Stanley Coren’s Dog Intelligence Ranking Concept & Methodology

Stanley Coren’s Dog Intelligence Ranking Concept & Methodology

 Dog Intelligence Ranking

The intelligence of dogs is a very broad term and has been the subject of many studies and much research. A dogs intelligence is generally defined as the ability of a dog to think, learn and solve various problems.

In the past, most studies of animal intelligence were focused on observation of behavior, based on the famous Pavlov’s dog experiments. Today there are numerous tests and researches which study the subject of intelligence in dogs in detail. Certainly one of the most popular and recognized research in this field is “The Intelligence of Dogs” by Stanley Coren.

When the book first came out in 1994, there were a lot of negative commentaries and bad media attention. Particularly controversial was Coren’s list of the smartest dog breeds. But the methodology he used in ranking the breeds become accepted and valid over the years.

 Stanley Coren

Stanley Coren is a psychology professor and neuropsychological researcher highly acclaimed for his research and understanding of canine behaviour and the human-canine bond.

 In 1994, Professor Coren published his book The Intelligence of Dogs, which became his most famous piece of research. Republished in 2006, the book ranks over 100 different dog breeds according to their intelligence.

It’s important to remember that, just like all children, every dog is unique and intelligence will vary from animal to animal. However, Professor Coren’s research determined that the obedience intelligence in dogs, that is the ability with which they can be trained, does indeed vary.

This variance tends to align with the types of dogs breeders set out to create. For example, working, herding, guarding, hunting, and sporting dogs all require different levels of intelligence and training.

Research method

According to Professor Coren, 51% of a dog’s intelligence stems from its genes while 49% is based on environmental circumstances.

Included in the 2006 republication of The Intelligence of Dogs are three types of canine intelligence: instinctive, adaptive, and working and obedience. Together, they evaluate the animal’s problem solving capabilities, obedience, memory, social training and powers of observation.

The latter of the three categories, namely working and obedience intelligence, was, and is still today, the most widely discussed when considering canine intelligence. After all, it relates to a dog’s ability to learn from humans, therefore would naturally be used by us as a point of reference.

Below you will find Professor Coren’s dog intelligence ranking from the republished edition of his work in which 131 breeds are ranked.

Stanley Coren’s dog intelligence ranking

There are three types of intelligence according to Coren’s book:

1. Adaptive– learning and problem-solving ability, which is individual and measured by canine IQ tests.
2. Instinctive– also individual and measured by canine IQ tests.
3. Working intelligence– also called obedience intelligence, which depends on the breed.

Coren published a number of other books and studies on dog behavior and psychology, and he concluded that dogs could solve complex problems and are more like humans and other higher primates than previously thought. According to his studies, dogs know how to count, understand more than 150 words and may deliberately deceive other dogs and people to get treats. His research showed that dog intelligence is at the level of a two-year child.

Studies also showed that dogs by observing could learn: where is the valuable object (eg. a treat), the shortest routes in the environment (eg. The fastest way to a favorite spot), how to handle simple devices (such as latches) and the meaning of words and their symbols (just by listening to the speech of people and by watching their actions).

Dog Intelligence List

If you want to know which dog breeds are the smartest, here is a list of the smartest dog breeds, based on Coren’s “The Intelligence of Dogs“. And if you want to check your dog’s IQ by yourself, there is a lot of interesting games and questionnaires at Dognition to test your dog.

Brightest dogs

Understanding of New Commands: Less than 5 repetitions.

Obey First Command: 95% of the time or better.

1. Border Collie
2. Poodle
3. German Shepherd
4. Golden Retriever
5. Doberman Pinscher
6. Shetland Sheepdog
7. Labrador Retriever
8. Papillon
9. Rottweiler
10. Australian Cattle Dog

Excellent working dogs

Understanding of New Commands: 5 to 15 repetitions.

Obey First Command: 85% of the time or better.

11. Pembroke Welsh Corgi
12. Miniature Schnauzer
13. English Springer Spaniel
14. Belgian Shepherd Dog (Tervuren)
15. Schipperke, Belgian Sheepdog
16. Collie, Keeshond
17. German Shorthaired Pointer
18. Flat-Coated Retriever, English Cocker Spaniel, Standard Schnauzer
19. Brittany
20. Cocker Spaniel
21. Weimaraner
22. Belgian Malinois, Bernese Mountain Dog
23. Pomeranian
24. Irish Water Spaniel
25. Vizsla
26. Cardigan Welsh Corgi

Above average working dogs

Understanding of New Commands: 15 to 25 repetitions.

Obey First Command: 70% of the time or better.

27. Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Puli, Yorkshire Terrier
28. Giant Schnauzer
29. Airedale Terrier, Bouvier des Flandres
30. Border Terrier, Briard
31. Welsh Springer Spaniel
32. Manchester Terrier
33. Samoyed
34. Field Spaniel, Newfoundland, Australian Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Gordon Setter, Bearded Collie
35. Cairn Terrier, Kerry Blue Terrier, Irish Setter
36. Norwegian Elkhound
37. Affenpinscher, Australian Silky Terrier, Miniature Pinscher, English Setter, Pharaoh Hound, Clumber Spaniel
38. Norwich Terrier
39. Dalmatian

Average working and obedience intelligence

Understanding of New Commands: 25 to 40 repetitions.

Obey First Command: 50% of the time or better.

40. Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier, Bedlington Terrier, Fox Terrier (Smooth)
41. Curly Coated Retriever, Irish Wolfhound
42. Kuvasz, Australian Shepherd
43. Saluki, Finnish Spitz, Pointer
44. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, German Wirehaired Pointer, Black and Tan Coonhound, American Water Spaniel
45. Siberian Husky, Bichon Frise, King Charles Spaniel
46. Tibetan Spaniel, English Foxhound, Otterhound, American Foxhound, Greyhound, Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
47. West Highland White Terrier, Scottish Deerhound
48. Boxer, Great Dane
49. Dachshund, Staffordshire Bull Terrier
50. Alaskan Malamute
51. Whippet, Chinese Shar Pei, Wire Fox Terrier
52. Rhodesian Ridgeback
53. Ibizan Hound, Welsh Terrier, Irish Terrier
54. Boston Terrier, Akita

Fair working and obedience intelligence

Understanding of New Commands: 40 to 80 repetitions.

Obey First Command: 30% of the time or better.

55. Skye Terrier
56. Norfolk Terrier, Sealyham Terrier
57. Pug
58. French Bulldog
59. Griffon Bruxellois, Maltese
60. Italian Greyhound
61. Chinese Crested
62. Dandie Dinmont Terrier, Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen, Tibetan Terrier, Japanese Chin, Lakeland Terrier
63. Old English Sheepdog
64. Great Pyrenees
65. Scottish Terrier, Saint Bernard
66. Bull Terrier
67. Chihuahua
68. Lhasa Apso
69. Bullmastiff

Lowest degree of working and obedience intelligence

Understanding of New Commands: 80 to 100 repetitions or more.

Obey First Command: 25% of the time or worse.

70. Shih Tzu
71. Basset Hound
72. Mastiff, Beagle
73. Pekingese
74. Bloodhound
75. Borzoi
76. Chow Chow
77. Bulldog
78. Basenji
79. Afghan Hound

Compiled  & Shared by- Team, LITD (Livestock Institute of Training & Development)

 Image-Courtesy-Google

 Reference-On Request.

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