Australian Shepherds are known to be one of the most intelligent dog breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club, and are renown for their obedience, agility, and excellence in herding and other active sports.
The breed is considered highly intelligent and easy to train. Aussies are known for being especially eager to please their owners. True to their herding instincts, Aussies are very protective of their families and territory and will let you know if strangers approach, but they are not considered aggressive.
According to Coren's standards, the Australian Shepherd ranked (drumroll, please) 42nd among 138 breeds. This ranking may feel lower than expected if you know Australian Shepherds well. However, their intelligence remains above average for dog breeds as a whole.
1. Border Collie: A workaholic, this breed is the world's premier sheep herder, prized for its intelligence, extraordinary instinct, and working ability.
Border Collie
Pretty much universally acknowledged as the world's smartest pooch, this energetic, athletic breed is descended from herding dogs that lived along the British borders. Known as workaholics, border collies learn not only cues and commands quickly, but entire routines.
Your Aussie will bond to his family and be protective of and loyal to them. Many dog owners are surprised to learn that even though Aussies have strong guarding and herding instincts, they are sweet and cuddly indoor dogs that can even be kept in apartments.
Aussies are people-oriented dogs who tend to follow their family from room to room just to be near them. They require plenty of attention. Being left alone for too long may cause the intelligent, energetic Australian Shepherd to create her own fun—often through destructive behaviors or barking.
1. Samoyed – $14,000. Coming in at the #1 overall spot for the most expensive dog in the world is the Samoyed originating from Siberia. The rare breed is known for its kind, loving, and eager to please attitude along with their smiling faces.
The average dog's IQ is about 100. Based on the results done to test a dog's IQ, it turned out that dogs, even the average ones, have the IQ same as a 2-years old human.
Australian Shepherds are known for their fierce loyalty with one person, that doesn't mean every Shepherd will act like that. Some Shepherds might not build a particularly strong bond with any one family member. Others might like one of you more than another, but they don't sit on you to show it.
Aussies can be very clingy. They crave human companionship and love being included in pretty much everything you do, including being involved in all family activity. Since they require an active lifestyle, they will want to join in everything and anything that is going on around them.
Australian Shepherds tend to whine for all sorts of reasons, such as to get your attention or if they're sick or injured. If you can rule out a medical condition, then the next step to quiet your Aussie is to train them not to whine. Failing to indulge in their bad behavior will clue them in to stop.
Just as humans stare into the eyes of someone they adore, dogs will stare at their owners to express affection. In fact, mutual staring between humans and dogs releases oxytocin, known as the love hormone. This chemical plays an important role in bonding and boosts feelings of love and trust.
This type of touch is simply because he loves being with you and it is a form of affection. They feel happy in your presence and the warmth of you brings them comfort. Another major form of touch that your dog may constantly do is nudging their nose on you or even pawing you.
Loyal. Aussies are very smart, loyal, and love having someone to be with at all times. Loyalty is a necessary trait for any service dog. Besides being extremely friendly and energetic, Aussies are usually very easy to train and can make great emotional support animals or service dogs.
Keep in mind the average Australian Shepherd tends to bark a lot, making it a little more challenging to get him to stop barking unless you give him the 'speak' command or there is a situation in which he needs to bark to alert you.
This fun-loving breed requires a lot of exercise and needs to stay active; whether it's playing fetch or taking a long walk every day, make sure to keep your Aussie moving! While intelligent and hardworking, the Australian Shepherd can still be a goofy and loving family pet.
Place two or three empty buckets or cups upside down in a row. While your pup watches, place a treat under one of the containers. Distract him for a few seconds before allowing him to look for the treat. This will test your dog's memory and will help determine how well your dog can learn and retain information.
Chow Chows aren't the only ones with this unique characteristic. If you've ever seen a Chow Chow, then you've probably noticed its unique blue-black tongue. Chow Chows, as well as Chinese Shar-Peis, actually require a blue-black tongue in its breed standard.
According to several behavioral measures, Coren says dogs' mental abilities are close to a human child age 2 to 2.5 years. The intelligence of various types of dogs does differ and the dog's breed determines some of these differences, Coren says.