How to Know If Your Dog Is Gifted

Did you know dogs are the smartest animals that exist after primates? When studying canine intelligence, experts look at their learning ability and recognition of words from our language outside of a training context. How do you know if your dog is gifted? Pay attention to these tests.

It's not so much about the number of words it already knows, but the ones it's able to absorb within minutes, with no conditioning at all. So, it's no coincidence that Border Collies and Yorkshires have stood out in every test conducted. These are breeds that need mental stimulation and enjoy taking on challenges.

Useful References for Measuring a Dog's Intelligence

Several professionals have dedicated their careers to studying and scrutinizing dogs' intellectual abilities, understood in their broadest sense. Although neuropsychologist Stanley Coren is the most well-known, there are other key figures, like Brian Hare, worth knowing for their contribution to the scientific body of knowledge on this topic.

Brian Hare

This evolutionary anthropologist argues that an adult dog's intelligence is comparable to that of a child between 9 months and 2 years old, able to solve arithmetic and spatial problems. His conclusions come from several studies conducted at Duke University and gathered in his book The Genius of Dogs.

The Stanley Coren Test

This is, without a doubt, the most well-known, most widely used, and also most complex canine intelligence test that exists. In fact, through various exercises, it scrutinizes dogs' observation skills, problem-solving ability, short- and long-term memory, and gesture interpretation ability.

According to this test, the 5 smartest dog breeds are, in this order, the Border Collie, the Poodle, the German Shepherd, the Golden Retriever, and the Doberman. The least easy to train, so to speak, are the Afghan Hound, the Basenji, the Chow Chow, the Borzoi, and the Mastiff.

Tests to Know If My Dog Is Gifted

If you feel like trying the exercises that make up this test, take note, since we're going to break down its different sections. You should record the score obtained after each stage, so that if the total at the end is 45 points, it means your pet is a little genius.

1. Observation Skills

Outside your usual walk time, get ready as if you were about to head outside and watch your dog's reaction. Top marks, 5 points, go to furry friends that immediately and excitedly approach their owner. If it doesn't approach, try opening the door slightly. If it responds to the stimulus, you should give it 4 points.

2. Attention to Its Surroundings

While your pet's not home, move a piece of furniture it's familiar with, or better yet, one of its belongings. Watch its behavior when it returns. Top marks go to dogs that notice what happened, sniffing the moved object, within 15 seconds.

3. Short-Term Memory

For this test, in a clear area of the house, show it its favorite snack. Let it sniff it and take it out of the room for 10 seconds to hide the treat. Call your pet and time how long it takes to find it. Give it 5 points if it goes straight to where it's hidden.

4. Long-Term Memory

Repeat the same exercise as before, but leave it out of the room for 5 minutes. Scoring should follow the same pattern. 5 points if it goes straight there, 4 if it sniffs almost directly, 3 if it does so randomly and within 45 seconds, and 2 if more than 45 seconds are needed.

5. Interpreting Your Gestures

At a calm moment when your pet is sitting near you, look it in the eyes, and once you've caught its attention, give it a smile, without any other gesture. If it comes to you without hesitation, wagging its tail, it gets 5 points. If it approaches but doesn't quite reach you, or doesn't wag its tail, give it 4 points.

6. Problem Solving

For this test, you can use a blanket or towel. Let it sniff it, then cover its head and part of its body with it. Time how long it takes to get free. If it does so in under 5 seconds, it gets 5 points.

You can also cover some books with a board and hide a treat among the books after letting it sniff it. If it finds it without lifting the board and in under a minute, it'll have earned top marks. Don't forget to reward it with its favorite treat, since it'll have done a great job.

Pressure-Free Exercises

In short, although a dog's intelligence is tied to genetics, every individual has some abilities more developed than others. So, for example, Greyhounds don't stand out for their observation skills, but they're built to cover long distances in a short span of time.

If you're wondering how to know if your dog is gifted, you now have several exercises you can do wherever you prefer. That said, remember to choose a calm spot your pet likes, and make sure it's hungry so you can reward it at the end of each cycle. Repeat it on consecutive days. You'll surely have a nice time you'll remember fondly.