How smart is a Shiba Inu?

The Shiba Inu is considered to be of average working intelligence, ranking #105 out of 138 breeds in Stanley Coren's "The Intelligence of Dogs." This places them in the "average working/obedience intelligence" category, meaning they typically understand new commands after 25-40 repetitions and obey them 50% of the time or better. They excel in obedience (4/5) and memory (3/5), but are less proficient in problem-solving (2/5). Explore our full article for a deeper dive into the Shiba Inu's unique cognitive abilities.