Stanley Coren and The Intelligence of Dogs

Stanley Coren is an American/Canadian professor of psychology, who published a book in 1994 explaining his researched theories of the natural intelligence of dogs, and the differences between dog breeds. A second edition of the book was later published in 2006, and these manuals are considered to be the only credible and definitive guides to assessing the genuine intelligence of dogs by breed today.

The findings published within the books and the accompanying and much talked about list of dogs ranked according to their intelligence levels are well known throughout the world. Coren’s list is often cited by canine behaviourists, dog trainers and dog breed authorities to explain the natural aptitude of some dogs to pick up learned skills and perform advanced tasks, and the failure of other breeds to achieve them.

The three facets of dog intelligence

In order to be able to quantify the intelligence of dogs and draw conclusions about canine intelligence on a breed-by-breed basis, Coren divided dog intelligence into three categories: Instinctive intelligence, adaptive intelligence, and working and obedience intelligence.

• Instinctive intelligence refers to any dog’s natural propensity and ability to undertake the roles and tasks that it was bred to do, such as herding or guarding.
• Adaptive intelligence refers to the problem solving ability of the dog, and their analytical skills when dealing with new situations.
• Working and obedience intelligence refers to the ability of dogs to learn, retain and perform training commands, and their propensity and willingness to both understand and take direction from their handlers.

The evaluation process used for the purposes of compiling the dog intelligence list was mainly based around observing the working and obedience intelligence aspect of the study, as the results of this facet of intelligence are tangible and can be accurately measured.

Understandably, upon first publication of the list, the various international dog breed authorities as well as the everyday dog lover and owner had a lot to say about the study, and it took several years for the findings of the study and the layout of the list of breeds to become widely accepted as factually accurate.

However, today, the methodology and ranking process used in the study is almost universally accepted as a valid and accredited guide to dog intelligence by breed.

The list and rankings of dog intelligence by breed

A total of 131 dog breeds are ranked as part of the list, with the total number of places on the list being rather fewer, at 79, due to their being several ties for positions between breeds.

So, are you wondering if your dog is a potential canine genius, or possibly at the other end of the scale, not that quick on the uptake?

Here is the full 131-dog list as it currently appears in the 2006 version of The Intelligence of Dogs.

1. Border Collie
2. Poodle (all sizes)
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 Shepherd 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
21. Weimaraner
22. Belgian Malinois
Bernese Mountain Dog
23. Pomeranian
24. Irish Water Spaniel
25. Hungarian Vizsla
26. Cardigan Welsh Corgi
27. Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Puli
Yorkshire Terrier
28. Giant Schnauzer
29. Airedale Terrier
Bouvier des Flandres
30. Border Terrier
Briard
31. Welsh Springer Spaniel
32. Manchester Terrier
33. Samoyed
34. Field Spaniel
Newfoundland
Australian Terrier
American Staffordshire Terrier
Gordon Setter
Bearded Collie
35. Cairn Terrier
Kerry Blue Terrier
Irish Setter
36. Norwegian Elkhound
37. Affenpinscher
Australian Silky Terrier
Miniature Pinscher
English Setter
Pharaoh Hound
Clumber Spaniel
38. Norwich Terrier
39. Dalmatian
40. Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier
Bedlington Terrier
Smooth Fox Terrier
41. Curly Coated Retriever
Irish Wolfhound
42. Kuvasz
Australian Shepherd
43. Saluki
Finnish Spitz
Pointer
44. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
German Wirehaired Pointer
Black and Tan Coonhound
American Water Spaniel
45. Siberian Husky
Bichon Frise
King Charles Spaniel
46. Tibetan Spaniel
English Foxhound
Otterhound
American Foxhound
Greyhound
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
47. West Highland Terrier
Scottish Deerhound
48. Boxer
Great Dane
49. Dachshund
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
50. Alaskan Malamute
51. Whippet
Chinese Shar-Pei
Wire Haired Fox Terrier
52. Rhodesian Ridgeback
53. Ibizan Hound
Welsh Terrier

Irish Terrier
54. Boston Terrier
Akita
55. Skye Terrier
56. Norfolk Terrier
Sealyham Terrier
57. Pug
58. French Bulldog
59. Griffon Bruxellois
Maltese
60. Italian Greyhound
61. Chinese Crested
62. Dandie Dinmont Terrier
Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen
Tibetan TerrierJapanese Chin
Lakeland Terrier

63. Old English Sheepdog
64. Great Pyrenees
65. Scottish Terrier
Saint Bernard
66. Bull Terrier
67. Chihuahua
68. Lhasa Apso
69. Bullmastiff
70. Shih Tzu
71. Basset Hound
72. Mastiff
Beagle
73. Pekingese
74. Bloodhound
75. Borzoi
76. Chow-Chow
77. English Bulldog
78. Basenji
79. Afghan Hound

While the list does include the vast majority of common and popular domestic dog breeds owned today, a couple of the most recently formally recognised breeds and some rare dog breeds are absent from the list. This is due to there not having been sufficient numbers of dogs of those breeds available for study, and so a realistic picture of the average breed intelligence for these dogs could not be concluded.

Also of course, mixed breed and cross breed dog such as mongrels and hybrids (such as the Labradoodle) are not and could not be included within the list, as the diverse genetic and ancestral heritage of such dogs will vary widely from case to case.