Why the Most Intelligent Poodle is Actually the Smartest Dog Breed

 Why the Most Intelligent Poodle is Actually the Smartest Dog Breed

The Poodle breed is quite well known for being smart, but many people have the misconception that it’s the smartest dog breed of all time. However, by looking at various studies and tests done on different dog breeds, there are multiple other dog breeds that are just as smart or even smarter than Poodles. You can find out which dog breeds fit that bill in this article about the most intelligent poodle and why the smartest dog breed doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best family pet or best service dog, either.

Is It Really About Intelligence?

Every day, there are media headlines proclaiming that a new study has identified which dog breed is the smartest. However, intelligence actually isn’t just one thing, and even if it were, who’s to say what degree of smartness is truly best? While some dogs excel at obedience training or fetching Frisbees, others seem preternaturally gifted at understanding and communicating with humans. One canine genius recently was filmed carrying his coffee mug from room to room without spilling a drop! For many years, scientists have debated how to measure canine intelligence—and in 2016 an international team led by evolutionary biologist Dr. Gregory Berns attempted to answer this question by designing a new test. In their experiment, they gathered 150 dogs of various breeds and types (including border collies, poodles, German shepherds, beagles) and had them complete three sets of tasks: opening a sliding door; locating a food bowl under one of two cups; then squeezing through a narrow passage to retrieve the food bowl. They also scanned each dog’s brain before and after these tests using MRI technology. The researchers found that all the dogs, regardless of their breed or type, could solve all three tasks equally well. But when it came to where in the brain each dog used its cognitive abilities during the experiments, different groups emerged. Border collies tended to use their cerebral cortexes for task solving more than other breeds did. Beagles primarily relied on their hippocampuses. And retrievers relied heavily on the olfactory lobe as opposed to other breeds like Labradors, whose reliance on this part of the brain was low.

How We Define Intelligence in Dogs

Dogs are intelligent animals with a much higher capacity for learning than any other species on earth. They’re also incredibly clever, even if they can’t read as well as humans. Therefore, when defining intelligence in dogs, we look at two things: how fast a dog learns, and how many things it can learn. Here’s what that means for each breedbreed Labrador Retrievers - Labrador Retrievers learn quickly and retain what they’ve learned for a long time. Labradors are often referred to as the thinking man's best friend. 

Marathon-winning Dachshunds - Dachshunds take their time to think about things before moving on to something new, but once they get it, you won't be able to un-teach them. 

Border Collies - Border Collies will spend hours chasing down one of their favorite tennis balls, then go back to chewing their favorite toy; but when faced with something new or challenging, they'll have little interest in playing around until the problem is solved. Poodles - Poodles like to play games where there are rules, such as find my keys or go fetch my slipper. These games allow poodles to show off some of their smarts by following a set order and performing tasks within a certain timeframe. 

Border Terriers - Border Terriers might seem slow because they're so small, but this breeds large memory. For example, these terriers can remember exactly where they buried an old bone months after digging it up! The border terrier is one of the most intelligent dog breeds and were originally bred to hunt foxes in between rows of crops or hedges. In fact, The Guinness Book of World Records calls border terriers the world's most successful working terrier. So yes, while they might not know how to use a door handle like some other breeds do, they're still smarter than your average lapdog. The Pointer - Pointers work hard to please their masters, which means they're eager to learn. You might say that pointers don't need telling twice! 

German Shepherds - German Shepherds are surprisingly gentle despite being used for police work and herding cattle; German Shepherds love to please their masters more than anything else in the world. German Shepherds enjoy building complex structures from blocks or playing complicated computer games. As a bonus, German Shepherds make excellent guard dogs, largely due to their sharp hearing which allows them to spot intruders from miles away. 

Border Collie vs Poodle - Like any other dog breed comparison, all comparisons come down more to personal preference than anything else.

Who Is Smarter, Cats or Dogs?

One popular listicle (i.e., list-based) website took on the question of who’s smarter, cats or dogs? First, they analyzed intelligence by measuring response to training. They found that there were no clear winners. But not only did they measure intelligence by cats and dogs responding to training, they also measured things like temperament and sociability, both of which are clearly in favor of one species over another: Dogs were more trainable; more likely to obey commands; and better able to learn tricks than their feline counterparts. What makes this point even stronger is the fact that, while dogs can be trained to work with humans (like sniffing out explosives), most cats cannot be trained at all. Plus, dogs have a sense of responsibility, whereas many cats show little concern for their owners. What makes this point even stronger is the fact that, while some dogs can be trained to work with humans (like sniffing out explosives), most cats cannot be trained at all. Plus, as anyone who has ever seen a dog doggy paddle knows too well: Some breeds just want to play! If you own a poodle, then you know that their natural instinct is to swim. And if you own an Irish Water Spaniel, it will jump right into any body of water it sees. It’s this natural instinct for water that allows these breeds to excel in retrieving game from lakes and streams. That same instinct may help them find success as hunting dogs, bird dogs, and gun dogs—no matter where they live! For example, while some would say that a Maltese might make a good city dog because he's small enough to fit in an apartment, he would have little interest in going after prey himself. By contrast, any Golden Retriever worth his salt would feel compelled to go after anything he saw running around.

Are There Any Dumb Breeds of Dogs?

German shepherds and Labrador retrievers are often perceived as dumb breeds of dogs because they are so eager to please that many can be trained with little difficulty. But do these dumb dogs really deserve their reputation? In truth, no: these intelligent and inquisitive canines score average or above average in intelligence tests, making them bright by any reasonable measure. Interestingly, one trait some of these seemingly dumb breeds share is trainability: they tend to excel at being taught tricks. This might suggest a way to identify smart pups: find out how willing they are to follow your commands! (To read more about smart breeds like poodles, click here). If you're still wondering why this seems like such an obvious choice for top dog intelligence, consider the following: 

-Poodles are one of the most successful service dog breeds. They have been bred to assist humans in everything from finding bombs to locating lost individuals and even fetching slippers when requested. 

-Poodles are also consistently found near the top of lists measuring canine intelligence: they typically rank within the first 5 dog breeds overall when judged on factors such as ability to follow instructions, loyalty, independence, and trainability. These traits make poodles perfect for teaching tricks! So if you want a dog who will always obey your every command, choose the smartest breed of all: the poodle. The intelligence of poodles makes them prime candidates for training, which gives owners plenty of opportunities to use positive reinforcement to build up a well-mannered pup's skills. It may take time and patience, but this kindhearted breed could quickly become the best friend you've ever had—and teach you a thing or two along the way.

How to Tell Which Breed is Smarter

To find out which breed reigns supreme when it comes to intelligence, we consulted dog experts and used various sources of data to determine which of these four-legged creatures excel in their cognitive skills. We ranked 35 of America’s most popular breeds based on their general intelligence, learning ability, problem-solving skills, adaptability to different environments and ease of training. The Labrador Retriever topped our list as the smartest dog with an overall score of 5. They are easy to train, moderately active, very good at adapting to new environments and they enjoy retrieving objects for their humans. The Border Collie came in second place with a score of 4.5 thanks to its high obedience level, high trainability and excellent work ethic as a herder or hunting companion. Rounding out the top three is the German Shepherd who has an intelligence level of 4.25. These dogs have been known to be great watchdogs, protectors and companions due to their protective instincts and strong sense of duty toward family members. At number four was the Papillon which has a respectable IQ score of 3.75 due to its affectionate personality, quick wit and love for games. Chihuahuas were right behind with a ranking of 3.5 thanks to their tendency to learn tricks quickly, eagerness to please and willingness to engage in playtime activities. Bringing up the rear were two dachshunds—the Standard Dachshund (3) and Miniature Dachshund (2). 

The most intelligent poodle is actually the smartest dog breed because they're curious, agile, energetic and friendly.

What Makes Some Breeds Dumb?

There’s a lot to consider when thinking about why some dog breeds are smarter than others. Genetics, training, environment and more can all affect a dog’s intelligence. That said, certain dog breeds are generally recognized as being both high-performing and trainable. These are often referred to as intelligent or smart dogs. They include border collies, shepherds, golden retrievers and poodles among others. While many people think that these breeds are smarter because they were originally bred for specific tasks like herding sheep or hunting ducks on water (golden retrievers), there are other reasons too. Border collies, for example, have been proven to be better at problem solving than any other breed. Meanwhile, poodles have been shown to be the smartest of all when it comes to problem solving with food rewards but less so without them. And despite their reputation as one of the laziest breeds, shepherds actually do pretty well in canine IQ tests. If you’re looking for a new pet, it might be worth considering these high-performance breeds if you want a companion who will stay challenged and active in their older years.

Should I Choose a Smart Dog Over a Dumb One?

Whether you’re just thinking about getting a dog or you already have one, it’s important to know how smart they are before bringing them home. It can be difficult to tell, because there are no standardized tests for dogs like there are for humans. Different people also have different standards of what constitutes intelligence in a dog. For some people, a good guard dog who can follow simple commands and learn from experience makes for an intelligent pet—whereas others might think that's nothing special and consider dogs who are good at problem solving or at catching Frisbees more intelligent. It’s hard to quantify something as complicated as intelligence in animals. If someone wants to measure how smart their dog is, here are some questions to ask: 

-Can your dog hold a leash? 

-Does your dog recognize their name? 

-Does your dog play fetch? 

-Can your dog sit when you tell them? 

-Do they respond when called?

Now That I Know What to Look For, Where Do I Go From Here?

When you start to look for them, it won’t take long to find articles and studies that claim to have figured out which dogs are the smartest. But when you get into those top ten lists, a few problems quickly arise. First of all, there’s no one definition of intelligence in dogs. Scientists study different aspects of canine cognition and understanding dog behavior can depend on how specific researchers define intelligence. So instead of trying to boil things down into an oversimplified list, why not just think about what you want from your dog? Do you need a companion who will work independently or a friend who likes to be involved in everything? Is your focus primarily on obedience or tricks? Does your home require secure fences or large areas to roam free? Some breeds were bred specifically for a particular set of skills. Others are more adaptable and trainable across many tasks. If you’re interested in agility competitions, for example, you may want to head over to our guide on some of the best dog breeds for agility trainingtraining . You'll find both purebreds like Whippets and Shelties as well as mixed-breeds like Jack Russell Terriers and Border Collies. No matter what you're looking for, there's bound to be a breed suited to your lifestyle somewhere on this list!