Are large dogs smarter than small dogs?

[Anna]

Since brain size is said to be a factor im just wondering why my small dogs are smart enough to
move out of the sprinkler. And the larger brutes stand there and get wet then cry about it! lol
Dogs are a mess but they sure can be funny.

[JonnyReb]

 My little mini pin mix is smarter than all my big dogs put together. Not that the big ones don't have redeeming characteristics but the small ones seem to think more in term of how people think. I think small dogs are somehow sharper, little brains or not:)

  When i imagine my lab mix or my old walker hounds getting an x-ray of their head, theres an acorn sized mass floating in a big cranium.  J

[Anna]

My small dogs are smarter, maybe it isn't brain size its how you use it! Does that mean midgets
are smarter than the rest of us? lol

[mechanic]

Depends on the breed.  Daughter has a German Shepherd...very smart.  Friend has an Australian Shepherd...smarter.  My wife's Pomeranian can spell words, or at least understand the spelling.  I had a bassett hound that was dumb as a rock on everything but escaping a fence.
 
Ben

[m-g Willy]

I've got two beagles , one female that is 13 and fat and blind.
She can still open the door to let herself in and out.
She can navigate the steps without falling.
Then I have the male that if it wasn't for instinct, he wouldn't be smart enough to draw a breath!

[Ranger99]

hard to say. i've not had any
little dogs. but the country
neighbor's little chee-wa-wa's
are smart enough to know how
to use those little needle teeth
to the best advantage.

[lakota]

I have 4:
12 year old lab mix very smart dog
12 year old shepard mix, not very smart and very very stubborn
3 year old rat looking yorkie/maltese mix. Pretty smart other than the fact that plates, bowls and silverware seem to strike terror into her heart
7 month old pure bred lab. Now this dog is dumber than a box of hammers. She is quite possibly the dumbest dog I have ever seen. Just a few hours ago I turned the whole pack loose to repel the neighbors cat who was making itself at home on my patio and dumb dumb ran right into one of the awning supports dead on and full speed. I really think this dog may have some sort of intellectual disability.
Its my opinion that mutts and mix breeds are generally smarter than pure breeds

[Tommyt]

Not sure about smarter
But believe they are better tempered 
Those bitty guys get testy real quick 

[FPH]

I've had big ones smart as a whip and dumb as a post.......same with small( 35 lbs)......I think breeding is more important.

[Duke0313]

Small dogs must be smarter to survive...dumb small dogs get eaten....

[gypsyman]

Small dogs have a Napoleon complex. Bark,bark,bark, look at me, I'm tough. Big dogs, after about 3-4 years of age, settle down, don't have to prove a thing. As far as ''smart'', depends on the dog itself. Some learn something right away, others, might as well beat them with a 2x4 just to get them to pay attention. My only rule of thumb with a dog, if I have to bend over to scratch their head, their to small. gypsyman

[Dee]

Border collie, the smartest, then the poodle, then the german shepherd, then the Doberman, then the golden retriever, and so on down the breed list.
The hound family not very smart. The bulldog family, the dumbest family of all.

[FPH]

I think you have to ask.....what is the dog bred for.  I have a smart Great Pyrenees that is smart, but not nearly as smart and quick as some Shepherds and cow dogs I've had.  However, she will lay down her life guarding her "Flock".

[ChungDoQuan]

I've had some smart dogs, big and small, mutts mostly. Growing up, a friend gave me a mostly Malemute--- huge dog, honest-to-god sled dog he brought back from when he was working on the pipeline, and smart as a person. I had another, half Lab, half English Bulldog. He was smart as they come, too. My dad raised Walker Hounds when I was young--- they were pretty hardheaded, but he would take the time to train them. My sister had this ugly little mostly terrier that we noticed was actually doing the things he was trying to teach the hounds!I think there are some smart dogs just like there are some smart people...

[Anna]

hard to say. i've not had any
little dogs. but the country
neighbor's little chee-wa-wa's
are smart enough to know how
to use those little needle teeth
to the best advantage.

I'm on my third cha-wow-wow. The thing I've noticed about them is they are like a radar installation.
With all of them its like they can hear something comming a half a mile away.
Great watch dogs in letting you know something is amiss and they work well the with larger dogs.
The deer heads are best for this, but the apple heads are the ones that are so cute.
Mine looks like the Taco Bell dog where her ears are larger than her head. But nothing moves or
happens around here without her knowing about it. And they will try and go investigate which can
get them in a lot of trouble. They think they are dobermans the first one I lost was in a fight with a
bob cat. Sure he lost but the bob cat wasnt in to good a shape either after that and had to be put
down. The second one I lost in a divorce that really broke my heart but I have seen custody battles
over a family dog before. And the courts will award visitation rights for pets if you ask for it.


 




 

[BBF]

None of the dogs I ever had/have were what I consider dumb. Some were easier to train than others.
Now if you want to use brain size as being smart, I got a big surprise in how smart birds can be.  Even a little cockatiel has "smarts". I suppose when your average "travel" speed is around 30 to 40 miles per hour through bushes and trees, you ought to have a lot of smarts not to pile up.

[oldandslow]

My experience with dogs is that they are like people in the intelligence department and also the size department. There are smart ones and dumb ones and they come in all sizes in both.

[Soilman]

I think intelligence in dogs is due to many factors.  To start with, just like people, some have a better head than others.  Another factor may be that dogs pick up on and learn body language, facial experession, and reactions of humans.  Smaller dogs are more often allowed in the home and therefore spend more time in the presence of humans, so they may better learn to "read" people and understand what is expected of them better than bigger, outdoor dogs.

[mannyrock]

  Read an article a few years ago where miniature poodles (these are the medium sized ones, not the toys), can learn the meaning of up to 200 English words.  About the same as a 3 year old human.  Pretty danged smart. 


  In the last few years, the Border Collie has edged out the poodle.


  Brain size (gross weight) has no relationship to intelligence, unless you are comparing individuals of the same species who have the same size body size (and weight).  Comparing individuals of the same size and body weight, those with the larger brains are smarter.


 Mannyrock

[nw_hunter]

Lakota! Perhaps your Lab is very intelligent, but needs glasses

[SHOOTALL]

Dogs aren't smart , some condition better than others. Some conditioning comes from breeding like pointing dogs or retrievers even fighting dogs. Then some comes from the ability of the trainer/owner.  So as an owner first you must pick a dog that can be conditioned and then be able to condition it. Once the dog accepts you as the Alpha it will learn to do what you expect. So letting it get away with bad habits in reality is training the dog to do the bad stuff.
 That said we might say there are smart owners and not so smart owners 

[scootrd]

10 most teachable dogs -
In his bestselling book, The Intelligence of Dogs, neuropsychologist Stanley Coren, PhD, focuses on trainability as a marker of intelligence. The University of British Columbia psychology professor relied on the assessments of 110 breeds by more than 200 professional dog obedience judges who scored breeds based on working/obedience tests.The top dogs absorbed commands in less than five repetitions and obeyed them 95% of the time or better. Here's the list along with a breed description by the American Kennel Club:

1. Border Collie: A workaholic, this breed is the world's premier sheep herder, prized for its intelligence, extraordinary instinct, and working ability.
2. Poodle: Exceptionally smart and active. Bred to retrieve things from the water. The miniature variety may have been used for truffle hunting.
3. German Shepherd: The world's leading police, guard, and military dog -- and a loving family companion and herder.
4. Golden Retriever: Intelligent and eager to please. Bred as a hunting companion; ideal as a guide and as assistance with search-and-rescue operations.
5. Doberman Pinscher: Known for its stamina and speed. Bred to be a guardian and in demand as a police and war dog.
6. Shetland Sheepdog: The "Sheltie" is essentially a miniature working Collie. A rough-coated, longhaired working breed that is keenly intelligent. Excels in herding.
7. Labrador Retriever: An ideal sporting and family dog. Gentle and intelligent.
8. Papillon: A happy, alert breed that isn't shy or aggressive. Known as Dwarf Spaniels in the 16^th and 17^th centuries, they reach 8-11 inches high.
9. Rottweiler: Robust and powerful, the breed is happiest with a job. Suitable as a police dog, herder, service dog, therapy dog, obedience competitor, and devoted companion.
10. Australian Cattle Dog: Happiest doing a job like herding, obedience, or agility. Energetic and intelligent.

[DDZ]

  Read an article a few years ago where miniature poodles (these are the medium sized ones, not the toys), can learn the meaning of up to 200 English words.  About the same as a 3 year old human.  Pretty danged smart. 
 Mannyrock

Gee, thats better than some high school graduates. 

[scootrd]

  Read an article a few years ago where miniature poodles (these are the medium sized ones, not the toys), can learn the meaning of up to 200 English words.  About the same as a 3 year old human.  Pretty danged smart. 
 Mannyrock

Gee, thats better than some high school graduates. 

quite true , My wife's little poodle knew about 70 individual words and understood the difference when you strung different words together like "put away your Toys" vs  "get your toys" she knew by color also ,,, "Go get the blue ball" vs "go get the ball".  smart as a whip that one was.

[SHOOTALL]

  Read an article a few years ago where miniature poodles (these are the medium sized ones, not the toys), can learn the meaning of up to 200 English words.  About the same as a 3 year old human.  Pretty danged smart.  In reality they learn what is expected when each word is called to them. It would be the same with hand signals or whistles but it would be hard for humans to remember 200 of either. I will consider the dog smart when they can recite the meaning of 200 words by using them in sentences. 
My old lab would not eat until told it was paid for. He had no concept of money as he chewed up a couple bills once but he knew if he ate before hearing it the food would be picked up . Why do this to keep him from being poisoned as several other labs were by expected anti hunters.


  In the last few years, the Border Collie has edged out the poodle.


  Brain size (gross weight) has no relationship to intelligence, unless you are comparing individuals of the same species who have the same size body size (and weight).  Comparing individuals of the same size and body weight, those with the larger brains are smarter.


 Mannyrock

[Conan The Librarian]

m-g-willy nailed this one. Generalizing about dog intelligence is like generalizing about human intelligence.
 
I've been around plenty of dogs of the same breed where one is exceptionally smart, another is stupid, and the others are just happy all the time. This leads me to believe that the happy ones are the smartest because they know how to enjoy life.
 
About the dogs that know 200 words, that's just because they're either too stupid or too polite. A really smart dog will let the owner when it's time to shut up.
 
A really good dog is one that needs almost no words at all. My old beagle and I had a great relationship in the field. After we learned to hunt together, our entire time in the field on a given day would include no more than the following: "C'mon pup, let's hunt."  "Good dog. Goood dog. You're a good dog pup." "Up and in. I know you want to hunt some more, but I'm cold" (up and in meaning to hop into the car.) and "Hey pup, wanna treat?" (dried liver, mmmmm!) I'm sure he just heard the following: "hunt", "good dog", "up and in", "treat". Add a "come" command and you've got all you need for a good relationship with a dog.
 
If you want something with advanced language skills, consider hanging out with another human.
 
 

[lakota]

Lakota! Perhaps your Lab is very intelligent, but needs glasses

Its very possible! As hard as she hit the post I thought for sure she was going to be hurt bad, but the goof ball just got up shook it off and continued the chase.

[Anna]

Mastiffs are really good dogs its hard to belive the Romans used them in the arena but they did.
I read somewhere that the Border Collie was on a par with the chimpanzee.
Border Collies have been known to take a stick in their mouths and use it to dig with.
That's intelligent, it shows the understanding and the working with a tool.
Blue Healers are good dogs and they are known to be very smart.
But I wouldn't give you ten cents for a chow or a pit bull they are known to turn on people.

[375supermag]

I have had some pretty smart dogs and some that were just plain dumb and hard-headed.


Smart ones: We had two mixed Black Labs (litter mates)...the female was pretty dumb, but sneaky. She learned how to open the biscuit box (a big plastic snap-top container), must have eaten two weeks worth of biscuits for two dogs in less time than it takes to tell it. Seemed pretty pleased with herself when I caught her doing it. She was real hard-headed or she played dumb, I don't know which, we never did figure it out.


The male is about the best behaved and well-mannered pup I have ever had. I swear he can spell words. He learned how to use his paw to open our bedroom door when it is closed. He knows when my wife is about to arrive home about 5-10 minutes before her car pulls in the driveway, he gets up from where ever he is to lay at the top of the steps waiting. He does this even when she goes to the grocery store, if she is gone 1/2 hour or all day. He also does it no matter which vehicle she takes.
He doesn't do it for my son  or myself. Most times he doesn't even acknowledge that I have arrived home. And he is supposed to be "my" dog.


The only time he is my dog is when I have food...then he just can't stay away.


He did stay pretty close last year after my cancer surgeries...for about two months he would not leave my side. It sure wasn't because of food...I had nothing by mouth for around a month (feeding tube)and no solid food for more than 6 weeks.
Once I was recovered enough to move around and do things, he just sort of moved away from the recliner that I spent the summer in. I guess he knew I was getting better and that he didn't need to watch me as closely.


Dumb ones:
Had a Lhasa Apso that would run head long into furniture and walls...no idea why.
Had a beagle that would eat dirt (soil) for no apparent reason. He also chewed a hole in my neighbor's garage.


Had a pretty smart Malamute for about 7 years. Enormously strong dog. My wife cried for days when he died. It took three years for her to decide it was time to get another dog.

[Anna]

I think dogs can sense that we are sick. I've never had a dog that wasnt like that when I was sick.
Cats could care less.