It is entirely normal to look for signs of intelligence in your dog. Even puppies that are not especially smart nonetheless display flashes of brilliance in their behavior.
And it is also very normal to look for the same things in our pets that we look for in our children, like a keen mind, a sense of humor and loyalty. But the trait that we tend to brag about the most is actually our dog's intelligence.
There is not really a single type of canine intelligence. According to Stanley Coren, writer of 'The Intelligence of Dogs', there are several types of dog intelligence that can be measured by canine IQ tests...
The first one is named Adaptive Intelligence. This relates to learning and problem solving capability, the knowledge and skills a dog can acquire. It also pertains to how much time it takes for your dog to learn new a relationship.
As an example, if your dog recognizes people after just one or two visits, this indicates a good adaptive intelligence capability. You might also look at how well your dog comprehends the laws of cause and effect by observation.
The next type is Instinctive Intelligence, which simply deals with behaviors and skills programmed into the animal's genetic code. For example, Sheep dogs and Border Collies are superb herding dogs. This is an innate abilty that these breeds of dogs have and has little to do with training.
The third type is Working/Obedience Intelligence, which involves the ability of an animal to follow commands. This type of intelligence is primarily dependant on the actual breed of the dog. Two examples are the dogs used for guiding the blind and for K9 police work.
Another type is Adaptive Intelligence. At a time of the day that you do not usually walk your dog, pick up your keys and his leash when you know he's watching. If he starts wagging his tail and gets excited, 3 points. If you have to walk to the door before he knows what's going on, two points. If he sits there with a dumbfounded look, give him one point.
Now if your dog lets YOU know it is time to go to the bathroom by bringing you his own leash (without being trained to) or has mastered the toilet, your dog is truly a genius!
One way to test your dog's problem solving ability is to take a sizeable towel (or a blanket will do fine as well) and toss it over your dog's head. If he frees himself from the covering in less than fifteen seconds, give him three points. If it takes fifteen to thirty seconds, two points. If it takes him longer than thirty seconds, give him or her a single point.
To check your dog's memory, Place some sort of treat under one of three buckets that are lined up in a row. And be sure that your dog sees which bucket the treat is under. Turn the dog away for about ten seconds or so and then let him go. If he or she goes straight to the bucket with the treat under it, three points. If it takes two tries to find the treat, two points. If he/she checks the wrong two first before finding the right one, one point.
Now if your dog scores six points or more, you have a canine genious; four to five points is average; three points or less, well?who said that intelligence was a prerequisite for love?
For additional information on dog wellness visit dog food and other resources and learn more.
Ryan Joseph is a writer/researcher in Pet and General health issues. For more detail visit dog food and other resources
move in cleaning service Mundelein ..Which cat food should you feed your cat to be... Read More
The first thing to realize when you are training a... Read More
Everybody loves puppies. Who can resist those cute little faces... Read More
What is Canine Infectious Hepatitis?The word hepatitis refers to an... Read More
The 4th Of 6 Keys To Building A Life Long... Read More
While "late is better than never," sooner is better than... Read More
In most cases you should not be too concerned about... Read More
In the last decade or so, the popularity of sugar... Read More
Losing a family pet can be a traumatic experience, especially... Read More
Dog Shock CollarsDog shock collars are a touchy subject among... Read More
Toys are fun both for our dogs and us. Lucky... Read More
If you are considering opening a dog day care, then... Read More
Arthritis refers to inflammation or swelling in a joint. The... Read More
The most important things in dog training are consistency, keeping... Read More
Why The Food You Give Your Dog Matters!If you're like... Read More
What if you want a Boxer, but cannot stomach the... Read More
Of all the parasites a dog can catch, worms take... Read More
Dogs mature and age at much different rates, usually according... Read More
The act of offering Christmas gifts is always enhanced if... Read More
Bringing home a new puppy, ushers in a wave of... Read More
If your life is so busy you literally only have... Read More
How to Deal With Anxiety in Your DogAnxiety in dogs... Read More
There is a lot of talk going on about what... Read More
Do you have some adult discus fish and want to... Read More
a) GrowlingIf your rabbit growls or grunts at you, she... Read More
insured cleaning company Highland Park ..The idea of picking up a horse's hooves can intimidate... Read More
Have you ever dreamed of living with a bobcat or... Read More
Well first of all I was always a cat owner,... Read More
Pets are many things in many ways but they are... Read More
If you're looking for an unusual, eye-catching pet, it's hard... Read More
Interacting with a pet bird outside of it's cage is... Read More
A New Understanding of AllergiesAllergies of all kinds seem to... Read More
Did you know that your goldfish can live for over... Read More
Your new living room furniture is in tatters. Your nerves... Read More
Like most dog owners, you probably take your dog with... Read More
One of the greatest thrills for a little boy or... Read More
Mistake #1:"Here, Kitty Kitty..."Unless they have been educated, new horse... Read More
Congratulations on your choice to bring home a West Highland... Read More
Dog training can provide a tremendous amount of satisfaction. Every... Read More
Is your dog up to dirty no good again? Did... Read More
It's important to understand your dog's sleeping habits and how... Read More
As much as you may love your cute, new puppy,... Read More
It happens all too often. A family or cat friend... Read More
What you feed your dog is really SO important for... Read More
Imagine being on a horse and he bolts. You pull... Read More
You Must Be The Alpha DogFirst, let's take a look... Read More
Witnessing your precious dog or cat having a seizure can... Read More
The days are getting longer, and if you have a... Read More
All dogs bark, it's their way to communicate a message.... Read More
Picture this. You're late for work one day. You look... Read More
Pet |