It’s interesting that one web site calls them dumb and arrogant, while websites devoted to that breed call them ‘independent’. Using that information, we then looked at the least intelligent dogs by obedience intelligence. Coren published a second edition in 2006. If one finds an interesting scent, it has been known to follow it and forget how to get back. Is your dog one of them? “It could go for dozens of training sessions without getting an exercise right, then out of nowhere for no apparent reason do it perfectly.”. Bullmastiffs like English Mastiffs are gentle giants. They do well with training. The ‘dumbest’ or least intelligent dog breeds were the Afghan Hound, The Chow Chow, the Borzoi and the Bulldog. French bulldog – Friendly and easy-to-please, French bulldogs often have larger-than-life personalities that make great companions.This breed gets along well with other dogs and doesn’t bark much. This breed is thought to be a decent Barking Watchdog, which also means its wariness of strangers can make chow chows particularly yappy, too. They do get marks for having a cat’s intuition to clean themselves, but their other cat-like qualities (they’re not as driven as most dogs to please their masters) make them difficult to deal with sometimes. Remember, stubborn doesn’t mean stupid.”. Border Collie. But they are generally thought to make up in affection what they lack in gray matter. All dog lovers believe their chosen breed of pet is noble and genius, if not sacred. The Top 10 Smartest Dog Breeds. Learn which breeds are known for being intelligent and how to bring out your dog’s natural smarts. For these reasons, many people set their sites on low-shedding dog breeds. Not all dogs are created equal, and these adorable pups come up a little short in the smarts department. Maybe Freud should have used one of these instead. They are thought to be one of the oldest breeds still alive. Clumber spaniel – This calm breed is known for its hunting skills and loyalty.Clumber spaniels are reliable, very affectionate, and dedicated to their work. The Pekingese are extremely brave for their size. We recently listed the top five smartest dog breeds as chosen by veterinary professionals, and, unsurprisingly, our readers were quick to comment on other breeds that show enormous intelligence.. Now we're sharing another result from that survey of 122 veterinary professionals. They had to be able to understand new commands in five or less repetitions and obey a first command at least 95 per cent of the time. Author, web content creator, award-winning journalist. Here are 4 Ways to Stop Your Dog From Barking. The Basenji has a very exotic lineage as an African hunting dog, a favourite of hunters since before the building of the Pyramids. But when it comes to working intelligence (i.e. German Shepherd. They also have a … They are a quick study. Winter-hater. Its modern popularity dates from the 1950s ,when a doe-eyed Bassett named Jason was made “SpokesBassett” for Hush Puppy shoes. A Canadian psychologist named Stanley Coren, with the help of hundreds of dog trainers and vets, developed a Canine IQ test to determine The Intelligence of Dogs,  in a book of the same name. What are beagles doing here? But, as one of the simple tests demonstrates, if a dog can't figure out how to shake a blanket thrown over its head, it’s not likely to remember how to get home after wandering without a leash. Like English Mastiffs, the Bullmastiff is also a breed that’s stubborn and not necessarily one of the dumbest dog breeds. The droopy face and ears, impassive demeanour, homely face and ungainly little legs make for an endearing pet, but one that is not the sharpest pencil in the box. Here are the 10 least obedient dog breeds. The Pekingese are the Divas of Dogdom. #1 – Afghan hound. 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