Just how intelligent is your dog?

Most people think their dog is clever.  For years the Poodle topped the bill as being the most intelligent dog, but recently the Border Collie has usurped its position as number one in the K9 IQ score.

So how come one dog is more intelligent than another, and how is this intelligence measured? Just like in humans, intelligence can depend on genetics. That is how one breed gets to be more intelligent than another.

The most intelligent dogs of that breed are mated and their offspring are more likely to be intelligent. Keep doing this in a breeding programme and the breed becomes known for their intelligence.

The reasons man chooses particular animals to breed will often depend on what purpose he has in mind for the breed. Working and Gun (hunting) dogs are pretty intelligent because for centuries they have been bred to do special tasks that require obedience, dependability and intelligence.

On the other hand, toy dogs like the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the Maltese are bred to be pretty, cuddly and loving. Intelligence is not meant to play a big role in their genetic background.

But that doesn’t mean that they are not intelligent, or that the intelligence they have cannot be enhanced. It is often the way you train your dog that will bring the intelligence factor out more strongly.

Check out this great book on dog training

The best way to do this is by using the clicker training method. A clicker is simply a small plastic object that when pressed will give a click noise. It is used as a bridge between the trainer and the reward. The reward is usually food – and we will cover this in another part of this course.

Get your clicker here

The reason you use a clicker is so that you do not have to depend on your voice. Your voice is an emotional tool and can go a long way to destroying your training programme, especially if you are tired, annoyed or frustrated. Whereas the clicker makes the same objective sound each time so that the dog learns to respond every time with the surety that a reward will follow.

It is not easy, but you must learn not to talk to your dog when training it. In normal obedience classes you are encouraged to talk to your dog constantly. But what happens then, is that the dog is focussing on you and what you tell it to do.

Obedience classes, particularly for the young puppy, are valuable socialising tools and will give you a different perspective to dog training.

What you want is for the dog to think about what you want and to try to work it out by himself. There is no doubt in my mind that if you combine the clicker without the talk, your dog’s intelligence factor will increase.

In the video below you will see how Cooper has learnt to fetch an object and put it in a basket.

Click on picture to see video

In the second video (below) you will see how Cooper works out for himself that he is to place the object in a basket, rather than on a chair. He has actually been taught to do both. But when the single word command is given, in this case ’basket’– he has to put it there – not on the chair.

Sometimes he does put it in the wrong place and I do not say a word – but neither do I give a click. He realises that he will not get a reward if he does not hear the click, so he will actually go back to where he put it and move it to the correct place. He then hears the click and he knows he is correct and will receive the reward. It is very exciting to see him solve a problem – all by himself!

Click on picture to see video

This is the true measure of your dog’s intelligence. How he can work through a problem and think for himself until he gets it right.

Why don’t you try using a clicker for your training? If necessary, but a tape over your mouth so you won’t speak! Try this exercise with a friend. Think of something simple you want them to do e.g. stand from a sitting position, walk across the room and sit in another chair.

Now see if they can work out what to do without a word being spoken by you – just use your clicker. Every time they do something towards getting it right, click. If they stand up, click. If they walk in the right direction, click. When they go wrong, do not click, then they can come back to where you did click (click again once they get that bit right again).

Once they have sat in the chair across the room, they will understand how the dog has to work through the problem. Now get your friend to do the same for you. It may take three or four goes at doing this for different activities before you get the hang of it. Then you will respond quicker and with more confidence.

This is exactly what will happen with your dog. He has to get used to the clicker method. Soon he will be moving forward quickly and you will be surer of how to use the clicker. One word of warning, if you accidently click when he gets it wrong – you must still reward him. Click means reward and he has to be very sure of this if you want him to respond to the clicker every time.

I hope you this lesson has encouraged you to look at the way you train your dog, and perhaps to make changes to your technique. You will get more valuable tips in the next 5 lessons.

You can get clickers from here