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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

Right, this is going to out me as an amateur, but

15 replies

BitterAndTwistedChoreDodger · 30/08/2011 00:32

Is there a way to tell how intelligent your dog is?

I consider myself to be pretty dog savvy, but after losing our rescue girl to gastric torsion this year, we ended up with a lab/possibly cross.

He seems thick as mince. Labs have half a brain right?

I am torn between thinking he is an (affectionate) amoeba and thinking I am just comparing him to our old girl, which is like comparing Carol Vordermann to Jade Goody and I am just too harsh.

Any advice?

OP posts:

RCToday · 30/08/2011 00:35

Ooh one of mine seems thick as mince but is very loyal and savvy when he needs to be

Original poster

BitterAndTwistedChoreDodger · 30/08/2011 00:40

I've not experienced that yet as he is still a baby, he is definitely a nice boy but I am surprised that he can walk and breathe at thje same time, tbh

OP posts:

tabulahrasa · 30/08/2011 00:41

You get tests, but I'm never convinced by them. Google dog iq and you'll find something.

I know labs are supposed to be clever...but, they're so busy bouncing about that I don't know how people tell, rofl.

My last dog ( lab cross) was bright, he picked up wait by accident when I was teaching the children to cross the road, he learned to shut doors after we tried it with him once, gave up in frustration and suddenly 6 months later I asked DP to shut the door and the dog ran over and did it. But he was a nightmare to train because his only two aims in life were to eat until bursting and to climb into your ear and luck you.

tabulahrasa · 30/08/2011 00:46

Lick you that was supposed to be, lol. I'm on my phone and list the end of my post.

So, if you gave him food, he was so busy trying to mug you for more food that you couldn't get his attention again and if you praised him- well that obviously meant you wanted him to climb up you to luck inside your ear, rofl.

He was called idiot dog and simple dog by loads of friends and relatives, one of my neighbours was convinced he had ADHD, lol.

He was though, the nicest dog I've ever had, don't underestimate how fabulous nice is

QuietTiger · 30/08/2011 11:40

Border Collies are supposed to be very bright, but our new BC makes a block of wood look like Einstein! He is, however, a fabulous friendly, dopey dog and I wouldn't change him for the world. He's just stupidly thick slightly challenged in the thought department.

minimu11 · 30/08/2011 12:16

I blame the owners when I see a thick dog . Depends what you mean by intelligent. BC's are very clever but can be extremely difficult to train because of this.

Labs want to please and love food so are the easiest dogs in the world to train (generally).

If you find the correct reward for your dog you can get it doing back flips, handstands (literally in the case of my collie!) and doing the hoovering. Look at your training methods and rewards.

QuietTiger · 30/08/2011 13:03

LOL minimu11 - it's interesting you say that, because we know the poor boy has been on the end of a chain with no stimulation for the best part of 3 years. You can slowly see the lights going on in his head, but it's a slow process. . In the meantime, we have a loveable dope. :)

BeerTricksPotter · 30/08/2011 13:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

GeeinItLaldy · 30/08/2011 13:28

One of my dogs is super intelligent. He can solve problems and think several moves ahead. Alas, he uses his talent for evil and is an utter bastard.

Other dog is thick as pigshit. Give me pigshit any day. You know where you are with pigshit.

BeerTricksPotter · 30/08/2011 13:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

BitterAndTwistedChoreDodger · 30/08/2011 13:32

He's not interested in food at all

He's fairly trainable, wants to please and picks up commands well but just doesn't seem to think for himself if that makes sense?

He could be whining to be let in at the back door when the patio door is wide open a few feet away.

Will have a look at your link, thanks Beertrix

OP posts:

PeelingmyselfofftheCeiling · 30/08/2011 13:36

I think ours is frighteningly intelligent. This should make him a dream to train. Unfortunately as a first-time owner I find it generally means he is at least 3 steps ahead of me. I live in fear of the day he learns to open doors or grows opposable thumbs like that advert, we will all be doomed.

wildfig · 30/08/2011 14:20

It depends on the breed, but all dogs are intelligent in their own way. My hounds would never make it onto the canine version of University Challenge (team captain, Border Collie, with Labrador, Spaniel and Poodle), but they can detect cheese through closed doors and have trained me to offer a running buffet along with their daily walk.

RedwingWinter · 30/08/2011 16:34

Stanley Coren's book The Intelligence of Dogs is an interesting one. He lists breeds according to their intelligence/trainability. You can read an extract here. I saw him on TV once and one of the things he said was that some people might prefer an unintelligent dog as it can be easier to live with.

GeeinItLaldy · 30/08/2011 18:05

Interesting link, redwing. Bastard dig is a crossbreed (of the accidental kind, rather than the designer kind). One of his breeds is on the most intelligent list according to Mr Coren. The other is on the least intelligent. He is the most intelligent dog I've ever cone across...and before him, I'd grown up around Border Collies!

And I can testify that stupid dogs are easier to live with. Always having to think 2 moves ahead of bastard dog is mentally exhausting. And he learns things so quickly so is easy to train, but only obeys if he feels like it/there's something in it for him/the planets are in alignment and/or atmospheric conditions are to his liking. Thank god it's not a crossing of breeds that will ever be commercially popular...bastards would take over the world!

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