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Stanley Coren And The Intelligence Of Dogs

25 15:19:22

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 Terrier Japanese 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.