When you decide to get a new dog for a pet, you have to take many things into consideration like size, breed, care requirements, grooming requirements, and dog personality. But have you ever stopped to consider the intelligence of the dog? This isn’t usually one of the factors people consider, but it can be very important.

Intelligent dogs tend to be better for home protection and guarding you and your family, plus they are easier to train. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the top ten most intelligent dogs for you to consider.

#1 – Border Collie

The Border Collie is a member of the "Herding Group," is a hard-working dog, and has been recognized as the most intelligent of all dog breeds for many years.

This dog was bred to be a herding dog and is happiest when he is working. He is easily trained and seemingly has a limitless amount of energy. To keep this dog happy, however, the owner needs to have a great deal of energy too. The Border Collie quickly becomes bored and develops bad habits if he is left for periods of time without attention.

Because of his high intelligence, this is a great dog to have as long as you have the time to spend with him keeping him both physically and mentally busy.

The Border Collie is a medium-sized dog that is not aggressive and avoids fighting. The most common colors are the black and white but Border Collies can also be tri-colored.

#2 – Poodle

Most people are surprised to see the Poodle on a list of intelligent dogs. They are usually associated with being a spoiled and high-maintenance dog that lives a "cushy" life. Surprisingly, the poodle is very intelligent.

Poodles can be trained in many dog sports and can even herd. They come in small, medium, and large sizes and many colors. An added plus is that their coats are hypoallergenic so they are good for families that have allergies, but their coats do require special grooming.

Like the Border Collie, they require a great deal of mental and physical exercise.

#3 – German Shepherd

The German Shepherd is a dog that is known for his intelligence, strength and loyalty. This dog loves to have a purpose and is loyal to that purpose. Originally a herding dog, most German Shepherds are now used as Police dogs or guide dogs.

This large sized dog is very loyal to his family but can become overprotective if not trained correctly. He is happiest when he has a job to do. He makes a great family dog, as long as he is properly trained and socialized. This dog does well if he is trained with a "firm" hand.

#4 – Golden Retriever

The Golden Retriever is not only considered one of the most intelligent dogs, he is also considered the #1 family dog. This dog was bred to hunt and retrieve game. They make great hunting dogs, guide dogs, search and rescue dogs, and of course, family dogs.

This is a large size dog with many different "golden" colors. He is a very sociable and trusting dog. Because of this, he is not a good guard dog.

#5 – Doberman Pinscher

Doberman Pinschers are intelligent, alert, and are loyal companions. They were once mainly used as military or guard dogs, but no longer. Today, they are kept as pets and personal guardians. They are very muscular and energetic and require a lot of exercise.

Because of their intelligence, they are easily trained and can make good family dogs, offering protection. The Doberman is medium sized and can be black, red, and fawn colored.

#6 – Shetland Sheepdog

The Sheltie is a working dog through and through. He is happiest when he is herding and is often barking and trying to herd people if he isn’t given enough exercise time where he can run and burn off energy. He is a small dog with a beautiful coat that can be black or sable with white or tan mixed in.

This dog is very intelligent and is very easily trained. As long as he has plenty of attention and exercise, he can adapt to any living arrangement.

#7 – Labrador Retriever

The Labrador is a loving, gentle, and sociable dog. He is great with all people including small children. They make good companions because of their patience and loyalty. But with training, they are also a great working dog and is considered one of the most dependable, obedient and multi-talented breeds in the world.

#8 – Papillon

The Pappilon is a small, happy energetic little dog. Easily trained because of his intelligence, he adapts well to where ever you live. As long as he has plenty of exercise, he will be happy.

He is usually white with patches of color on his beautiful, flowing coat. His hair is long but doesn’t have an undercoat so he doesn’t require a great deal of grooming.

#9 – Rottweiler

The Rottweiler is another dog that is happiest when serving and when given a job to do. Because of his temperament, he is happiest when he is working as a police dog, herder, service dog, therapy dog, obedience competitor or devoted companion.

He has a laid-back personality, but must have obedience training and socialization training. If you choose a Rottweiler, you will need to be prepared to exercise him daily. The Rottweiler is a medium-sized, muscular dog with a short coat that doesn’t require much grooming.

#10 – Australian Cattle Dog

The Australian Cattle Dog is another herding dog and like the other mentioned above has a lot of energy and intelligence. Because of their high energy levels, they are happiest when they have a job and are kept busy. If this dog isn’t kept busy, he quickly becomes destructive.

This is a dog that needs to be trained to do tricks, perform, compete, or work.

They have a "suspicious" nature making them a great guard dog. While he requires more attention to keep him busy, he has a short coat and doesn’t require much grooming. He can make a great family dog that will be loyal in protecting you.

As you can see, a common trait in this list of the ten most intelligent dogs is that they are high energy and need to be kept busy both physically and mentally. If you choose a dog from this list, be prepared to spend time providing an outlet for their energy, but know that you will also be getting an intelligent and loyal companion.

Jason Ladock

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