10 Of The (Lesser Known) Smartest Dog Breeds

You’ve heard of Border Collies, Golden Labs, and Poodles as some of the smartest dog breeds in the world. But what about the rest? Here are some of the lesser known ones – and what to keep in mind if you’re looking for a brainy buddy that’s also a good fit for you.

Always know your buddy is healthy & safe

Read more

10 of the (slightly lesser-known) smartest dog breeds

For dogs, much like with most animals, “intelligence” is mostly equated to “obedience.” Which boils down to how quickly they can pick up on new commands. Plus, how responsive they are to training over time. So if you’re looking for a brainy four-legged buddy that isn’t a Border Collie, Lab, or Poodle, try a:

Doberman Pinscher 

Ranked 5th on the Stanley Coren list of dog intelligence, Doberman Pinschers are a breed of sleek, athletic dogs originating from Germany. Funnily enough, they were actually named after Louis Dobermann, a tax collector, who originally bred them! With their lightning quick reflexes and high trainability, Doberman Pinschers excel in police and military dog training. They’re also prime competiters at agility and obedience competitions.

💡Dobermans aren’t necessarily more aggressive than other dogs.¹ But they do tend to be slow to warm up around strangers. (They were historically bred as guard dogs, after all.)

Shetland Sheepdog

Also known as Shelties, the Shetland Sheepdog ranks just below the Doberman on the Coren list. These dogs are highly intelligent and trainable, excelling at problem solving on the go. Shelties were originally bred as herding dogs. They’re also one of the smartest dog breeds, able to understand new tricks and commands in fewer than 5 repetitions!

💡Like their name suggests, Shelties were bred to herd and boss around sheep in farms and open pastures. So if you’re raising one in a city, make sure they have a “job” to do. (Else they’re likely to get bored and antsy as a result.)

This could be putting away their toys, waking up your kids in the morning, or opening and closing doors. With your Sheltie happy and busy throughout the day, you’ll be less likely to find them miles away searching for a herd of sheep to take care of.

Papillon

These friendly, adventurous little dogs rank 8th on the Coren list and can pick up new tricks at lightning speed. Papillons also make excellent family dogs that enjoy a ton of playtime. Much like Dobermans, they’re highly athletic – making excellent competitors at dog shows and agility contests.

Miniature Schnauzer

Another laidback, obedient, friendly little dog is the Miniature Schnauzer, another small dog breed originating from Germany. Much like Shelties, they were bred to work on farms and chase down small, fast-moving pests like rats. Because of this, these little “grandpa dogs” are perceptive and quick to think on their feet. They also love learning new skills and tricks!

⚠️ Just watch out for your little Schnauzer’s prey drive. They have strong chasing and hunting instincts and may run after your kids, other dogs, woodland animals, cars, or even other joggers! All dogs have a prey drive to some extent or the other – and it’s also one of the key reasons they run away from home.

Follow your dog anywhere

Get real-time location information, wherever they go. And find out when they try to make an escape, or just when they go somewhere they shouldn’t, with Virtual Fences.

Shop Dog Trackers

Belgian Shepherd Dog (Tervueren)

You’ve heard of German Shepherds – but what about their Belgian cousins? From this family of Belgian Shepherds, the alert, sensitive Tervueren ranks 14th on the list of smartest dog breeds and can typically pick up tricks within 5-15 repetitions. These shaggy, medium-sized dogs were once used to herd sheep in farms across Belgium. But they’ve since put their athleticism and trainability to use on the Belgian police and military forces – but also as guide dogs and search and rescue dogs.

German Shorthaired Pointer

Next on our list of the smartest dog breeds is the German Shorthaired Pointer, another resourceful, fleet-footed former hunting dog that also excels at swimming. These intelligent dogs can learn a whole bunch of advanced commands with consistent training. However, they do need early socialization, consistent training, and a “job” to stay occupied. (Else they have a tendency to get destructive out of boredom.)

Much like Tervuerens, German Shorthaired Pointers (or GPSs, for short) are a highly active breed. They’ll be your perfect companion for running, swimming, hiking, and camping in the great outdoors. You’ll also need to keep yours active at least twice a day to prevent them from getting up to any mischief.

English Springer Spaniel

A small dog breed originating from the UK, English Springer Spaniels are famous for being proficient “sleuthing” dogs. They’re excellent at sniffing out prey, but also weapons, explosives, and illegal substances when working on police and military units. As former hunting dogs, Springers are often trained to pick up objects with a “soft mouth” (so as to not injure or puncture it) and to track down items based on scent. Based on the Coren scale, they’re likely to obey your first command around 85% of the time or better.

Pomeranian

A small dog with a big personality, Pomeranians are a lively, inquisitive, energetic breed that can keep you on your toes all day long! Despite their independent streak, Poms perform quite well at obedience competitions and can be trained as alert, watchful guard dogs. (Though, much like you might’ve guessed looking at them, they do tend to be a bit “yappy.”)

Just be prepared to bring out the big guns vacuuming your house – Pomeranians shed quite a bit due to their thick double coats. (Especially around spring and fall when they graduate to their “new” coats.)

Irish Water Spaniel

Another breed that reportedly doesn’t trigger allergies despite its thick coat are Irish Water Spaniels. Much like their English cousins, they’re likely to obey you the first time around 85% of the time when you give them a command. Like their name suggests, Irish Water Spaniels (or IWSs, for short) are excellent swimmers, historically trained to retrieve prey from water bodies. Because of this, they tend to be quite eager to please by temperament and will take well to consistent, positive reinforcement while training.

Cardigan Welsh Corgi

You’re probably familiar with the Pembroke Welsh Corgi that doesn’t have a tail – but turns out, their cousins do! Cardigan Welsh Corgis are one of the oldest breeds of dogs from the UK. Plus, don’t be fooled by their small size and short legs: these little dogs are deceptively fast, whether that’s chasing around herd animals on farms – but also in flyball, obedience, and agility contests.

Cardis are known to be highly loyal, alert, affectionate, and trainable. They’re able to think on their feet and guard homes with a surprisingly deep bark. They do best in active families that like to be on the move.

And if you’ve liked this post, share it with a friend or a loved one – and let’s help build a safer, kinder world for our furry friends together.