Exploring the nations paving the way for the future of AI
Origin: Italy/Switzerland
Intelligence: 3 of 5 stars
Tied with: Scottish terrier.
These gentle giants can also be stubborn and must be trained when young.
Origin: England
Intelligence: 3 of 5 stars.
Active and protective, these dogs need to be trained from a young age as they tend to be stubborn.
Origin: England
Intelligence: 3 of 5 stars.
Tied with: Japanese Chin, Tibetan terrier, Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen, and Dandie Dinmont terrier.
Lakeland terriers need engaging activities, but they learn easily.
Origin: China/Africa
Intelligence: 3 of 5 stars.
This breed is intelligence and easy to train, though they need a gentle approach.
Origin: England
Intelligence: 3 of 5 stars.
Old English sheepdogs are competitive dogs and learn quickly.
Origin: Mexico
Intelligence: 3 of 5 stars.
Chihuahuas are lively, devoted, and eager to learn.
Origin: Italy
Intelligence: 3 of 5 stars.
Italian greyhounds learn easily, though they might become stubborn without consistency.
Origin: Belgium
Intelligence: 3 of 5 stars
Tied with: Maltese.
Alert but inquisitive, these dogs can be relatively difficult to train as they can be quite self-important.
Origin: Scotland
Intelligence: 4 of 5 stars
Tied with: Scottish deerhound.
Westies are friendly but independent and learn quickly if properly instructed.
Origin: Netherlands/Germany
Intelligence: 4 of 5 stars
Tied with: greyhound, American foxhound, otterhound, English foxhound, and Tibetan spaniel.
Its intelligence and eager-to-please nature means this breed learns very quickly.
Origin: China
Intelligence: 4 of 5 stars.
Intelligent and friendly, pugs can be stubborn at times but generally do well obedience training.
Origin: Germany
Intelligence: 4 of 5 stars
Tied with: Great Dane.
Boxers are trained easily as they learn very quickly.
Origin: Great Britain/France
Intelligence: 3 of 5 stars.
Devoted and tenacious, they need activities to be engaging to keep their interest.
Origin: China
Intelligence: 3 of 5 stars.
Shih tzus are obstinate, but when trained properly, they pick up on commands easily.
Origin: China (Tibet)
Intelligence: 3 of 5 stars.
Obedient and alert, lhasa apso dogs need positive reinforcement as they tend to be obstinate.
Origin: Japan
Intelligence: 4 of 5 stars
Tied with: Boston terrier.
Alert and responsive, Akita dogs learn tricks easily.
Origin: Scotland
Intelligence: 4 of 5 stars.
Training these fearless dogs requires patience and perseverance.
Origin: Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia)
Intelligence: 4 of 5 stars.
Loyal and intelligent, these dogs are also strong-willed and stubborn.
Origin: China
Intelligence: 3 of 5 stars.
Aloof and independent, chow chows learn quickly but they are also not exactly known for being obedient.
Origin: Spain
Intelligence: 4 of 5 stars
Tied with: Welsh terrier and Irish terrier.
Ibizan hounds learn quickly and eagerly, but they can be stubborn at times, so they do best with firm commands.
Origin: Germany
Intelligence: 4 of 5 stars
Tied with: Staffordshire bull terrier.
Clever but stubborn, dachshunds learn quickly but need a firm voice.
Origin: Afghanistan
Intelligence: 3 of 5 stars.
This ancient dog breed has a high prey drive, which means training it requires a lot of patience and perseverance.
Origin: Russia/Belarus
Intelligence: 3 of 5 stars.
Independent and quiet, borzois aren't the easiest to train as they become bored quickly with repetitive tasks.
Origin: Russia
Intelligence: 4 of 5 stars
Tied with: King Charles spaniel and bichon frise.
Independent and stubborn, huskies tend to only follow obeys that make sense to them in the moment.
Origin: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Intelligence: 3 of 5 stars.
Playful and energetic, the breed's independent nature makes it hard to train, though they learn quickly.
Origin: China
Intelligence: 3 of 5 stars.
Pekingese dogs are their own boss and they often see themselves as the king of the home, so training is best accomplished when owners set boundaries.
Origin: United Kingdom
Intelligence: 3 of 5 stars.
Bullmastiffs need an authoritative voice and consistency during training as they tend to be stubborn.
Origin: United Kingdom
Intelligence: 4 of 5 stars
Tied with: American water spaniel, black-and-tan coonhound, and German wirehaired pointer.
Social and gentle, these dogs learn quickly and can be trained easily if done properly.
Origin: England
Intelligence: 3 of 5 stars
Tied with: Mastiff.
Beagles are intelligent but independent, which makes training somewhat challenging. Once trained, they're highly obedient.
Origin: France
Intelligence: 3 of 5 stars.
Keen and patient, French bulldogs are quick to learn simple tasks.
Origin: United States
Intelligence: 4 of 5 stars.
Friendly and devoted, Alaskan malamutes are eager to learn and please.
The following dogs require from 40 to 80 repetitions to learn new commands and obey a first command 30% of the time or better.
The following dogs are classified as "above-average working dogs." They require from 100 to 500 repetitions to learn new commands and obey a first command 20% of the time or better.
Origin: Belgium, France, England, or Scotland
Intelligence: 3 of 5 stars.
Gentle but stubborn, bloodhounds can be pretty reluctant to learn new tricks, but they absolutely can.
Origin: France/Spain
Intelligence: 3 of 5 stars.
Confident and fearless, this breed needs to be trained in a calm, consistent, and patient manner.
Origin: Wales
Intelligence: 4 of 5 stars
Tied with: Norfolk terrier.
Fearless and even-tempered, these dogs can be quite reluctant, making training challenging.
The following dogs require from 25 to 40 repetitions to learn new commands and obey a first command 50% of the time or better.
Origin: Iran/Egypt
Intelligence: 4 of 5 stars
Tied with: Finnish Spitz and pointer.
Aloof and reserved, salukis are hard to train but can be taught to be obedient.
Origin: United States
Intelligence: 4 of 5 stars
Tied with: Kuvasz.
Aussies learn easily and quickly as they are eager to please.
Origin: Ireland
Intelligence: 4 of 5 stars
Tied with: curly-coated retriever.
Patient and thoughtful, these dogs learn easily.
Origin: England
Intelligence: 4 of 5 stars
Tied with: soft-coated wheaten terrier and smooth fox terrier.
These intelligent dogs learn quickly but they can be stubborn at times.
The following dogs require from 15 to 25 repetitions to learn new commands and obey a first command 70% of the time or better.
Origin: Malta/Egypt
Intelligence: 4 of 5 stars
Tied with: clumber spaniel, English setter, miniature pinscher, Australian silky terrier, and affenpinscher.
These dogs are intelligent, playful, and sociable, making them easy to train.
Origin: England
Intelligence: 4 of 5 stars.
Energetic and sensitive, these intelligent dogs learn easily.
Origin: Croatia
Intelligence: 4 of 5 stars.
Dalmatians love to be praised, thus learn easily. But they need discipline.
Origin: Norway
Intelligence: 4 of 5 stars.
While very intelligent, the Norwegian elkhound is also very independent.
Origin: Russia
Intelligence: 4 of 5 stars.
Samoyed dogs get bored easily, so they need varied and engaging activities.
Origin: Ireland
Intelligence: 4 of 5 stars
Tied with: Kerry blue terrier and cairn terrier.
Energetic and independent, these dogs learn quickly but need adequate amount of space to thrive.
Origin: Scotland
Intelligence: 4 of 5 stars
Tied with: bearded collie, American Staffordshire terrier, Australian terrier, Newfoundland, and field spaniel.
Alert and confident, the Gordon setter needs an affectionate approach to training.
Origin: England
Intelligence: 4 of 5 stars.
The Manchester terrier is discerning, loyal, and learns easily.
Origin: France
Intelligence: 5 of 5 stars
Tied with: border terrier.
Obedient and loyal, the briard is intelligent and eager to please.
Origin: Wales
Intelligence: 4 of 5 stars.
Intelligent but stubborn, this breed needs a firm approach to training.
Origin: United Kingdom
Intelligence: 5 of 5 stars
Tied with: Bouvier des Flandres.
These terriers learn quickly as they understand commands easily.
Origin: Wales
Intelligence: 5 of 5 stars.
Companionable and devoted, corgis learn easily and are eager to learn new commands.
Origin: England
Intelligence: 5 of 5 stars
Tied with: puli and Chesapeake Bay retriever.
As a terrier, Yorkies tend to be stubborn and independent despite being intelligent.
The following dogs require from 5 to 15 repetitions to learn new commands and obey a first command 85% of the time or better.
Origin: Germany
Intelligence: 5 of 5 stars.
They learn fast, but they are strong-willed and stubborn at times.
Origin: Germany/Poland
Intelligence: 5 of 5 stars.
These extroverted dogs are fairly easy to train as they are eager to please.
Origin: Germany
Intelligence: 5 of 5 stars
Tied with: English cocker spaniel and flat-coated retriever.
These dogs learn fast and are eager to learn, but the can have stubborn tendencies.
Origin: US/UK
Intelligence: 5 of 5 stars.
These dogs are eager to learn as well as sociable and trusting.
Origin: Netherlands/Germany
Intelligence: 5 of 5 stars
Tied with: rough collie.
Agile and obedient, this breed is known for listening to new commands and learning quickly.
Origin: France
Intelligence: 5 of 5 stars.
Intelligence and obedient, the Brittany is easy to train and well-behaved.
Origin: Ireland
Intelligence: 5 of 5 stars.
Inquisitive and intelligent, the Irish water spaniel learns very quickly, but it only responds to its handler.
Origin: Germany
Intelligence: 5 of 5 stars.
This highly trainable breed is intelligent, obedient, and cooperative.
Origin: Switzerland
Intelligence: 5 of 5 stars
Tied with: Malinois.
These faithful dogs are also eager learners.
Origin: Germany
Intelligence: 5 of 5 stars.
Energetic and powerful, the Weimaraner learns quickly but can be quite stubborn.
Origin: Hungary
Intelligence: 5 of 5 stars.
The Vizsla is happy to learn and eager to please, but it can be stubborn.
Origin: China
Intelligence: 4 of 5 stars.
Tied with: wire fox terrier and whippet.
Shar-Peis become bored easily, so they need diverse and interesting activities.
Origin: Canada
Intelligence: 5 of 5 stars.
Labs consistently ranks at the top of most popular breeds thanks to their nature that combines intelligence, sweetness, and sociability.
Origin: Belgium
Intelligence: 5 of 5 stars.
Attentive and protective, these dogs learn very quickly.
Origin: Germany
Intelligence: 5 of 5 stars.
Fearless and obedient, these schnauzers are fast learners.
Origin: Belgium
Intelligence: 5 of 5 stars
Tied with: Groenendael.
Independent and curious, the schipperke is intelligent, albeit stubborn.
Origin: Scotland
Intelligence: 5 of 5 stars.
Gentle and responsive, these dogs are good listeners and fast learners.
Origin: France
Intelligence: 5 of 5 stars.
These little dogs are intelligent, obedient, and eager to learn.
Origin: Germany
Intelligence: 5 of 5 stars.
Independent and fearless, rottweilers are highly intelligent but also dominant, so handlers have have a firm voice.
Origin: Australia
Intelligence: 5 of 5 stars.
Responsive and alert, the Australian cattle dog is willing and able to learn a wide variety of tricks.
Origin: Germany
Intelligence: 5 of 5 stars.
Fierce and obedient, these dogs need few repetitions to learn a new command.
Origin: Scotland
Intelligence: 5 of 5 stars.
Confident, kind, and reliable, golden retrievers learn very quickly and are extremely adaptable.
Origin: Germany/France
Intelligence: 5 of 5 stars.
These incredibly smart dogs quickly understand what is expected of them and can learn a wide variety of tricks and games.
Origin: Germany
Intelligence: 5 of 5 stars.
Watchful and obedient, these dogs are famous for their workaholic personalities.
Origin: Wales
Intelligence: 5 of 5 stars.
These corgis require few repetitions to learn new commands.
The following dogs require fewer than five repetitions to learn new commands and obey a first command 95% of the time or better.
Origin: England
Intelligence: 5 of 5 stars.
Playful but alert, these spaniels are always ready to please.
Origin: United Kingdom/Ireland
Intelligence: 5 of 5 stars.
These famously intelligent dogs owe their learning capabilities to their tenacious and responsive nature.
Origin: England
Intelligence: 3 of 5 stars.
Jovial and sociable, bulldogs can also be incredibly stubborn.
Dog breeds are grouped into various categories to assist owners in finding the most suitable match for their needs. One such category is intelligence, which can be particularly useful when seeking a working dog, among other considerations. The website Dog Breeds List rates breeds based on their ability to understand and obey first commands. For instance, those within the top 10 require fewer than five repetitions and comply with the first command approximately 95% of the time.
Take a look at this gallery and discover where your puppy stands in terms of intelligence rankings.
How different dog breeds rank in intelligence
Find out just how clever your pup really is
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Dog breeds are grouped into various categories to assist owners in finding the most suitable match for their needs. One such category is intelligence, which can be particularly useful when seeking a working dog, among other considerations. The website Dog Breeds List rates breeds based on their ability to understand and obey first commands. For instance, those within the top 10 require fewer than five repetitions and comply with the first command approximately 95% of the time.
Take a look at this gallery and discover where your puppy stands in terms of intelligence rankings.