Rank

Characteristics

1-10

Brightest Dogs

11-26

Excellent Working Dogs

27-39

Above Average Working Dogs

40-54

Average Working/Obedience Intelligence

55-69

Fair Working/Obedience Intelligence

70-79

Lowest Degree of Working/Obedience Intelligence

Rank

Breed

1

Border Collie

Ranks 1 to 10 - Brightest Dogs

Understanding of New Commands: Less than 5 repetitions

Obey First Command: 95% of the time or better

2

Poodle

3

German Shepherd

4

Golden Retriever

5

Doberman Pinscher

6

Shetland Sheepdog

7

Labrador Retriever

8

Papillion

9

Rottweiler

10

Australian Cattle Dog

11

Pembroke Welsh Corgi

Ranks 11 to 26: Excellent Working Dogs

Understanding of New Commands: 5 to 15 repetitions

Obey First Command: 85% of the time or better

12

Miniature Schnauzer

13

English Springer Spaniel

14

Belgian Tervuren

15a

Belgian Sheepdog

15b

Schipperke

16a

Collie

16b

Keeshond

17

German Shorthaired Pointer

18a

English Cocker Spaniel

18b

Flat-Coated Retriever

18c

Standard Schnauzer

19

Brittany

20

Cocker Spaniel

21

Weimaraner

22a

Belgian Malinois

22b

Bernese Mountain Dog

23

Pomeranian

24

Irish Water Spaniel

25

Vizsla

26

Cardigan Welsh Corgi

27a

Chesapeake Bay Retriever

Ranks 27 to 39: Above Average Working Dogs

Understanding of New Commands: 15 to 25 repetitions

Obey First Command: 70% of the time or better

27b

Puli

27c

Yorkshire Terrier

28

Giant Schnauzer

29a

Airedale Terrier

29b

Bouvier Des Flandres

30a

Border Terrier

30b

Briard

31

Welsh Springer Spaniel

32

Manchester Terrier

33

Samoyed

34a

American Staffordshire Terrier

34b

Australian Terrier

34c

Bearded Collie

34d

Field Spaniel

34e

Gordon Setter

34f

Newfoundland

35a

Cairn Terrier

35b

Irish Setter

35c

Kerry Blue Terrier

36

Norwegian Elkhound

37a

Affenpinscher

37b

Clumber Spaniel

37c

English Setter

37d

Miniature Pinscher

37e

Pharaoh Hound

37f

Silky Terrier

38

Norwich Terrier

39

Dalmatian

40a

Bedlington Terrier

Ranks 40 to 54: Average Working/Obedience Intelligence

Understanding of New Commands: 25 to 40 repetitions

Obey First Command: 50% of the time or better

40b

Smooth Fox Terrier

40c

Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier

41a

Curly-Coated Retriever

41b

Irish Wolfhound

42a

Australian Shepherd

42b

Kuvasz

43a

Finnish Spitz

43b

Pointer

43c

Saluki

44a

American Water Spaniel

44b

Black & Tan Coonhound

44c

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

44d

German Wirehaired Pointer

45a

Bichon Frise

45b

English Toy Spaniel

45c

Siberian Husky

45d

American Foxhound

45e

English Foxhound

46a

Greyhound

46b

Otterhound

46c

Tibetan Spaniel

46d

Wirehaired Pointing Griffon

47a

Scottish Deerhound

47b

West Highland White Terrier

48a

Boxer

48b

Great Dane

49a

Dachshund

49b

Staffordshire Bull Terrier

50

Alaskan Malamute

51a

Chinese Shar-Pei

51b

Whippet

51c

Wire Fox Terrier

52

Rhodesian Ridgeback

53a

Ibizan Hound

53b

Irish Terrier

53c

Welsh Terrier

54a

Boston Terrier

54b

Akita

55

Skye Terrier

Ranks 55 to 69: Fair Working/Obedience Intelligence

Understanding of New Commands: 40 to 80 repetitions

Obey First Command: 30% of the time or better

56a

Norfolk Terrier

56b

Sealyham Terrier

57

Pug

58

French Bulldog

59a

Brussels Griffon

59b

Maltese

60

Italian Greyhound

61

Chinese Crested

62a

Dandie Dinmont Terrier

62b

Japanese Chin

62c

Lakeland Terrier

62d

Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen

62e

Tibetan Terrier

63

Old English Sheepdog

64

Great Pyrenees

65a

Saint Bernard

65b

Scottish Terrier

66

Bull Terrier

67

Chihuahua

68

Lhasa Apso

69

Bullmastiff

70

Shih Tzu

Ranks 70 to 79: Lowest Degree of Working/Obedience Intelligence

Understanding of New Commands: 80 to 100 repetitions or more

Obey First Command: 25% of the time or worse

71

Basset Hound

72a

Beagle

72b

Mastiff

73

Pekingese

74

Bloodhound

75

Borzoi

76

Chow Chow

77

Bulldog

78

Basenji

79

Afghan Hound