Is Your Dog Intelligent? Find Out! – Part 2

In Part 1 of Is Your Dog Intelligent? Find Out! I gave an insight as to what may increase, decrease or even hamper the intelligence of your dog. Your dog may likely be less responsive to training or appear to be a little on the slow side for many reasons. Not least is how he was bred and brought up during his first weeks before you took him home. Other causes can include reactions from vaccines and/or medications.

Choose your pup carefully

This is the reason why you have to be so careful when choosing your puppy.  If you take a look at this two part article, the second part is here, you will know exactly what to look out for when acquiring your precious pet. If you are choosing a rescue dog, get as much information from the rescue centre as you can as well as doing your research on the breed you are thinking of getting.

Easy to set up tests and good fun!

But let’s get down to finding out how much your dog knows. If he is a youngster, he will learn more as he gets experience, so don’t get discouraged if these little tests prove to be too much of a task for him. He will learn. You can always try the tests again after doing some training. The tests will invariably become easier for him as he gains his confidence and bonds with you his owner.

I have put in some videos of our dogs doing some of these tests so you get the idea. In test No. 3 I had no response ie. ‘do your dogs recognise a smile’. Neither of my dogs moved when I smiled. I put it down to the fact that I’m always smiling! That’s my excuse anyway.

The Tests – have the following items available:

• A stop watch
• some really yummy treats
• cleaned tin can
• large towel
• tea towel
• a low sideboard or table

Test 1 – problem solving – use the tin can and stop watch

• Get your dog to sit and stay. If he will not sit, ask someone to hold him by the collar
• Show your dog a tasty treat and let him smell it
• With your dog watching, slowly put the treat on the floor about 2 metres away and put the can over it
• Encourage your dog to find the treat and start the stop watch

Now the marks:

• If he knocks the can over and gets the treat within 5 seconds – 5 points
• 5 – 15 seconds to retrieve the treat, give him – 4 points
• From 15 – 30 seconds – 3 points
• If it takes 30 – 60 seconds – 2 points
• After a minute, if he hasn’t got the treat, but is still sniffing around the can – 1 point

Test 2 – problem solving – use the large towel and stop watch

• Your dog should be awake and active
• Show him the towel and let him sniff it
• Quietly and smoothly, throw the towel over his head and shoulders so they are both covered.
• Start the timing and stay quiet

Now the marks:

• When he frees himself within 5 seconds – 5 points
• If it takes him 5 – 15 seconds – 4 points
• 15 – 30 seconds – 3 points
• If it takes 30 – 60 seconds – 2 points
• After a minute, if he still hasn’t freed himself take the towel off him and award – 1 point

Test 3 – Does your dog recognise your smile?

• Sit your dog down about 2 metres away from you
• Don’t command a sit or stay
• Stare intently at your dog and when/if he looks back at you smile broadly

Now the marks:

• If he comes to you wagging his tail – 5 points
• When your dog comes part of the way, without a tail wag – 4 points
• If your dog stands up or sits from a down, but does not move – 3 points
• If your dog moves away from you – 2 points
• But if he pays no attention at all – 1 point

Test 4 – Treat under towel – more difficult problem solving

• Make your dog sits, if he won’t stay ask someone to hold his collar
• Show your dog a good sized yummy treat and let him sniff it
• With the dog watching, place the treat on the floor about 2 metres away. Let him see you putting the towel over the treat
• Encourage him to find the food and start timing him

The Marks:

• Retrieving the food within 15 seconds gets – 5 points
• If he retrieves it after 15 second but before 30 seconds – 4 points
• Between 30 seconds to a minute – 3 points
• If he tries to find the food but then gives up – 2 points
• Not interested after 2 minutes, then – 1 point

Test 5 – problem solving and dexterity

You need to set this test up by finding a low cupboard or sideboard which is low enough that your dog cannot get his head under, but high enough that he can get his paw under. The treat should be large and delicious.

• Make sure your dog is watching you from a metre or two away
• Show him the treat and let him sniff it
• With his full attention, slowly place the treat under the sideboard, far enough that he cannot reach it with his nose or tongue. His only way of retriever it is using his paws
• Star timing and at the same time encourage him to find it

Now the Marks:

• Retrieving the treat using his paw/s within 1 minutes – 5 points
• If using his paws, he retrieves it before 3 minutes – 4 points
• Using just his his nose or if he tries using paws unsuccessfully – 3 points
• If your dog sniffs and tries with his nose without using his paws – 2 points
• Making no attempt to retrieve the treat after 3 minutes – 1 point

Test 6 – language comprehension

This test shows if your dog understands you by the spoken word rather than the tone of your voice. That’s why you have to use silly names like ‘refrigerator’ and ‘movies’

• Sit your dog about two or so metres from you, making sure he is settled and relaxed
• In the same voice tone you use to call your dog, use the word ‘refrigerator’ instead of his name
• Does he show some response to come to you, if so give him – 3 points
• If he does not move, use the word ‘movies’ instead of his name. If he comes give him – 2 points
• When the dog has not responded to either word, call his name. If he comes or shows a tendency to comes to you give him – 5 points
• If your dog does not move, call his name again and if he comes give him – 4 points
• Still does not come to you, give him – 1 point

Now add up your dog’s score results and see if you have a dog of high intelligence! Or not as the case may be.

• Over 25 points – Your dog is a genius
• 15 – 25 points – Your dog is smart, but won’t go to Uni
• 5 – 15 points – Your dog is not very bright but I bet he’s adorable
• Below 5 points – Your dog must be an Afghan Hound!

Please note: The derogatory remark about Afghan Hounds are those of Stanley Coren and not mine! What we all agree on is that these are the most beautiful of dogs.

Also, please remember, these marks are for your dog as he is now. If you continue with his training and exercising his mind and body, he will come on leaps and bounds and increase his adaptive intelligence. If you also keep habituating and socialising him, his confidence will increase and allow his intelligence to be stimulated. Do something different with your dog every day. Take him to a new park, take him to the beach. Play different games with him and get him toys that will challenge his mind as well as being fun.

The 20 most intelligent dogs according to Stanley Coren

Here are the first 20 most intelligent dogs according to Stanley Coren, who wrote book “The Intelligence of Dogs Canine Consciousness and Capabilities” As Part 2 is getting a bit lengthy, I will list the rest of them in Part 3.

• 2. Poodle
• 3. German Shepherd
• 4. Golden Retriever
• 5. Doberman Pinscher
• 6. Shetland Sheepdog
• 7. Labrador Retriever
• 8. Papillon
• 9. Rottweiler
• 10. Australian Cattle Dog
• 11. Pembroke Welsh Corgi
• 12. Miniature Schnauzer
• 13. English Springer Spaniel
• 14. Belgian Tervuren
• 15. Schipperke & Belgian Sheepdog
• 16. Collie & Keeshond
• 17. German Shorthaired Pointer
• 18. Flat-coated Retriever, English Cocker Spaniel & Standard Schnauzer
• 19. Brittany
• 20. Cocker Spaniel

Look out for Part 3 of  Is your dog intelligent?

In Part 3 of this article, I will go into the differences in temperaments of breeds of dogs. In 1985, the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association published the results of a comprehensive study on the minds of different breeds. I will explain how the 56 most popular breeds of the time were classified into 7 different groups. These groups were dependent on the strength of the breeds’ traits. 13 different traits were explored. This will be very useful for those of you trying to decide which breed of dog to acquire.