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Dog Intelligence
For some, measuring the intelligence of a dog is easy. If the dog listens, he is intelligent. If he does not listen (to basic commands for instance) he is considered unintelligent or simply independent and careless. Measuring the intelligence of a dog however, may be a bit more complex than simply judging the animal for not listening to a basic command. In order to measure dog intelligence, one must ask these questions:


  • Are dogs merely mindless animals that act on instinct alone?

    • Or

  • Do dogs think and remember, communicate, act based on emotional feelings, and are they self aware?

Let’s find out!


So just what does it mean to be intelligent? According to dictionary.com, the definition of “intelligent” can be described as:

  1. Having good understanding or a high mental capacity; quick to comprehend, as persons or animals

  2. Displaying or characterized by quickness of understanding, sound thought, or good judgment
Humans possessing these characteristics are typically deemed intelligent. When examined further however, these definitions are not as “clear cut” as they appear. For instance, it is common to assume that a person capable of solving difficult mathematical equations is quite intelligent. Another person may be poor at solving equations, but is a phenomenal artist. Is one smarter than the other or does each have a specific skill at which they excel rather quickly at?

Example:

Let’s say you have a friend who is a brilliant chemist and a friend who is a fashionable hairstylist. Who is smarter, the chemist or the hairstylist? Ask yourself these questions:


  • On your wedding day, would you want the chemist doing your hair?

    • And

  • Do you want the hairstylist attempting to combine deadly chemicals for modern warfare?

The answers to both of these questions is “probably not” or simply “no”. Thus, intelligence may be more than just how quickly a person or animal can comprehend something. Perhaps intelligence is better determined on how well an individual can perform a specific skill based on knowledge, experience, and hard work?


So what about dog intelligence?

With respect to the example given above, dogs are quite similar. For instance, Poodles are considered one of the easiest dogs to train. However, would you use a poodle to hoard cattle or sheep? Probably not, you would most likely use a dog such as the Shetland Sheepdog. Why? Because the sheltie is raised to perform a task such as sheep hoarding and the poodle is not.

Does this mean that the Sheltie is more intelligent than the Poodle? Not at all, it simply determines that certain traits are ingrained in specific breeds and come more natural to those types of dogs. Just like the chemist and the hairstylist.


So does this suggest that dog intelligence is a myth and that dogs are mindless animals that act on instinct alone?

Not exactly, this suggests that in comparison to people certain dogs have unique skills that allow them to perform specific tasks better than other dogs.


What about more basic intelligence such as having the capacity for communication, memory, and being self aware of ones limitations?

Most won’t argue that dogs definitely communicate. When a dog wants something he will bark, wag his tail, or even jump up to express his eagerness. Through these expressions, would you say that the dog is showing signs of emotion as well? Some may debate that the dog is merely doing what dogs do when they receive a treat and that it is instinct to eat that is driving them to act that way. In the same regard, don’t people show signs of emotion when they receive something they want? For example, if you won a million dollars wouldn’t you be jumping up and down, yelling for joy, or even crying? If you think about it, you would be displaying these acts of emotion because of money, which is the means of survival in the modern world. Seems quite similar to the dog being happy for the treat doesn’t it?

What about memory?

Well it is quite common to see a dog dig a whole and bury his bone only to return to this place at a later time to retrieve it from the soil. You may debate that the dog has the sent of the bone that leads him back to the burial ground. This is most likely accurate; however it also may prove two things:

  1. Dogs are capable of remembering things
  2. Dogs are capable of thought
Once the sent of the bone is realized, the dog remembers that sent and uses it to rediscover his tasty treat. The notion that the dog remembers the sent of the bone must provide some debate that the dog has the capacity to think as well. What about dogs that go crazy near your closet door where you keep their leash for walking? The dog remembers and associates that area with the leash and walking. These are all signs of “thought patterns” and memory.



What about self awareness and limitations?

Have you experienced an old dog that is afraid to walk up or down stairs? This is a perfect example of self awareness and limitations. The dog is not sure if his hind legs can make it up or down the stairs and so he makes a conscious decision to stay on level ground instead. Would an unintelligent being do something like this? It’s up for debate!


You can measure dog intelligence by having your dog take a dog intelligence test



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