Ranking of Dogs 40 Smartest Dog Breeds  

40-Afghan Hound:

Afghan Hounds are intelligent and independent dogs. They are known for their elegance, beauty, and distinctive appearance. Afghan Hounds require patient and consistent training to harness their intelligence effectively.

39-Saint Bernard:

Saint Bernards are intelligent, gentle, and patient dogs. They are often used in search and rescue operations and excel in obedience training. Saint Bernards are known for their loyalty, intelligence, and willingness to please their owners.

38-Bichon Frise:

Bichon Frises are intelligent, affectionate, and highly trainable companion dogs. They are known for their cheerful and playful nature. Bichon Frises excel in activities such as obedience, agility, and even therapy work due to their intelligence and friendly disposition.

37-Great Dane:

Great Danes may have a large and imposing presence, but they are also intelligent and gentle giants. They are highly trainable and known for their friendly and patient temperament. Great Danes thrive in environments that provide mental stimulation and positive reinforcement training.

36-Boxer:

Boxers are intelligent, loyal, and energetic dogs. They are highly trainable and excel in activities such as obedience, agility, and even protection work. Boxers are known for their intelligence, playful nature, and protective instincts.

35-Dalmatian:

Dalmatians are intelligent, active, and independent dogs. They excel in activities such as agility, obedience, and even firefighting roles. Dalmatians require mental stimulation and consistent training to channel their intelligence and energy effectively.

34-Bull Terrier

 

Bull Terriers are intelligent, energetic, and full of personality. They are highly trainable and excel in activities such as obedience, agility, and even protection sports. Bull Terriers require firm and consistent training to channel their intelligence and energy positively.

33-Chesapeake Bay Retriever:

Chesapeake Bay Retrievers are intelligent, loyal, and highly trainable. They excel in activities such as hunting, retrieving, and competitive obedience. Their intelligence and versatility make them excellent working and sporting dogs.

32-Border Terrier:

Border Terriers may be small in size, but they possess a sharp intellect and a strong prey drive. They are highly trainable and excel in activities such as agility, earthdog trials, and obedience. Border Terriers are known for their tenacity and lively personality.

31-Cavalier King Charles Spaniel:

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are intelligent, affectionate, and eager to please. They are quick learners and excel in activities such as obedience, agility, and therapy work. Cavaliers are known for their friendly and gentle nature, making them excellent family companions.

30-Weimaraner:

Weimaraners are intelligent, energetic, and highly trainable dogs. They excel in activities such as hunting, tracking, and competitive obedience. Weimaraners require mental stimulation and consistent training to channel their intelligence and energy effectively.

29-English Setter:

English Setters are intelligent, gentle, and highly trainable. They excel in hunting and field trials, showcasing their keen sense of smell and natural abilities. English Setters are known for their intelligence, affectionate nature, and elegant appearance.

28-Portuguese Water Dog:

Portuguese Water Dogs are intelligent, athletic, and versatile. They excel in activities such as water rescue, obedience, and agility. Their intelligence, coupled with their love for water and their strong work ethic, makes them excellent working and companion dogs.

27-Havanese:

Havanese dogs may be small, but they possess a high level of intelligence and a desire to please their owners. They are highly trainable and excel in activities such as obedience, agility, and even canine freestyle. Havanese dogs are known for their affectionate and sociable nature.

26-Collie:

Collies are intelligent, sensitive, and highly trainable dogs. They have a strong herding instinct and excel in obedience and agility competitions. Collies are known for their loyalty, intelligence, and gentle nature.

25-Flat-Coated Retriever:

Flat-Coated Retrievers are intelligent, versatile, and enthusiastic workers. They excel in activities such as hunting, retrieving, and competitive obedience. Their trainability, combined with their friendly and outgoing nature, makes them great family companions.

24-West Highland White Terrier:

The West Highland White Terrier, or Westie, may be small in size, but they possess a sharp intelligence and an independent nature. They are trainable and excel in activities such as obedience, tracking, and earthdog trials. Westies are known for their alertness and lively personality.

23-Australian Shepherd:

Australian Shepherds are known for their high intelligence and strong work ethic. They are quick learners and excel in obedience, herding, and agility competitions. Australian Shepherds thrive in environments that challenge their mental and physical capabilities.

22-English Springer Spaniel:

The English Springer Spaniel is a highly intelligent and adaptable breed. They are skilled in hunting and excel in field trials and competitive obedience. Their intelligence and versatility make them well-suited for various roles, including search and rescue, detection work, and as therapy dogs.

21-Shih Tzu:

Shih Tzus may have a reputation for their luxurious coats and charming appearance, but they are also intelligent dogs. Despite their independent nature, they can be trained to respond well to commands and make loving companions.

20-Bloodhound

The bloodhounds are known for their sense of smell as they are known to smell the scent that is miles away. They have a unique ability to trail scent accurately. They are also brilliant, making them a better dog breed to track and find people.

19-Flat-Coated Retriever

This dog type belongs to the same family as the Labrador. It is intelligent and confident. These dogs are energetic and have good hunting skills. Like the Lab breed, the flat-coated retriever is an excellent therapy dog and can easily be accommodated as a good family pet.

18-German Shorthaired Pointer

 

This breed has traditionally been used as a sporting dog and is better for bird hunting. They were mainly bred to locate prey, making them smart with high self-confidence and self-control. They are brilliant dogs that are loyal to their owners. They can thrive in various households.

17-Keeshond

This dog breed is medium-sized and has a thick coat. They are handsome with delightful personalities. They are fast learners and are used to seeing dogs. For a better-bred Keeshond, they need a committed, disciplined trainer to get a better version of the dog.

16-Collie

This dog breed became famous in 1943 in a movie as it developed an extraordinary intelligence level. Over the years, it has been seen as a good herding dog, water rescue, protective, a good keeper, and associative with the disabled. However, they are naturally not interactive with their owners.

15-Schipperke

This is another Belgian dog breed that is brainy. It descends from the same family as the Belgian Sheepdog. They are clever, confident, and curious. These dogs are big and courageous, making them better watchdogs. They are very active and curious and need a lot of activities to keep them occupied and prevent their internal destructive nature. They are good boat watchers, earning them the name ship, which means boat in Flemish.

14-Belgian Tervuren, Sheepdog and Malinois

These dogs descended from the Belgian Sheepdog. They are intelligent and have a natural affinity for sports like herding, agility, tracking, and sledding. They are brilliant and loyal when well groomed, taken care of, and accompanied with arrays of tricks. They are most recognizable for their roles as military and police dogs.

13-English Springer Spaniel

This is a type of dog breed where utility and beauty meet. They are known for their wide-end abilities and attributes because they have smooth energy and stamina and use their brains in every activity. They have a marked bright coat and have a yearning spaniel expression with lush and long ears, giving them a better look than other dog breeds. These dogs are good at socializing and are friendly, with an outgoing nature. They have a strong desire to be working along with people.

12-Miniature Schnauzer

These dogs are eager to please and lively, with a friendly nature. They are some of the most intelligent dog breeds engaged in sporting activities and depend on their intelligence to execute an activity. They are quick to learn and like being challenged. Miniatures are excellent and quick learners who can get bored with repetitive activities.

11-Pembroke Welsh Corgi

This is a small breed of dog that enjoys being engaged in various activities. They are intelligent, happy, and loving when taken good care of but can be independent and very stubborn at times. They are easy to train but not subservient. These dogs are suitable family protectors and can look after small children when tamed.

10-Australian Cattle Dog

The Australian cattle dog is known for its down-under shares quality and tough cattle herding abilities. These dogs are good problem solvers, and they are eager to learn and respond well to training which comes with a price. They are known to engage in many enjoyable activities, including flyball, agility a Frisbee.

9-Rottweiler

This type of dog is solid, and its origin dates back to the roman empire era when they used to help in herding cattle. In the modern world, rotis are the most intelligent dogs and have a sharp perception of unwavering loyalty to their owners. They have an acute awareness making them better rescue dogs and search dogs. When they are well raised and bred, they grow calm, courageous, and confident, but sometimes they can be unduly aggressive. To the owners, this dog breed is downright known for its silliness and playfulness and can also be a good family companion when well accommodated.

8-Papillon

Papillon is one of the oldest breeds of dogs. They are small in size with big ears. Their origin line can be traced back to 700 years ago, meaning they have had many generations of intelligent breeding. Naturally, they are happy dogs that are friendly, very alert, and not aggressive or shy. Although they are minimal, papillon is good in intensive activity. They are highly trainable and intelligent but not good cuddlers but good doers. Just like other breeds, they can make good family dogs and can be accommodated well with small children. They are hardier than they look, even though they are small-boned dogs but can easily get hurt by children when roughly engaged.

7-Labrador Retriever

Labrador retrievers, also known as Labs, show better judgment and bravery, making them better service dogs, especially around people with disability. This breed is ranked among the smartest dogs because of its highly emotionally trainable and intelligent nature. They are excellent family dogs and suitable for exercising. They are a breed of dogs that love to work and be busy or engaged with some work, particularly retrieving. They are outgoing, high-spirited, and friendly, making them better companions. However, sometimes they get aggressive, like other breeds of dogs, especially when they feel threatened.

6-Shetland Sheepdog

This dog breed is among the best herding dogs in the century. They are small, alert, intelligent, often vocal, and active, making them a better option for herding. Shetland Sheepdogs are excellent and independent problem solvers and are good at following instructions even without orders. They are adoptable by many people because of their excellent companion nature. They love warm cuddles, making them better people-pleaser dogs. They are sweet and gentle with a pleasing personality. These dogs are also affectionate, making them well accommodated around children and a better family pet. They like to please and excel well in obedience training.

5-Doberman Pinscher

Unlike other dog breeds, Doberman Pinschers are in demand worldwide. This is because of their hardworking nature and their brilliance and sleekness. They have protective personalities and are highly trainable. Law enforcers can use them as service dogs because they are mentally active and can be bored when subjected to insufficient intellectual stimulation. These dogs learn quickly, have a quick response to an action, are loving, and can make good companions. Doberman Pinschers are powerful dogs; sometimes, they are pushy, unmanageable, and destructive if not well raised. They need to be tamed from puppyhood to pick training and obedience.

4-Golden Retriever

This is another top spot and a well-domesticated dog breed. They are known to be quickly trained and very calm. They are among the most intelligent dogs because they are too happy to comply with tasks and commands. They can be relied on for better consistency and good behavior in different situations. These dogs are affectionate, even-tempered, and intelligent dog breeds. They are very gentle, playful, and good with children. When with other pets, they are manageable and can tag along with other people and strangers. Golden retrievers shed slightly throughout the year and do not bark excessively.

3-German Shepherd

This is the third-best and brightest dog because of its intelligence and alertness. They are mainly used and employed as service dogs for search routines, law enforcement, disability assistance, and rescue missions. They help determine the best course of action and evaluate situations. They are very loyal and hardworking, making them better family and service dogs. Naturally, they are confident, gentle, and courageous, and it takes them some time to make friends. They have a good history of herding, making them a very loyal and noble dog breed. Unlike other dog breeds, German shepherds are among the most alert and highly confident dog breeds.

2-Poodle

Poodle is ranked as the second-best, most intelligent breed of dog because of its intelligence and loyalty to its owner, gentle and intelligent. These dogs learn quickly and can behave in a human-like nature and behavior. They can enjoy engageable activities and are easily trained, allowing them to be challenged in agility, tracking, obedience work, and hunting. Human beings will accommodate them because their eagerness to please their owners makes them better service dogs. This breed is used to guide other dogs, help people with disabilities, and can act as therapy dogs. In a domestic setting, they are fun-loving dogs, lively, and have a sense of ridiculousness. They thrive on attention, and when inadequately controlled, they quickly develop bad habits like irrelevantly barking and being a nuisance.

1-Border Collie

The border collie is one of the most intelligent dogs to ever habitat a man’s homestead. It is hardworking and used for herding. It is also seen as a good learner. These dogs are highly trainable and intelligent, making them the smartest dogs in the universe. They are eager to learn new things to please, are energetic, eager to please, and even-tempered, making them a better choice to be petted by a family. Border collies get along with children and other pets around. Some canine activities related to this breed are agility, better herding skills, and obedience to their owners. With a better herding trait, they associate well with older individuals and well-behaved
amateurs. Although they love their owners and family, they are reserved while around strangers.