If you’ve been thinking about welcoming a new dog into your home then you’re in good company – Royal Kennel Club (the new name for the UK Kennel Club) stats show that the number of people looking for puppies has surged to record levels.
Dogs come in all shapes, colours and sizes - there are 221 different pedigree dogs recognised by breeders in the UK, from Affenpinscher to Yorkshire Terrier (there are sadly no dog breeds starting with the letter ‘z’!).
So there’s plenty of thinking to do before you select your family’s latest four-legged addition – whether you want a large dog, family-friendly dog, or an easy to train dog.
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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 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 9 that came top of the brains league - and the 9 who came bottom. They’re all still adorable though.
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5. Dobermann
The Dobermann, or Doberman Pinscher, is the fifth smartest breed of dog in the world. They have a remarkable talent for gauging perceived threats, which makes them a great guard dog - particularly since they are also very loyal and protective towards their home and owner. | Getty Images
6. Shetland Sheepdog
Like Border Collies, Shetland Sheepdogs are great at herding animals due to their extreme intelligence. They thrive on being given new things to learn - the more energetic the better. | Getty Images
7. Labrador Retriever
The UK's - and the world's - most popular breed of dog is no slouch in the brain department either. Commonly used as guide dogs and drug detection dogs, the Labrador Retriever's eagerness to please makes them a dream to work with. Sometimes it seems like this clever breed train themselves. | Getty Images
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8. Papillon
Larger dogs have dominated the list so far - tending to be more intelligent than smaller breeds - but tiny dogs don't always have tiny brains. The tiny Papillon is proof of that, being the cleverest of the more diminuative pooches. They are responsive, obedient and are regularly take top spot in agility trials at dog shows. | Getty Images