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Smart is often a selling point for dogs. There are certain breeds, especially those known for herding, that are generally considered the cream of the clever canine crop. Thus if you want an intelligent dog it might not be too hard to seek one out, but there are some things you need to know before adopting a brainy companion. Pet site ZooToo has some tips.
The most important thing to consider first is that smart doesn’t necessarily mean easy. We think that it will; we think how nice it will be to have a dog that can fetch slippers and doesn’t require much time spent in training. But it’s actually the opposite: smart dogs, though they might pick up on the basic commands faster than their more average-intelligence counterparts, actually require a large time commitment.
The breeds best known for intelligence–Australian and German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, and Border Collies (a Border Collie, Chaser, is currently a famous smart dog, being known for correctly identifying 1,000 stuffed animals)–are, by nature, high-energy breeds. Their intelligence is what made them perfect for working dog jobs, most commonly herding. They needed those brains to do their work, but the need to do that work is built into their DNA.
Smart dogs need constant stimulation. They’re not happy with the occasional bone to chew or gaze out of the window. They need tasks to perform or they’ll start finding tasks of their own, and you might not like how they decide to occupy themselves.
Forget the normal destruction caused by a bored dog: trash cans tipped over and rifled through, stray shoes or papers chewed or torn up. Smart dogs can figure out how to do much more damage. They can learn how to open doors or cabinets, either getting out of a house and its fenced yard (no matter how secure the fence), or into food or other objects that might otherwise be safe behind a door.
Another impulse many smart dogs, given that most of them are herders, might act out is to, well, herd. They might try to herd everyone towards one part of the room, especially children. If you leave them alone with cats for too long they might do the same to felines. That seems harmless, but you’ll be left with some unhappy cats. Herders are also supposed to keep their quarry where it’s been herded, so the herdees might get nipped if they attempt to free themselves.
Border Collies especially are also a chasing breed, so that means you have to watch what they might run after. Sometimes they even go after cars, making this breed dangerous to themselves at times.
If you want one of these smart breeds, you’re going to need to spend significant exercise time with them each day. The occasional trip to the dog park isn’t enough. It’s also best to enroll them in obedience/training classes, where you’ll have help in keeping their quick minds occupied.
The key is to do research not only on the breed you’re adopting, but on the specific dog at which you’re looking. Learn about its personality before taking it home, so you’ll be prepared for whatever may come.
Related Articles:
Female Dogs Might think Differently from Male Dogs
Setting Expectations for Dog Training
Testing Your Dog’s Intelligence
*(This image by S B is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.)
