Is Your Dog Smarter then Your Child?
By MIKE BRODY(MYFOX NATIONAL) –
Canine IQ tests have revealed that the average dog is as smart as a 2-year-old child.
The finding is based on a language development test developed by Stanley Coren, canine expert and professor emeritus at the University of British Columbia.
LiveScience reports that Coren’s test revealed average dogs can learn 165 words — about the same as a 2-year-old child. The dogs also can learn signals and gestures, and dogs in the top 20 percent in intelligence are able to learn 250 words.
When studying dogs’ math and social skills, the results are even more impressive. Cohen says dogs would be on par with a 3- or 4-year-old child in basic arithmetic and their social behavior is similar to that of a teenager.
“The social life of dogs is much more complex, much more like human teenagers at that stage, interested in who is moving up in the pack and who is sleeping with who and that sort of thing,” Coren told LiveScience.
Coren found the Top 7 most intelligent dogs were:
1.Border collies
2.Poodles
3.German shepherds
4.Golden retrievers
5.Dobermans
6.Shetland sheepdogs
7.Labrador retrievers
On the other end of the spectrum, many of the hounds, such as the Bassett Hound and the Afghan Hound, along with the Bulldog, Beagle and Basenji were found to be the least intelligent.
The traditional list of the Top 10 most intelligent breeds of dogs is consistent with Coren’s findings.
August 12, 2009 at 11:55 am
Thanks for sharing this;I think it is all very interesting, and the news that dogs are as bright as a 2 year old really comes as no suprise. I’m not sure about terriers and hounds being labelled out of this bracket though; I love all terriers, and definitely dont think they are “the least bright” – same with hounds, my friend has a basset hound, and boy is he smart, no way you would ever call him stupid. He hates my boyfriend, and once when we went to visit, the little scamp pooped in one of his boots and wee-weeed in the other, in a row of all the boots and shoes in a line. Dont tell me hounds aren’t smart! I am hoping to be getting a dog myself soon (fingers crossed a miniature english bull terrier). I work with exchange and mart where there are lots of dogs and pet supplies http://www.exchangeandmart.co.uk/ if you are thinking of treating your dog soon. (no matter what breed!) Take care, good blogging with you