Let’s face it: all dogs are smart, and they all have a way to manipulate us to an extent and crawl into our hearts. Some dogs are just a little smarter than others. This is a tongue-in-cheek quiz to find out where your dog features on the ‘smart-o-metre’. Work through the questions and choose an answer as close to your dog’s reactions as possible.
1. When you call your dog’s name, on average, how long does it take him to respond?
a. He obviously hears me but doesn’t really respond.
b. He responds immediately.
c. He looks at me questioningly.
d. He looks at me and then looks around the room.
2. Does your dog know where his treats are stored?
a. He knows exactly where to find his treats when it’s treats time.
b. I don’t think he knows where I hide them.
c. When it’s treats time, he will just sit in the middle of the room, waiting for the treats to appear.
d. He often sits close to where the treats are stored, waiting for one.
3. How does your dog respond when he gets a new rope toy?
a. He will take it to his bed and start to chew it.
b. He will bring the rope toy to me and hold it in his mouth until I take one end.
c. He doesn’t know what to do with the rope toy.
4. How well does your dog play fetch?
a. He doesn’t allow me to take the ball from him once he catches it.
b. He runs after the ball, catches it, brings it back and then drops it at my feet.
c. He will run after the ball and catch it. But then he runs away with it.
d. He will just stare at the ball and do nothing.
5. How long does it take your dog to learn a new and relatively easy cue?
a. It normally takes him three to four tries to catch on.
b. He just doesn’t learn any new cues.
c. At times, over the course of a morning; sometimes it takes longer.
d. He eventually learns the cue. It could take days or weeks sometimes.
6. On average, how long does it take your dog to figure out a new puzzle toy?
a. Usually under five minutes for basic puzzles.
b. I’ve given up on puzzle toys. He doesn’t get it.
c. He will play around with it until he gets the hang of it.
d. In most cases, I need to show him how it works.
7. How does your dog respond when you pick up your purse and keys?
a. He might look at me and then continue to sleep.
b. He will get up and run to the door, asking to go with me.
c. He will get up and wait for me to give him the next cue.
d. He will get excited.
8. When you hide a treat under a cup, how does he respond?
a. He thinks the treat is gone and wants another treat.
b. He starts searching the room to find it.
c. He immediately knows that the treat is under the cup.
d. He just looks at me.
Points
Calculate all the points according to your answers to get an idea of how smart your dog is.
- a – 0, b – 5, c – 3, d – 3
- a – 5, b – 0, c – 3, d – 5
- a – 0, b – 5, c – 0
- a – 2, b – 5, c – 2, d – 0
- a – 5, b – 0, c – 3, d – 2
- a – 5, b – 0, c – 3, d – 3
- a – 0, b – 4, c – 5, d – 4
- a – 0, b – 4, c – 5, d – 0
30 to 40 points
You have an intelligent dog who is super smart. Continue to give him loving attention and play games with him to stimulate his mind.
11 to 29 points
Your dog can be described as averagely smart. Don’t underestimate his intelligence; continue to teach him new cues and stimulate his mind with a variety of games and puzzles.
0 to 10
Shame, your dog is either still a puppy who needs to learn many things in life, an old dog who just can’t be bothered anymore, or he wasn’t the brightest of the litter. Either way, continue to teach him new things, and just love him for loving you back.
