A canine expert at the University of British Colombia, Canada has ranked the intelligence of dog breeds, naming what he considers to be the top ten 'dumbest dogs'.
Professor Coren, author of "The Intelligence of Dogs" surveyed the obedience of dog breeds to human commands, as well as their ability to learn from humans. Using his notes on 200 breeds he created the following ranking of the least intelligent types of dog:
- Afghan Hound
- Basenji
- Bulldog
- Chow Chow
- Borzoi
- Bloodhound
- Pekingese
- Beagle
- Mastiff
- Bassett Hound
According to the Daily Mail, Professor Coren found that the Afghan Hound needed 80 repetitions from a trainer to understand a command.
The Basenji, similarly was found to be not so adept at following human commands.
A popular dog in Ireland, the bulldog, comes in third on the list, due to its stubborn and lazy disposition. Vets have also previously warned that this dog breed comes with a host of health issues, such as breathing difficulties, caused by generations of inbreeding.
A new study by the University of Helsinki has named the Belgian Malinois as the most clever of all dog breeds, although this study only measured intelligence in 13 breeds overall.
Professor Coren has acknowledged that there are many types of canine intelligence, and his rankings, as well as those of Finnish scientists, are limited. He told the Daily Mail that "the ranking of dog breeds for intelligence will depend upon the specific tests used since there is more than one type of canine intelligence. " He said that his rankings were based on "working and obedience intelligence, which is really the canine equivalent of "school learning" ."
