December 29, 2024, 9:05 am | Read time: 8 minutes

Just like us humans, there are individuals in dogs who are more intelligent than others. But how do you measure intelligence in dogs? Many scientists and behavioral biologists have dealt with this question. PETBOOK explains what distinguishes a “dog genius” and how you can tell whether your four-legged friend is of average intelligence.

Border Collies Are Particularly Intelligent

Great apes are known to be able to assign words to objects. The most striking difference between dogs and apes is the speed with which they can learn new words and associate them with objects: Dogs are faster and on par with even toddlers! A study conducted by behavioral biologists at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest also confirmed this.

The biologists found that particularly talented dogs, most of which are border collies, not only learn new words extremely quickly but can also remember them for at least two months. The animals remember the words, even if they have not seen the corresponding toys for a long period of time. They, therefore, also have a long-term memory for words. Have we completely underestimated the mental abilities of our dogs? And how do dogs that are particularly intelligent behave?

Where Can You Find Dogs That Are Particularly Intelligent?

For around two years, researchers at Eötvös Loránd University searched the world for four-legged friends with special mental abilities. A total of six Border Collies met the requirements for the learning program, so you don’t find so-called “super dogs” on every street corner.

How Do “Super Dogs” Train and Learn?

During the learning program, the six animal candidates learned twelve new toys and the corresponding object names in a playful way and with the help of treats. The owner of the dog Gaia, who already knew 100 toys, trained her as follows: She threw the new plush giraffe “Raffi” into the air while repeating the name of the toy several times, and Gaia retrieved it.

“Dogs associate the words with the action, in this case, retrieving the toy,” explains Ádám Miklósi, head of the largest research group on dogs in Europe. Social interaction with the owner is also important. We can also observe similar mechanisms in small children when they are learning to speak.

The “Super Dog Challenge”

The researchers in the study wanted to know whether the ability to learn new words and associate them with objects is rare and only reserved for particularly intelligent dogs – or whether there are many more “super dogs.” They, therefore, called for a “Genius Dog Challenge” or “Super Dog Challenge” via social media. ²

The results of the “Super Dog Challenge” showed that the ability to learn object names is rare and only found in a few gifted individuals. Most of the particularly intelligent dogs appeared to be border collies. However, the owners of a German Shepherd, a Pekingese, a mini Australian shepherd, Yorkshire terriers, and mixed breeds were also able to observe these special abilities.

Superheroes in Everyday Life Are Also Particularly Intelligent Dogs

Dogs trained as guide dogs or assistance dogs also have the ability to associate words with objects. A guide dog must know at least 30 commands. In addition, the objects are linked to actions. If the visually impaired person says “letter,” for example, the clever four-legged friend searches for the nearest letterbox and guides its human safely to it.

Thanks to the talented animals, people with disabilities can also master their everyday lives on their own. For example, when the dog hears the word “board,” it guides the blind person to the nearest curb and stops there. When it hears the word “milk,” it goes unerringly to the refrigerated shelf in the supermarket. Of course, this dog has previously trained the command in this supermarket.

The Breed Does Not Determine Whether Dogs Are Particularly Intelligent

However, a dog’s intelligence does not only depend on the breed. According to psychologist Coren, a dog’s intelligence is made up of three parts:

1. Instinct, or innate behavior
2. Adaptive intelligence, or how well the dog learns from its environment to solve problems
3. Obedience, a kind of school-based learning

However, behavioral scientists have pointed out that just because a dog is particularly obedient does not mean that it is particularly intelligent. Even within a breed, not all animals are equally gifted. The decisive factor is the interaction between humans and dogs and, of course, the quantity and quality of training.

By the way, a border collie called Chaser was the smartest dog in the world. The dog lived with psychology professor John W. Pilley until her death at the age of 15. She was able to match 1022 words with the corresponding objects.

Are There Intelligence Tests for Dogs?

There are indeed scientists who have developed intelligence tests for dogs. Rosalind Arden from the London School of Economics and Mark Adams from the University of Edinburgh created an IQ test in 2016 with which they wanted to determine how the intelligence of dogs varies within a breed and also whether this happens in a similar way to us humans.

A total of 68 border collies had to complete three different types of tasks:

1. Running around and overcoming various obstacles as quickly as possible to reach food.
2. Finding food using gestures (pointing gesture)
3. Choosing between two bowls containing different amounts of food

The results, which were published in the specialist journal Intelligence, showed that dogs that mastered the tasks quickly usually made fewer mistakes than those that were more hesitant. In addition, dogs that mastered one of the tests particularly quickly and accurately also tended to perform well in the other tests.

More on the topic

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How to Test Your Dog’s Intelligence

Researchers from British Columbia University have developed an IQ test that dog owners can use to test the intelligence of their four-legged friend. The test involves observing your dog in ten different situations. For instance, how does your four-legged friend react when you unexpectedly call out “fridge”? Does he come to you, or does he only react when you call him by name? Points are awarded depending on the reaction. The higher the score at the end, the more intelligent the dog is said to be. You can find a German version of the test here.

Stanley Coren, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, has developed three simple IQ tests for owners and dogs that are also designed to be fun:

1. Throw a towel over your dog’s head and shoulders. Time how long it takes him to free himself. (15 seconds or less is 5 points; 16 to 30 seconds is 4 points; 31 to 60 seconds is 3 points; 61 seconds to 2 minutes or the dog gives up: 1 point)
2. Quietly pick up your keys and dog leash at a time when you don’t normally walk your dog. Stand still. If the four-legged friend comes to you or to the door, he gets 5 points. If not, go to the door. If your dog gets excited, he gets 4 points. If not, shake the door handle to make a noise. If the dog comes now, score 3 points. If the dog pays attention but never comes, 2 points. If it does not react at all, 1 point is awarded.
3. Place a treat under an upturned empty can and ask the dog to fetch it. Time how long it takes your dog to reach the treat. (5 seconds or less gives 5 points; 6 to 15 seconds, 4 points; 16 to 30 seconds, 3 points; 31 to 50 seconds, 2 points. Still no success after a minute? That’s 1 point).

Evaluation:

• 13 to 15 points: Your dog is an Einstein
• 10 to 12 points: Your four-legged friend has what it takes to be a doctor
• 7 to 9 points: Your dog is more in the league of low-level political officials
• 4 to 6 points: high political official
• 3 points: not an intelligent beast

You should always take these tests with a pinch of salt. You should also consider the level of training of your four-legged friend. If you’ve trained your dog to refrain from excitedly running to the door each time you grab the keys, it would be unjust to penalize your well-behaved companion with a low score for such obedience.