Stanley Coren is a psychologist and teacher who in 1994 wrote the famous book The Intelligence of Dogs. In Spanish the book is known as " The fabulous intelligence of dogs". In it, a world ranking of canine intelligence is elaborated and three aspects of the intelligence of the dog are detailed:
- Instinctive intelligence: abilities that the dog possesses instinctively, such as herding, guarding or keeping company, among others.
- Adaptive intelligence: abilities that dogs have to solve a problem.
- Working Intelligence and Obedience: the human being's ability to learn.
Classification of dogs according to Stanley Coren:
- Border collie
- Poodle or poodle
- German shepherd
- Golden retriever
- Doberman pinscher
- Shetland Sheepdog
- Labrador retriever
- Papillon
- Rottweiler
- Australian Cattle Dog
- Pembroke Welsh Corgi
- Miniature Schnauzer
- English Springer Spaniel
- Belgian Shepherd Tervueren
- Schipperke - Belgian Shepherd Groenedael
- Keeshond or wolf-type spitz
- German Shorthaired Pointer
- Smooth Coated Retriever - English Cocker Spaniel - Medium Schnauzer
- Breton Spaniel
- American Cocker Spaniel
- Weimaraner
- Belgian Shepherd Laekenois - Belgian Malinois - Bernese Mountain Dog
- Pomeranian
- Irish Spaniel
- Hungarian Shorthaired Pointer
- Cardigan Welsh Corgi
- Chesapeake Bay Retriever - Puli - Yorkshire Terrier
- Giant Schnauzer - Portuguese Water Dog
- Airedale - Bouvier des Flanders
- Border Terrier - Brie Shepherd
- English Springer Spaniel
- Manchester Terrier
- Samoyed
- Field Spaniel - Newfoundland - Australian Terrier - American Staffordshire Terrier - Scottish Setter - Bearded Collie
- Cairn terrier - Kerry Blue Terrier / Irish Setter
- Norwegian Elkhound
- Affenpinscher - Silky Terrier - Miniature Pinscher - English Setter - Pharaon Hound - Clumber Spaniels
- Norwich Terrier
- Dalmatian
- Smooth Fox Terrier - Bedlington Terrier
- Curly-coated Retriever - Irish Wolfhound
- Kuvasz
- Saluki - Finnish Spitz
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel - German Wirehaired Pointer - Black-and-tan Coonhound - American Water Spaniel
- Siberian Husky - Bichon Frize - English Toy Spaniel
- Tibetan Spaniel - English Foxhound - American Foxhound - Otterhound - Greyhound - Wirehaired Pointer Griffon
- West Highland white terrier - Scottish Deerhound
- Boxer - German Mastiff
- Dachshund - Staffordshire Bull Terrier
- Alaskan Malamute
- Whippet - Shar-Pei - Wire-haired Fox terrier
- Rhodesian Crested
- Ibicenco Hound - Welsh Terrier - Irish Terrier
- Boston Terrier - Akita Inu
- Skye Terrier
- Norfolk Terrier - Sealhyam Terrier
- Pug
- French Bulldog
- Belgian Griffon / M altese Terrier
- Piccolo Levriero Italiano
- Chinese Crested Dog
- Dandie Dinmont terrier - Vendeen - Tibetan Mastiff - Japanese Chinese - Lakeland Terrier
- Old english shepherd
- Pyrenean Mountain Dog
- Scottish Terrier - Saint Bernard
- English bull terrier
- Chihuahua
- Lhasa apso
- Bullmastiff
- Shih Tzu
- Basset hound
- Mastiff - Beagle
- Pekingese
- Bloodhound or San Humberto dog
- Borzoi
- Chow Chow
- English bulldog
- Basenji
- Afghan Greyhound
Evaluation
Stanley Coren's classification is based on the results of various work and obedience tests carried out by the AKC (American Kennel Club) and CKC (Canadian Kennel Club) in 199 dogs. It is important to note that not all breeds canines are included.
So the list finally suggests that:
- More intelligent races (1-10): understand commands with less than 5 repetitions and generally obey the first command.
- Excellent working breeds (11-26): They understand new commands in 5 and 15 repetitions, they tend to obey 80% of the times.
- Above-average work breeds (27-39): understand new orders between 15 and 25 repetitions. They usually respond in 70% of cases.
- Medium intelligence in work and obedience (40-54): these dogs need between 40 and 80 repetitions to understand a command. They respond 30% of the time.
- Low intelligence in work and obedience (55-79): they learn new commands between 80 and 100 repetitions. They don't always obey, only in 25% of cases.
Stanley Coren created this list to place the intelligence of dogs in terms of work and obedience, however, it is not a representative result since each dog can respond better or worse, regardless of the race, age, or sex.
