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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13. Chow Chow
What the Cow 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
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14. Borzoi
The Borzoi is a dog with a stunning coat, but a reputation of having little in the way of brains. They are also one of the cleanest breeds though, so perhaps spend so long on their own personal hygiene that they don't have much time for puzzles. | Getty Images
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15. Bloodhound
Scenthounds like the droopy Bloodhound all appear lower down the list of intelligent breeds - largely because once they pick up a scenet they find it very hard to concentrate on anything else. | AFP via Getty Images
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16. Pekingese
The Pekingese was bred as a lap dog for the Chinese Imperial Court - and has exactly the right amount of brains to carry out that task. | AFP via Getty Images