We’re officially a nations of dog owners, with the UK’s most popular pet living in around one-in-three households (and rising).
That means that there are around three million pooches living here, with more people choosing to join the army of dog lovers every week.
Of course, if you are looking to welcome a dog into your family, there are 221 different breeds of pedigree dog to choose from, alongside numerous crossbreeds, so there’s plenty of thinking to do before you select your family’s latest addition.
Choosing the right breed is absolutely essential – for example opting for a small dog if you don’t have much room at home, or a hypoallergenic dog if you suffer from allergies.
There’s even academic guidance to seek out, with Psychologist Stanley Coren’s book ‘The Intelligence of Dogs’ ranking breeds by instincts, obedience, and the ability to adapt.
According to his research, these are the 13 dumbest breeds of dog.
9. Mastiff
Many Mastiff owners will know that, while their pet will eventually do what's asked of them, they'll take their time over it. It's this ponderous nature that perhaps explains their reputation for a lack of smarts. | Canva/Getty Images
10. Basset Hound
Yet another dog bred to ignore everything else to follow a scent, it's not the Basset Hound's fault that this skill comes at an intellectual cost. They can also be incredibly difficult to house train. | Canva/Getty Images
11. Shih Tzu
If you've ever looked at your adorable Shih Tzu and wondered what they were thinking, the answer is probably 'not very much'. When you are this cute though, brains aren't really required. | Canva/Getty Images
12. Lhasa Apso
An ancient breed that has been around for over a thousand years, the Lhasa Apso comes from Tibet and were used as sentinels at palaces and monasteries located high in the Himalayan mountains. Remakably they are exactly as smart as they were ten centuries ago (not very). | Canva/Getty Images