How Smart Is Your Dog Really? Understanding the 3 Types of Canine Intelligence

Every year, you’ll see a fresh list ranking the "smartest dog breeds." Border Collies always come out on top, with Poodles, German Shepherds, and Golden Retrievers right behind. But here’s the catch: most of those lists only measure how obedient a dog is — how fast they learn commands and how often they follow them.

And while that kind of intelligence matters, it’s just one piece of the puzzle.

In The Intelligence of Dogs, psychologist Stanley Coren breaks canine intelligence into three categories:

1. Obedience & Working Intelligence – how well a dog learns from humans

2. Adaptive Intelligence – how well a dog learns from experience

3. Instinctive Intelligence – a dog’s natural, inborn abilities based on what they were bred to do

If we only measure obedience, we’re missing what makes many dogs truly brilliant. Let’s break each category down — and spotlight some breeds that excel in each one.

1. Obedience & Working Intelligence

This is what most people think of when they hear “smart dog.” It measures how quickly a dog can learn new commands and how reliably they respond.

Dogs bred to work closely with humans — like herding or sporting breeds — tend to score highest here. They’re hardwired to pay attention to people and follow cues.

Top breeds in obedience intelligence:

• Border Collie – Often called the Einstein of dogs, they were bred to herd livestock by responding instantly to shepherds’ cues.

• Poodle – Originally bred as water retrievers, Poodles are not just trainable but thrive on mental stimulation.

But obedience ≠ intelligence across the board.Some dogs aren’t motivated to please — and that doesn’t make them dumb. It just means they were bred to be independent.

Take the Afghan Hound, which ranked last in Coren’s obedience rankings. That’s because Afghans were bred to hunt without human help. They’re elegant, aloof, and smart — just not interested in being told what to do.

Same goes for Siberian Huskies — independent, clever, and often too smart for their own good. But when it comes to following commands? Not their thing.

2. Adaptive Intelligence

Adaptive intelligence is about problem-solving — how well your dog figures things out on their own.

Does your dog nudge open doors? Figure out how to reach a treat on the counter? Learn patterns or routines without being taught? That’s adaptive smarts.

A great example: the Cairn Terrier.Cairns were bred in Scotland to hunt and flush out rodents from stone piles (called “cairns”). That job required quick thinking, independence, and creative problem solving. Cairns are famous for figuring things out on their own — whether that’s how to get what they want or how to escape the yard. They might not be top-tier in obedience, but they’ll outsmart you if you’re not careful.

Other high adaptive intelligence breeds:

• Huskies – Known escape artists, they’ll test every latch and fence weakness they can find.

• Border Collies again – Not only obedient, but also quick to adapt and generalize tasks.

It’s important to note that adaptive intelligence can vary a lot between individual dogs, even within a breed. You might have one Golden Retriever who solves puzzle toys instantly and another who stares at them like they’re alien tech. Just like people, dogs have their own strengths.

3. Instinctive Intelligence

Instinctive intelligence is what a dog was born to do. Every breed has a job in its genetic history — herding, hunting, guarding, retrieving — and the natural ability to do that job well is a type of intelligence in its own right.

Examples:

• Border Collies herd. Even without training, many will naturally gather and circle anything that moves — kids, other dogs, even balls.

• Labrador Retrievers retrieve. A Lab puppy may naturally carry things in a soft mouth, without being taught.

• Bloodhounds track. Their scent-trailing abilities are legendary and require little formal instruction.

• Terriers, like the Cairn, are relentless diggers and chasers — behaviors tied directly to their rodent-hunting roots.

• Livestock guardian breeds like the Great Pyrenees or Anatolian Shepherd will stand watch and protect without being asked — they were bred to live with and defend flocks from predators.

Even toy breeds like the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel were bred for companionship. Their natural instinct is to bond closely and be in tune with human emotions — that emotional sensitivity is their instinctive strength.

Unlike obedience, you can’t really rank instinctive intelligence across all breeds. A dog bred to herd isn’t smarter than one bred to scent-track — they’re just different. You wouldn’t expect a Pointer to guard sheep, and you wouldn’t ask a German Shepherd to tree a raccoon. Every dog has a different kind of genius baked into their DNA.

So... What Kind of Smart Is Your Dog?

When people ask “Is my dog smart?” — they’re usually thinking about obedience. But a better question is:“What is my dog smart at?”

Your Labrador might be a champion at fetch but clueless when it comes to puzzle toys. Your terrier may blow off commands but out-think every baby gate you set up. Your Afghan might ignore you on walks, but that’s not a lack of intelligence — it’s the nature of a breed bred to think independently.

Coren’s three-part framework reminds us to look beyond how many tricks a dog knows and start appreciating the different ways dogs show intelligence.

• Obedient dogs want to work with you.

• Adaptive dogs want to figure things out on their own.

• Instinctive dogs are brilliant at doing what they were born to do.
  

Every dog has their own mental strengths, and once you understand where they shine, it’s easier to tailor your training, enrichment, and expectations. That makes life better — and more fun — for both of you.

Sources:

• Stanley Coren, The Intelligence of Dogs

• American Kennel Club (akc.org)

• Cairn Terrier Club of America

• Psychology Today, “Canine Corner” by Stanley Coren