Top 10 Most Intelligent Dog Breeds

People want dogs for different reasons. Some want companionship, some want little cuddly lap dogs, and some people want a dog which can easily be trained. Some dog breeds are naturally more intelligent than others and will pick up instructions much more quickly. Therefore we have compiled a useful resource of what we think are the top 10 most intelligent dog breeds.  You will also find out what we found to be the most intelligent dog.

The following most intelligent dog breeds list may be open to interpretation as all dogs have their own personalities.

The first listing in our top 10 most intelligent dog breeds is for the Border Collie which is widely regarded as the most intelligent dog. These dogs have been used for hundreds of years for sheep herding due to their ability to understand and follow instructions. They are extremely focused animals

A German Shepherd’s intelligence combined with its size means that it can be trained to be a very effective guard dog. They are very loyal dogs and are always aware of their surroundings. For this reason they have been used by police and military forces around the world.

Next up is another large dog, the Golden Retriever. Unlike the German Shepherd however, these dogs are naturally friendly and placid. They are therefore better suited for tasks such as, as the name suggests, retrieving.

Dobermans, however, make the perfect guard dog. They are large dogs and territorially aggressive. They are very alert animals, and can be trained to be very good protectors of people and property. Their high intelligence means that they will understand and be very effective in their role as guardian.

Just like Border Collies, Shetland Sheepdogs have been used for herding purposes due to their extremely high intelligence. The fact that they are so bright and alert also makes them very good watchdogs.

Next we have the Labrador Retriever, which is a popular family dog due to its friendly nature. These dogs make very good companions due to their loyalty and affectionate natures, and have been used for hunting and retrieving.

The Papillon is a very small dog. Their inclusion on this list is because of their easiness to train and obedience, which highlights their intelligence. They are very affectionate and loyal little dogs.

The Rottweiler is another large breed which makes an excellent guard dog, although they have also been used for police work and for search and rescue. They have a reputation for being naturally aggressive, although this usually comes from protecting their territory.

Finally we have the Australian Cattle Dog, which is another of the most intelligent dogs. This is another dog bred for herding due to its high intelligence. They are extremely obedient and hard working animals.

So that completes the list of the top 10 most intelligent dog breeds. In terms of what is the world’s most intelligent dog, there have been many contenders from Hollywood such as Lassie and Rin Tin Tin. It must be remembered that several different dogs actually filled these roles, although they were all highly intelligent to be able to be trained so effectively.  The world’s most intelligent dog ever might in fact be ‘Rico’  a border collie from Leipzig in Germany, who in 2004 was trained to understand over two hundred different words.