Side-by-Side IQ Profile
The Pet IQ Lab evaluates canine intelligence across five key dimensions. The Icelandic Sheepdog, a resilient herding dog, scores a consistent 3 out of 5 across Problem Solving, Training Speed, Social Intelligence, Instinctive Drive, and Memory. This indicates a balanced, practical intellect, reflecting its ancestral role requiring adaptable, all-around capabilities. Its herding background suggests a nuanced understanding of flock dynamics and environmental cues.
In contrast, the English Setter, a distinguished sporting dog, presents a more specialized cognitive profile. It achieves a 4 out of 5 in Problem Solving, Training Speed, and Memory, while matching the Icelandic Sheepdog with a 3 out of 5 in Social Intelligence and Instinctive Drive. This breed's higher scores align with its Coren ranking of #37, indicating a notable capacity for understanding and executing complex commands and retaining information. Its cognitive strengths are geared towards efficient, cooperative work with human handlers, demanding quick learning and excellent recall.
Where Icelandic Sheepdog Wins Cognitively
While the English Setter shows higher scores, the Icelandic Sheepdog's balanced intelligence offers distinct advantages, particularly in independent decision-making within dynamic environments. Its 3/5 in Instinctive Drive, specifically its herding drive, encompasses an innate ability to read and influence the movement of livestock, often requiring proactive choices without direct human instruction. This practical problem-solving, coupled with a solid 3/5 in Social Intelligence, suggests a nuanced understanding of group dynamics.
The Icelandic Sheepdog’s cognitive strength lies in its ability to operate as a self-sufficient, yet cooperative, partner in complex, unpredictable outdoor settings, making independent judgments. Its cognitive balance fosters adaptability, allowing it to thrive in varied situations without exhibiting over-reliance on constant directed tasks.
Where English Setter Wins Cognitively
The English Setter's cognitive profile showcases a distinct advantage in structured learning, retention, and purposeful problem-solving. Its 4/5 scores in Problem Solving, Training Speed, and Memory reflect a profound capacity for acquiring and applying learned behaviors efficiently. This breed excels at understanding cause-and-effect relationships in training scenarios, quickly grasping new commands, and retaining those lessons over extended periods.
Its superior memory (4/5) allows it to recall specific scent patterns or retrieve locations with remarkable accuracy, crucial for its sporting role. The English Setter’s cognitive strength lies in its ability to internalize and execute complex sequences of actions, making it highly receptive to advanced obedience or specialized task training. Its focused intellect allows for rapid skill acquisition and consistent application of learned behaviors, making it a formidable partner for intricate, goal-oriented activities.
Which is Easier to Train and Why
Based on Pet IQ Lab scores, the English Setter is generally easier to train than the Icelandic Sheepdog. Its 4/5 in Training Speed indicates a quicker uptake of new commands and concepts, meaning fewer repetitions are typically needed for a behavior to be learned and solidified. Coupled with a 4/5 in Problem Solving, this breed readily understands what is being asked and can figure out how to achieve the desired outcome. Its strong memory (4/5) further ensures that once a lesson is learned, it is retained effectively. Teaching an English Setter a multi-step retrieve or complex agility sequence would likely progress more rapidly.
In contrast, the Icelandic Sheepdog's 3/5 in Training Speed and Problem Solving suggests a more deliberate learning pace. While capable of learning, an Icelandic Sheepdog might require more consistent, patient instruction. Its herding instincts can sometimes manifest as independent decision-making requiring careful redirection, whereas the English Setter's drive is more often channeled into cooperative hunting tasks, making it more inclined to follow human direction in structured training.
Which Suits Active Owners vs Relaxed Owners
Both the Icelandic Sheepdog and English Setter thrive with active engagement, making neither suitable for truly relaxed owners. However, their activity needs differ, reflecting their cognitive and instinctive drives. The English Setter, with its 3/5 Instinctive Drive rooted in hunting, demands consistent physical exercise in open spaces, engaging its scenting and pointing abilities. Its cognitive profile, optimized for structured tasks, benefits from activities like field trials, advanced obedience, or hiking where it can apply its problem-solving and memory skills. This breed suits owners committed to providing daily, vigorous exercise and mental stimulation through directed activities.
The Icelandic Sheepdog, also with a 3/5 Instinctive Drive, manifests this through its herding heritage. This translates into a need for purposeful activity engaging its problem-solving and social intelligence dynamically. While it enjoys physical exercise, its cognitive fulfillment often comes from "working" alongside its family in dog sports or daily routines where it feels useful. Its balanced cognitive scores suggest adaptability to various interactive tasks. This breed suits active owners who can integrate their dog into daily lives as a participatory companion, rather than solely providing designated exercise periods. Both breeds require owners willing to invest time in their physical and mental well-being, albeit through slightly different avenues.
The Verdict
Opt for the Icelandic Sheepdog if you seek a balanced, adaptable companion who thrives on integrated family participation and dynamic problem-solving within daily routines, valuing independent thought and a strong social bond.
Select the English Setter if you are an owner dedicated to structured training, field activities, or dog sports, valuing a highly trainable partner with excellent memory and a focused drive for cooperative, task-oriented work.
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How does the Coren ranking for English Setters relate to the Pet IQ Lab scores?
The Coren ranking primarily measures a breed's working and obedience intelligence, reflecting how quickly a dog learns and obeys commands. The Pet IQ Lab offers a broader, multi-dimensional assessment, including instinctive drive and social intelligence, providing a more nuanced view of overall cognitive abilities beyond obedience alone. The English Setter's high Coren rank aligns well with its Pet IQ Lab scores in Training Speed and Problem Solving, indicating its strong capacity for formal learning.
Are Icelandic Sheepdogs harder to train due to their lower "Training Speed" score?
While their 3/5 Training Speed score suggests they may take slightly longer to master new commands compared to breeds with higher scores, "harder" is a simplification. Icelandic Sheepdogs are intelligent and willing to learn, but they often benefit from patient, positive reinforcement and training methods that engage their natural herding instincts and problem-solving abilities. Their independent nature means consistency and clear communication are key to successful training, rather than a reflection of inability.
How do their "Social Intelligence" scores of 3/5 compare in practice?
A 3/5 Social Intelligence score for both breeds indicates a solid capacity to understand and respond to social cues from humans and other animals. For the Icelandic Sheepdog, this often manifests as a strong desire to be part of the family "flock" and a sensitivity to household dynamics, making them excellent companions. For the English Setter, this typically translates to an eager-to-please nature with its human handler and a generally friendly disposition towards others, crucial for working cooperatively in various settings. Both are capable of forming strong social bonds and navigating social situations effectively.