How to scientifically establish whether your dog is 'gifted'
Five border collies have just raised the bar for canine intelligence
Dog owners often like to think that their beloved pooch is just that little bit smarter than the rest unless, of course, it is beyond doubt that they are basically as daft as a brush. But are they actually geniuses? Are they the canine equivalents of Albert Einstein and co?
No pressure, but new research has found that truly ‘gifted’ dogs can remember the names of their toys for two years. In fact, the five border collies involved in the study – Gaia, Max, Whiskey, Squall and Rico – turned out to be better at this than the scientists themselves. Lead researcher Dr Shany Dror admitted: "After two years, we all had a hard time remembering the names of toys. But not the dogs! They did not seem to struggle.”
Apparently, ordinary dogs can remember events for at least 24 hours and odours for up to a year, so the achievements of these collies mean they are considered to be especially bright. So don’t be too hard on your own particular ‘best friend’ if they can barely remember their own name, let alone a long-forgotten chew-toy’s.
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