✅ Is my dog smart?

Dog intelligence, a difficult concept to define

As for the intelligence of the human being, the intelligence of the dog is a fuzzy concept, difficult to apprehend and even less to measure in a reliable and indisputable way so that its definition changes from one author to the other. For some, it boils down to the animal's ability to learn, while for others it means the "assessment of performance on the basis of a given functional criterion" . Be that as it may, we most often retain the definition according to which intelligence is the ability of the dog to adapt to new or changing situations and to find solutions to the problems encountered.

What if this difficulty in precisely defining intelligence was only a reflection of the extreme complexity of this notion? What if there were as many forms of intelligence in dogs as there are definitions of it? If we take up the theory of multiple intelligences on behalf of the dog, there would indeed not be one intelligence in the dog but indeed several forms of intelligence in Man's best friend among:

logico-mathematical intelligence,
bodily-kinesthetic intelligence,
spatial intelligence,
emotional and social intelligence,
linguistic intelligence,
practical intelligence.

Read also: The different forms of intelligence in dogs

The expression of these forms of intelligence in dogs is closely intertwined with its sensory faculties, its ability to communicate, to take initiatives and its ability to memorize.

How to measure a dog's intelligence?

Are there IQ tests for dogs? While there is no real scientifically validated IQ test for dogs, there are nevertheless many tests that aim to assess forms of intelligence in dogs in the form of games. If they are not of scientific value, they nevertheless allow the master to know his dog better and to know which forms of intelligence are the most developed in his animal.

To discover: 7 tests to assess the intelligence of your dog

Book Test your dog's intelligence by Doctor Valérie Dramard, Rustica editions
Dognition, online evaluation program of your dog's forms of intelligence (in English and paying).

Does my dog's intelligence depend on his breed?

There are indeed classifications of dog breeds according to their intelligence. One of the best known rankings is that of Stanley Coren. This university psychologist and researcher in neuropsychology, is the author of the book The intelligence of dogs published in 1995. He relates there the study which he carried out and whose protocol made it possible to classify the breeds of dogs according to their intelligence. according to their capacity for obedience and work.

Thus, according to Stanley Coren's ranking, the top 3 most intelligent dog breeds would be the Border Collie, the Poodle and the German Shepherd.

To discover: The complete classification of dog breeds according to their intelligence by Stanley Coren

But, since its publication, the classification of dog breeds according to their intelligence has been widely criticized and questioned by the entire scientific community because:

Stanley Coren's list was established on the basis of the opinion of 200 judges specializing in obedience trials in dog shows in the United States and Canada, and not on the basis of an experimental protocol of reproducible tests,
it is impossible today to objectively/scientifically distinguish between the innate and the acquired, between genetics and the influence of the environment on the intelligence of the dog. Thus, even if the genetic heritage of a dog counts in its "degree" of intelligence, it also depends on many other factors such as the quality of the mothering of the puppy by its mother, the we alth of stimulation offered to the dog, its experiences etc.
each breed of dog having been genetically modified for specific tasks, it is not relevant to compare breeds with each other on the sole criteria of obedience and work capacity.

So the breed of dog is not everything in terms of intelligence! And, this is rather good news because it means that you can "work" on a dog's intelligence by introducing him to various situations and stimulating him through exercises and games.

How to recognize a “dumb” dog?

No dog is fundamentally "dumb" because there are several forms of intelligence and different dog profiles! Moreover, if a dog lacks practical intelligence, for example, it is not necessarily because he has limited intellectual faculties but may simply be because he lacked the experiences that would have enabled him to develop this aspect of his intelligence.

But, it still happens that some dogs suffer from "mental retardation" . If this “insufficiency of intelligence” is difficult to assess, it can manifest itself by:

a loss of interest in objects/animals that disappear from view - example: the dog stops being interested in a cat he was chasing and remains dazed when the cat hides behind a tree or get on this one,
persistent dirtiness despite good toilet training,
the persistence of infantile behavior,
difficulty concentrating and distractibility,
slowness and difficulty in learning and memorizing this learning,
a lack of initiative in social interactions, games or problem solving,
difficulties understanding space,

Nevertheless, if your dog refuses to obey you or you fail to educate him, do not necessarily conclude that your dog is stupid. The problem may simply be a bad method on your part, your pet's lack of motivation to do what you ask of him or the dog's great sensitivity, which could inhibit his actions and gestures.

" Various behavioral disorders such as hyperactivity, neurological or endocrine problems or even brain aging can also explain an intelligence disorder in your dog.If you suspect this kind of problem in your dog, do not hesitate to speak to your veterinarian."