Top 10 Dumbest Dog Breeds

Spread the love

Not all dogs are as sharp as the others in the drawer. Being or having any of the dogs on this list of the stupidest dog breeds is not a sign of shame. It stands to reason that some canine breeds would be the least intelligent if some people are the smartest. Naturally, no canine breed is inherently stupid; rather, the truth is that some are just plain smarter than others. In this article, we have discussed 10 dumbest dog breeds. Read also Best Outdoor Heated Dog Bed

Table of Contents

List of the 10 dumbest dog breeds

Here is our list of the 10 dumbest dog breeds:

1. Afghan Hound

According to Coren’s research, the Afghan hound has the lowest IQ of all dog breeds, while being one of the most expensive dogs in the world. However, given the reputation of these hounds as strong-willed and independent. One of the dumbest dogs in the 10 dumbest dog breeds.

Maybe they simply don’t care to learn commands after all, what’s in it for them? Afghans would much to be with their families, playing well with other puppies, and dazzling the kids with glitzy hair flips.

Your Afghan hound may never learn more than the simplest canine tricks, but they have many advantages, such as plush coats. They are lively, playful, and gregarious. Surprisingly, Afghans don’t shed much hair, even though their smooth hair needs to be styled almost every day.

Breed Overview

Afghan hound
Height 25 to 60 pounds
Life expectancy 12 to 18 years.

2. Basenji

Coren rated the basenji as just marginally less stupid than the Afghan hound; perhaps what makes the basenji less stupid than stupid is that it doesn’t seem to be all that interested in the kinds of relationships that obedience training usually calls for. The basenji is a quieter breed of dog that doesn’t bark to attract attention. The basenji really doesn’t seem to require much care, which may be advantageous for certain people.

Perhaps because of its meticulous grooming routine and independent nature, some people have referred to basenjis as “catlike.” However, it’s common knowledge that cats are not stupid; they just can’t be bothered to pick up tricks just to amuse people. Maybe the basenji should have the same latitude?

Breed Overview

Height 16 to 17 inches
Weight 22 to 24 pounds
Life expectancy 13 to 14 years,

3. Bull Dog

Many people have high hopes for all of these bulldog breeds. And that includes the English bulldog, which according to Coren’s research is the third-least intelligent breed of dogs. One of Novack’s favorites is the English bulldog, which is renowned for having a kind and calm disposition. It is also among the breeds of dogs that bite the least frequently.

English bulldogs are known for their lethargy, which could be the reason for their low score on Coren’s canine intelligence scale. And does it really make a lazy dog dumb? Sure, they might not be as motivated to put in the effort needed to learn new commands. English bulldog enthusiasts may not agree.

Breed Overview

Height 12 to 16 inches
Weight 49 to 55 pounds
Life expectancy 8 years

4. Chow Chow

In the list of the 10 dumbest dog breeds chow chow comes at the 4th position. Coren contends that assessing a dog’s IQ should also consider how well-suited it is for its natural skills. And chow chows are, it turns out, really good at that. Regretfully, nevertheless, in many nations, eating chows was one of the original purposes for which they were created.

Breed Overview

Height 17 to 20 inches
Weight 45 to 70 pounds
Life expectancy 12 years

5. Borzoi

The borzoi, one of the world’s quickest dogs, is also considered to be one of the stupidest dog breeds, according to Coren’s criteria. Swift borzoi are shaggy, lanky dogs who need lots of mental activity. They are also very hard to train. The American Kennel Club (AKC) states that “can be stubborn in their quiet, catlike way, and training is best accomplished with patience, consistency, and good humor.”

Therefore, despite the fact that they might not give up a paw when requested, these honorable puppies excel in the activity for which they were raised: hunting. Therefore, the borzoi should be more than capable of providing you with a faithful and knowledgeable wolf-hunting partner. And even if wolf-hunting isn’t legal, the same might still apply.

Breed Overview

Height 26 to 28 inches
Weight 60 to 105 pounds
Life expectancy is 14 years.

6. Bloodhound

In addition, they are extremely tenacious, independent, and full of energy when following a scent trail. When combined, the special abilities of the Bloodhound can often make these canines difficult to live with, but when you enter a Bloodhound in a tracking event, you’ll see his unique capabilities come to life.

Breed Overview

Height 23 to 27 inches
Weight 80 to 110 pounds
Life expectancy is 10 to 12 years.

7. Pekingese

The AKC states that Pekingese dogs frequently show their people a lot of affection. Peeks get along nicely with kids, strangers, and other dogs and are also well-mannered. However, can a Pekingese consistently play fetch with you? Unlikely, according to Coren’s criteria, this Chinese dog breed ranks among the world’s most stupid dog breeds.

However, Coren’s research allows for subtlety as well. Being developed specifically to be lapdogs, Pekingese dogs excel in that role. And do we really want this dog to be clever if that makes them narcissistic? Its attribute also ranks it among the top dogs for senior citizens.

Breed Overview

Height 6 to 9 inches
Weight 14 pounds
Life expectancy is 12 to 14 years.

8. Beagle

Adopters of floppy-eared canines frequently gravitate to the adorable, small-framed beagle. There’s a significant chance of separation from its owners if it’s permitted off-leash. Because of their reputation for stubbornness, beagles can be difficult to teach. Furthermore, an untrained dog might be a challenging roommate.

The beagle is regarded as one of the stupidest dog breeds because of its propensity to follow its nose and stand on ceremony rather than sit and remain. However, we don’t blame them for enjoying exploration. All this contented dog wants is to see the world.

Breed Overview

Height 13 to 15 inches
Weight 20 to 30 pounds
Life expectancy is 10 to 15 years.

9. Mastiff

Mastiffs are big, easygoing dogs that are quite chill. They’re so much so that you could mistake them for being a little dim. They may also be harder to teach than some breeds because they might be a little stubborn. Once more, activity level and training easiness aren’t always reliable measures of intellect. Mastiffs are intelligent dogs; they simply grow weary of training quickly, so keep sessions brief and upbeat.

Because of their height and innate fear of strangers, Mastiffs require early training and socialization from their owners in order for them to grow up to be well-mannered and discriminating pets.

Breed Overview

Height 27 to 30 inches
Weight 120 to 230 pounds
Life expectancy is 6 to 10 years.

10. Basset Hound

Basset Hounds are similar to Pekingese in that they can be indolent. Their low, lengthy bodies and easygoing demeanors might contribute to this. Like their scenthound cousins, Bloodhounds and Beagles, Bassets may be a bit stubborn and find it difficult to focus on learning when surrounded by wonderful scents.

A Basset Hound requires lifetime training if you want an obedient canine. But don’t consider this as a sign of low intelligence. They are intelligent, loving dogs.

Breed Overview

Height 15 inches
Weight 40 to 65 pounds
Life expectancy 12 to 13 years.

Research on Dog Intelligence is Not Perfect

It appears that not all of the studies conducted to identify the smartest or dumbest dog breeds are totally reliable.

Breed research has not held up scientifically, according to Dr. Brian Hare of Duke University in North Carolina. Since most breeds are no older than 150 years, there isn’t much that separates them. To determine which breed is the smartest scientifically, at least thirty dogs from each breed must be compared. To account for the impact of age and rearing history on performance, they would need to be raised as puppies and assessed similarly.

You would require between 6,000 and 12,000 puppies, decades of study, millions of dollars, and roughly a thousand graduate students if you chose the AKC breeds, or all breeds globally. It makes sense that nobody has taken action.

Dr. Hare has actually observed as much variety inside a breed as he has between them in his own study. He says, “You have never seen two more different dogs in your life—for example, Labradors bred for the military are the same breed as Labradors bred to be assistance dogs.”

When people label some dog breeds as the dumbest, it’s more likely that they don’t realize the unique skill set that makes up that breed than that they are genuinely intelligent.

Assistant Executive Secretary Gina DiNardo of the American Kennel Club states, “No dog or breed should be considered ‘dumb.’

“A dog’s intellect cannot be accurately determined by how easy they are to train. Animals that exhibit traits common to several breeds, like as independence, stubbornness, or aloofness, may be perceived by humans as being “dumb.”

Each dog is unique, and training requires persistence and patience. Discover the various training methods that are out there, and if you are having trouble, look for a trainer who can provide you with the knowledge and abilities you need to train your dog.

Dog intelligence, in Dr. Hare’s opinion, is not a binary issue. He says, “I don’t really think there’s a difference between smart and dumb dogs.”

That is really a relic from a linear conception of intellect as if knowledge were a nearly full cup of coffee. Dogs vary in what they are adept at.

Why Do People Often Think of Hound Dogs as Dumb?

According to Dr. Dodman, “pretty much all scenthounds are governed by their noses.” They stare down instead of up, which makes them difficult to train. They are mostly interested in tracking, not so much in listening to others or winning their approval. Anything that moves is what the sighthounds want to pursue.

Scenthounds are able to detect practically everything, including Basset Hounds, Beagles, and Bloodhounds. Sighthounds are able to detect even the smallest movement from their prey and move quickly to pursue it. Although a Bloodhound is far better at following odors than a Border Collie, the latter is far more trainable. Despite having distinct talents, each of them succeeds in their own unique ways.

What makes a smart or dumb dog?

What standards are used to evaluate the IQ of different dog breeds? Researchers from the University of Helsinki published Breed Differences in Social Cognition, Inhibitory Control, and Spatial Problem-Solving Ability in the Domestic Dog in Scientific Reports in 2022. The study focused on canine intelligence.1.

A total of 2,352 adult dogs underwent the smart dog test battery, a battery of cognitive and behavioral assessments, between March 2016 and February 2022.

The researchers tested the following characteristics using the following methods:

Greeting manners
Behavior at the activity level
Investigative conduct
Acquiring knowledge
Short-term memory
Restraint mechanism
Ability to solve problems
Social Intelligence
logical thinking
Human-centered dialogue
Tenacity

The test found that while certain breeds did exhibit traits specific to their breeding, most did not. For instance, as one might anticipate from these herding breeds, the Malinois and Kelpie both performed well on the gesture test. The Finnish Lapphund, another breed used for herding, on the other hand, scored the lowest.

The survey said, “In a similar vein, the Australian Shepherd was the breed least likely to give up on the unsolved assignment, while the Kelpie was among the breeds most likely to do so.

Given that distinct features may have been (intentionally or inadvertently) selected for in various breeds, regardless of the breed group they belong to, it would appear that breeds might behave differently from one another even within their breed groupings.

Australian Shepherd enjoying an outdoor game of nose work puzzle. It’s hard to get a thorough rating of the breeds from the testing of only 13 breeds.

The impacts of training, environment, life experiences, and the dogs’ backgrounds all of which can influence intelligence were not covered in the test. In a problem-solving exercise, Golden Retrievers scored lowest more than 20% of them were unable to finish the job in three minutes while Belgian Shepherd Malinois did best.

Stanley Coren, PhD., DSc., FRSC, is a psychologist who published a book titled The Intelligence of Dogs (Atria Books) in 1994. Dr. Coren evaluated over a hundred dog breeds according to three distinct categories of intelligence: The ability to carry out functions for which it was bred, like as hunting or herding, is known as instinctive intelligence. Adaptive intelligence is the capacity to solve problems on one’s own and draw lessons from past experiences.

Working and obedience intelligence (the capacity to pick up new skills when instructed by people) The lists below are taken from Dr. Coren’s The Intelligence of Dogs, namely the working and obedience intelligence rankings.

FAQs

Which dog breed has the lowest IQ?

The Afghan hound

Which dog is not smart?

Chow Chow

Which dog has the highest IQ?

Border Collie

Conclusion

It is unfair to call a dog of any breed or any particular dog stupid. While it’s true that some dogs are smarter than others, the majority of canines are skilled in some capacity, you just need to identify it. In this article, we discussed the 10 dumbest dog breeds.

Dr. Dodman states, “Some dogs have different behaviors and do some things better than others.” Due to their ease of training, German Shepherd and Malinois breeds are frequently used as army and police canines.

Is that a sign of intelligence? Or does the fact that they never question authority and always go along with what others say indicate that they aren’t that intelligent? It’s debatable in both directions.

Top 10 Dumbest Dog Breeds | Amazing Guide