Dogs that have their intelligence and can understand the situation are considered to be smarter than the rest.
Plenty of breeds in the dog world would be able to portray a normal behavior in which they depend on the handler or their human being to help them at all times.
However, smarter beings are capable of dealing with situations on their own and depend less on the people around them.
Thinking of dogs in this manner may seem bizarre and unbelievable initially, but when looked at closely, you would understand this better.
Types of Intelligence
The intelligence of dogs can be categorized into three types. These types have been sorted out based on the behavior that dogs around us portray.
1. Instinctive behavior against the threat
Animals are considered to be more sensitive when it comes to instincts. They have strong intuitions and always follow them no matter what.
Dogs are considered very sensitive in such situations and are often known to predict a natural calamity way before human beings.
Therefore, the way they react to a threat or troublesome situation decides how smart they are.
2. Adaptive Behavior
This is the behavior that the second smartest dogs show and utilize in their lives. A dog if can adapt to its environment and conditions quickly, it is considered to be smart and adaptive.
This trait can be seen as a handy trait for all living beings. The quicker the dog adapts to its environment, the smarter it is considered to be.
3. Obedient Behavior
The last of all, dogs that are considered as obedient and work according to their handler is a category of intelligence.
Although seen as not a very important trait in a living being, obedience is necessary for dogs to be able to thrive with human beings peacefully.
12 Smartest Dog Breeds
The kind of behavior a breed portrays is compared with the categories mentioned above, and the intelligence is assessed.
In a nutshell, there are around 12 smartest dog breeds in the dog world that can be categorized as intelligent. Their description has been mentioned below, look below:
1. Poodle
Poodles look like balls of fur and fluffiness. They are adorable, and people love them for their cute little face.
However, many people aren’t aware of how intelligent these cotton balls can be. They are very adaptive and are quite energetic.
They are active and make sure to lead a peaceful life with their handler. Poodles come in different sizes and can be easily trained.
They have a versatile personality and don’t mind showing off their talents in public. You can teach them several tricks that would be an effortless task as they are cooperative and obedient as well.
Moreover, they would provide you with an excellent companion to be with and make you their family in no time.
2. German shepherd
Being ferocious and brave as they are, no wonder German Shepherds have made it second to the list.
This dog breed is reliable, strong, and loving. They make sure their family goes through no trouble.
The scarier they are to the enemy, the more loving they are to their human companions. They are fast and agile.
The fact that they are used in police forces adds to their intelligence. The military and police force can teach them commands that they learn quickly and have instincts that come as very useful.
They are considered to be very loyal and always ready to serve their family at all times.
3. Labrador Retriever
One of the most energetic and loves dog breeds, Labs, are smart and wonderful dogs to keep around you.
They are cute and friendly and make sure to love their handler to the fullest. Even when they are small, they are a little difficult to handle as they always want to jump around and play.
But if you share the same traits, you guys would get along well. Labradors are smart as they are adaptive and obedient.
They are very sensitive to their surroundings and have an innocent heart that might get broken easily.
They get along well with people around them that are not even their family.
One of the best qualities of these canines is that they understand the emotions of their human counterpart and help them deal with it.
4. Border collies
If you want to be with a dog that is very obedient and very energetic, the Border collie is what you should go for.
These dogs possess skills that make them smart and reliable beings. They know how to deal with new and alien situations and are witty.
One important fact to remember about them is that they have a very high capacity for physical activity and just cannot do without an energetic session with their companion.
This adds to their requirements physically, and you have to feed them accordingly.
5. Golden Retrievers
One of the favorite dog breeds of most people, golden retrievers, makes smart companions. They are friendly, gentle, cute, and brave.
They would do anything to make sure their human companion is happy and well. Retrievers are considered to be the friendliest of the 12 smartest dog breeds.
All they want is play and fun and a close relationship with their human companion. You may hurt them emotionally of you do not take care of them.
Make sure to spend a good amount of time with them. The fact that they are easy to get along with and are obedient makes them smart.
They are very adaptive and supportive as well, which adds on to their smartness. Moreover, they are focused and silent creatures, which makes them easy to train.
They are also considered to be very beautiful and charming as they have a golden shining coat that you just get over.
6. Australian shepherd
Australian shepherds are true intelligent beings as their agility is beyond comparison. They have an astute personality and are very intelligent beings.
Their eyes give them an edge over all the other breeds around us. They have beautiful fur that has shades of blue and red, which adds on to its beauty.
This breed prefers to be around a herd, and it is their natural tendency. However, if kept with a good human companion, they would love it too.
One thing to remember about this breed is the immense amount of energy they have inside them. This trait makes it difficult to train and keep along all the time.
This dog breed is easy to train and can be taken for dog shows where they would be able to show off their extraordinary talents.
7. Bloodhound
One dog that you can never get away from is the Bloodhound. They are friendly, loving, and super-smart dogs. You just cannot defy their nose and cover a crime.
If you have lost an object, this dog would be able to get it back just through its nose. They may sound somebody to not mess with, and they are very gentle and adorable.
They have a cute little wrinkled face that attracts your love, and you would find yourself flying towards them with all your love.
They get along with children very well and are friendly with other dogs as well. They cannot be considered as the most obedient dogs as training them with commands could be difficult.
They have a stubborn personality and cannot be considered as very adaptive. They are focused and put all their energy at a single task.
8. Shetland sheepdogs
These dogs are herding in nature and like being around the family to protect and keep an eye on.
They share some traits with the Australian shepherd, such as being agile and having an astute personality.
They are considered to be very active and energetic. They like physical activities as their major part of the day.
This dog breed is considered to be the best at being obedient and loving their human companions by all means.
They have a furry coat and are very soft and comfortable to be around. They make you feel loved and can lift your mood in no time.
They make seem cute and loving towards their handlers, but they don’t prefer being around strangers.
They bark a lot and make sure to get away from any uncomfortable situation as soon as possible.
These traits make them great watchdogs, and any threat would not dare to enter your space with them at the watch. These dogs bring great energy to your house and family.
9. Australian cattle dogs
This breed is pretty popular for its speckled coat, which gives them an edge over other dog breeds.
They make great hunters and chase their enemies beyond boundaries.
They are difficult to mess with and make sure to teach you a good lesson before letting you go if they do.
This breed is popular for its alertness and makes sure to keep an eye on every possible threat around it and its handler.
They are unimaginably loyal and loving towards their handlers and leave no opportunity to keep them safe and happy at all times.
If you want to make an impactful relationship with this doggo, you have to make sure to feed into their energy needs.
10. Weimaraner
They have a beautiful silvery coat that provides them an exquisite look. Their eyes are deep and magical.
They are quite easy to train and can be kept in the family. They are obedient and keep positive energy.
They are playful and want to be with handlers most of the time. They can be used as hunters and are very active in their usual lives.
They love chasing and looking for things. They are eager learners and support their handlers during training sessions.
11. Doberman
This dog breed is ferocious and someone to be scared of. They are brave and intelligent creatures who have a very short temper.
They don’t like forgiving their enemies and don’t believe in second chances. However, the handler who loves them is everything to this dog.
They make sure to keep an eye on every possible threat around them and are quick-witted. They appear royal and have a class they like maintaining.
They act as great protectors and make excellent watchdogs. With great stamina, trainability, and speed, they make very intelligent beings.
12. Papillon
This dog is small and adorable. It gets its name from a butterfly, doing justice to its appearance. They have ears that look like the wings of a butterfly.
They are quite adaptive and can survive in almost any kind of climate.
They might seem small and easy to mess with; however, they are brave and stay very alert. They have huge reserves of energy and love to play around and have fun.
They can be considered as sporty and can get along with different kinds of people.
Final words
The 12 smartest dog breeds mentioned above are expected to have an intelligent quotient greater than the rest.
However, if working with all the determination, even a non-intelligent dog can do better. It all depends on the kind of training the handler provides their doggo.
If worked hard, even a timid dog breed and be turned into a ferocious being and so can an aggressive dog be turned into a cotton-ball.
Despite categorizing these furry friends, it is important not to blindly judge them according to what category they lie in. Make sure to assess them deeply, and only then should you make your choice.
