Just for fun...
What traits or behaviors make a dog "smart" or "dumb"?
A lot of people call my boys smart. But usually this is said in the context of them behaving nicely or doing tricks. I think both my dogs are very motivated to train and that they are well trained. But I don't necessarily think a dog that is compliant and trained MUST be smart. They must simply be willing to work for a motivator. I honestly wouldn't even know which one of my dogs I would call smarter, if I had to choose. They each learned certain things faster than others and they are both very motivated. Also, their foundations in training (spacial and rear end awareness, responding to pressure, navigating obstacles, boundary training) allow them to navigate the world with seemingly more awareness than an untrained dog. But without any training, I am sure they would behave differently in their environment.
Really, I can't think of a dog I've personally met that has struck me as smarter or dumber than any other dog. I have been impressed by some problem solving skills from my own dogs, like Soro remember and choosing a roundabout way to get across an obstacle. There are videos of dogs that strike me as smart, usually ones getting into trouble. Mostly, independent and bored dogs who figure out creative ways to manipulate or escape their environment. But most of what I see is just "learning". If the capacity to learn makes a dog smart then I guess all dogs, and all animals, are smart. After reading Brian Hare's "Genius of Dogs" I like the idea that every animal has their own kind of genius. Objectively, some dogs have the ability to infer better than others. Just random musings... I guess this is the challenge with assigning these sorts of adjectives to dogs.
What traits or behaviors make a dog "smart" or "dumb"?
A lot of people call my boys smart. But usually this is said in the context of them behaving nicely or doing tricks. I think both my dogs are very motivated to train and that they are well trained. But I don't necessarily think a dog that is compliant and trained MUST be smart. They must simply be willing to work for a motivator. I honestly wouldn't even know which one of my dogs I would call smarter, if I had to choose. They each learned certain things faster than others and they are both very motivated. Also, their foundations in training (spacial and rear end awareness, responding to pressure, navigating obstacles, boundary training) allow them to navigate the world with seemingly more awareness than an untrained dog. But without any training, I am sure they would behave differently in their environment.
Really, I can't think of a dog I've personally met that has struck me as smarter or dumber than any other dog. I have been impressed by some problem solving skills from my own dogs, like Soro remember and choosing a roundabout way to get across an obstacle. There are videos of dogs that strike me as smart, usually ones getting into trouble. Mostly, independent and bored dogs who figure out creative ways to manipulate or escape their environment. But most of what I see is just "learning". If the capacity to learn makes a dog smart then I guess all dogs, and all animals, are smart. After reading Brian Hare's "Genius of Dogs" I like the idea that every animal has their own kind of genius. Objectively, some dogs have the ability to infer better than others. Just random musings... I guess this is the challenge with assigning these sorts of adjectives to dogs.