Good Article

[Kirty]

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=7960789

Think your dog's a dud? Think again

Pet owners who believe their dog's a dud may be barking up the wrong tree, according to an expert who says it's more likely master and mutt have been mismatched.

In fact, the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) says dippy dogs are a myth which is being perpetuated by our own bad choices.

"Lots of people talk about dumb breeds, but this probably just means that you've chosen the wrong type of dog to meet your expectations," says Australian Veterinary Association animal behaviourist Kersti Seksel.

"No breed is dumb - dogs are bred for different purpose and to generalise that some are dumber than others over-simplifies the issue."

Dr Seksel said breeds were originally developed to meet certain human needs such as herding or guarding - traits which don't always suit modern lifestyles.

"Border collies herding and rounding up sheep in the country is a desirable trait but herding and rounding up the kids in the backyard may not be so desirable," she said.

"Unfortunately, this is a growing issue, and these choices lead to thousands of dogs being surrendered to shelters every year."

And exactly what makes a smart dog isn't easy to define.

For some, the ability to learn quickly is regarded as intelligence, but it may also be regarded as a desire to please which is not what everyone wants from their pet, Dr Seksel said.

While experts talk about specific breeds being smarter due to their obedient nature and ability to obey commands, it's not the only element potential dog owners should consider.

It's often the case that dogs which don't respond to some cues have other talents and may display a more independent nature.

"Working dogs like collies are great problem solvers, and Huskies may display a more independent spirit," Dr Seksel said.

But at the end of the day, what really matters is the temperament of the individual animal and it interacts with you and your family.

"What is most important if you are looking at different breeds of dogs is to pick one with characteristics that suit you," she said.

[Erny]

When told an opinion by someone that they think this dog or dog/breed is not as smart as another, I've always responded by saying that in my opinion they are smarter. So much smarter in fact that we haven't been able to work out what makes them tick and how to get them to do our bidding.

[huski]

When told an opinion by someone that they think this dog or dog/breed is not as smart as another, I've always responded by saying that in my opinion they are smarter. So much smarter in fact that we haven't been able to work out what makes them tick and how to get them to do our bidding.

So true Erny.

I always ask... which dog is smarter? The one who does whatever you ask whenever you ask as soon as you ask it to; or the dog who looks at you and says "...why?" LOL.

[voloclydes]

blinks innocent.y..... But hearding children would be ideal if you had 9 children! :rofl:

sophie is far too smart for her good....... Leo is the goofy one.....he will do anything for a banana. even jump which he finds unnatural....

Sophie does not need your compay..... She is always findind entertainment even if it is chewing your shoe.

[MonElite]

I always say - there are no stupid dogs there are just stupid owners

[megan_]

I agree with the sentiment of the article, and many people blame their dog for being dumb when they haven't tried different techniques to teach the dog. I know people who say their dogs are dumb for not knowing "off" but when I ask them if they've actually TAUGHT the dog what "off" means they look at me like I'm hte one who'd stupid.

That said, I think there can be varying levels and types of intelligence in dogs.

My boy Fergus is a true problem solver. When he gets his kong, he throws it against the wall to loosen the food first. When we clicker train he knows that he needs to try different things to get his click. He has me in stitches with the things he comes up with. When I got rid of the dog door he "solved the problem" by knocking on teh back door when he wanted to go out - I never taught him that, and he'd had the dog door for 2 years.

Lucy - who knows more commands that Fergs - is not a problem solver. She has looks on her side though! When she gets her kong, she sticks her tounge in and licks, pushing the food back into the kong. SO she licks harder, pushing it back more etc. I have done clicker training with her for 6 months, lots of loading the clicker in different places, doing different things etc, but bless her heart, she just isn't a problem solver. She knows click means treat, but will sit for 20 mins looking at me lovingly waiting for another click. She is smart, but maybe her horrible start to life has stunted some of her development?

Edited September 14, 2010 by megan_

[Staranais]

I don't really agree. My malinois learns things way, way faster than my stafford. He was still a pleasure to teach, due to being very easy to motivate, had great focus & loved just about any reward. But she just requires far fewer repetitions to learn things & seems to connect the dots far faster than he ever did. Teaching her is a very different experience to teaching him. She really is exceptionally bright. Whereas he could really want to earn a reward, but it would take him far longer to work out how to earn it. He would always get there in the end, but he taught me a lot of patience.

I don't know if it was genetic or how they were raised (got him as an adult & he knew nothing, got her as a puppy & she's been doing clicker since day 0). I would suspect a combination of those factors, though.

It is partly owner match, too - I have heard that some people find mallies hard to train, since they are sensitive, and they don't forget mistakes or unfair corrections in a hurry. So if you have a temper, or teach the wrong thing, you can be set back for quite a while.

But IMO intelligence differences in dogs definitely exist.

[Bubitty]

Do you think training a puppy from puphood helps?

There is a world of difference between Bitty and Bubby interms of training. I always wonder if its personality or because she was taught things from day dot and has been giving more learning tools than him.

[Nekhbet]

I don't think it's smart and dumb as in a human sense.

Some breeds and individuals are less motivated to please you or to work. Without motivation learning takes longer or not at all. Does that make it stupid? No not at all. Ever dog has the capacity to learn, if they didnt they would not have made it out of the whelping box.

I also think environment has an incredible amount to do with it. I have seen supposedly 'stupid' dogs that have trouble learning. They are usually ones that have had few toys, little stimulation or training. It's true, use it or lose it. They look at you with that blank stare and confusion, it's terrible to see When the light finally clicks you see the real personality. The saddest ones are the dogs that do not know how to play with toys, I worked with one dog that would play with nothing because he was so supressed by his owners fear of him nipping him or the kids if they held something/pull washing. I waved a rag and he backed off shaking like he would get in trouble for it and his prey (guarding breed) was just so repressed he was in avoidance. Seeing dogs running or being excited his finally released like some banshee on a lead. He was blamed for being incapable of listening or learning properly ... now who's fault was that?

[corvus]

Well, I think personality has a lot to do with it. Erik is massively easier to teach things than Kivi, but Erik has a whole different outlook on life to Kivi. Erik is an extreme opportunist. He is always looking for ways to turn things to his advantage. He doesn't accept anything. He always has to work out what it's for and if there's a way to get something good out of it. If he doesn't like it, he looks for a way to change or stop it. If he does like it, he looks for ways to exploit it mercilessly. So he looks very smart because he's so motivated to learn.

Kivi is much more laid back and is content to let life happen to him. If he doesn't like it, he avoids it. If he does like it, he happily accepts it. He will try to make it happen more often, but he's nowhere near as dedicated to it as Erik is. Kivi does not excel at training the way that Erik does. Kivi tries, but he becomes anxious if he doesn't know what to do. He is not as alert as Erik, so it's not as obvious to him what he's doing right. But when it comes to social things, Kivi is a freaking genius. He is creative, persistent, and motivated. One is more trainable than the other, but I would hesitate to say one is smarter than the other. We joke that Kivi is a bit special. Erik runs rings around him in life in general, but Kivi is not dumb. He just has different priorities and motivation to Erik.

[oakway]

I always say - there are no stupid dogs there are just stupid owners

I agree

I always say similar in that we don't have dog problems we have people problems.

[jaybeece]

I've always joked that my dog is too dumb to be really naughty, but the truth is he's very smart and just too damn loyal to be a wanker