Does a dog's breed really influence its intelligence?

Yes, a dog's breed significantly influences its intelligence, particularly in areas like instinctive intelligence and working intelligence/obedience. Research, notably by Stanley Coren, ranks breeds, with Border Collies consistently topping lists for working intelligence, often understanding new commands in under five repetitions and obeying the first command 95% of the time or more. Other highly intelligent breeds include Poodles and German Shepherds, while breeds like the Afghan Hound typically rank lower in working intelligence. This genetic predisposition means some breeds are inherently more adept at certain cognitive tasks. Explore our full article for a detailed breakdown of breed intelligence rankings and their implications.