Dogs come in all shapes and sizes - the UK Kennel Club recognises 221 different pedigree dogs, from Affenpinscher to Yorkshire Terrier (there are sadly no dog breeds starting with the letter ‘z’!).
Then there are all manner of crossbreeds, from so-called ‘designer dogs’ to lovable mongrels.
Each has its own list of positive and negative attributes, and it’s important to take plenty of time to think about what breed will fit into your lifestyle the best - for instance a smaller dog if you live in a flat, or a hypoallergenic dog if the mere mention of dog hair makes you think about sneezing.
There is even scientific research to guide you, in particular psychologist Stanley Coren’s groundbreaking book The Intelligence of Dogs.
In the book Coren ranked 130 breeds of dog in order of intelligence using three categories of canine cleverness, namely: the instinctive intelligence of the ability to perform the tasks it was bred for, the adaptive intelligence of solving problems on its own, and the obedience intelligence of learning from humans.
Here are the 12 that came top of the brains league - and the dozen who came bottom. They’re still adorable though.
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13. Afghan Hound
Now we're moving on to the dogs that have less in the brains department - but are still adorable. Stanley Coren concluded that the beautiful Afghan Hound is the least intelligent breed of dog. Of course this could be largely due to the fact they are also the most stubborn breed of dog - notorious for ignoring their owner's commands. Who's to say they don't understand every word though! | Getty Images
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14. Basenji
The Basenji is reputedly the world's second most stupid dog breed. Given that they are the only type of dog that don't bark, maybe we just aren't hearing all the clever things they want to say. | AFP via Getty Images
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15. Bulldog
Perhaps the reason the gorgeous Bulldog appears so high on this list is that they are well known for being very lazy - preferring to curl up on the couch instead of running around being smart like a Labrador or Border Collie. | AFP via Getty Images
16. Chow Chow
What the Chow Chow lacks in intellect is more than made up for with its loyalty - doing everything they can to protect their owner from danger. | Getty Images for Westminster Ken