We all know that dogs are man’s best friend. But which dogs are the smartest breed?
Certainly, we’ve all got our own opinions about the smartest dog. But how do these opinions hold up to facts?
A team of researchers in Finland recently conducted a study testing exactly that question, performing a battery of cognitive tests on several dog breed to draw the ultimate conclusion about which dog breed is actually the smartest. The results were a little surprising to researchers.
The team’s results are published in a recent article in Scientific Reports.
As part of the study, researchers conducted a battery of cognitive tests on thousands of different dogs, with about 13 different breeds represented. The test battery, called smartDOG and designed by one of the study researchers, allowed researchers to use a collection of standardized assessments to confirm which dog breeds were the smartest. smartDOG can test for a range of different characteristics and personality traits using a range of tests to examine problem solving ability, impulse control, ability to understand human gestures and communication, and more. With such a wide range of tests, researchers could get a good sense of how intelligent different dog breeds were using a standardized approach.
Each dog that completed the battery of tests was given an average score (based on their individual score for each test); the breed with the breed with the highest overall average score was declared the winner, or the most intelligent.
Some results were as expected. For example, the border collie, which has long been considered a highly intelligent dog, came in at number two. The number three spot belongs to the Hovawart, an intelligent dog bred for being a watch dog. But the number one spot? The most intelligent dog, which surprised researchers? Drum roll, please.
The Belgian Malinois.
Known for developing close bonds with their humans, the Belgian Malinois is a hard-working dog that craves time with you and exercise. They were, after all, bred to be herding dogs.
Sources: Phys.org; Scientific Reports
