Ranking the 25 smartest dog breeds

This ranking counts down the 25 smartest dog breeds based on Stanley Coren's widely respected 2006 book The Intelligence of Dogs, which measured trainability and working intelligence across breeds recognized by the American and Canadian Kennel Clubs. While brain size doesn't predict cognitive ability—and some research suggests smaller breeds may actually have an edge—certain breeds stand out for how quickly they learn new commands and how reliably they obey on the first try. From the vigilant Schipperke to the legendary Border Collie, these rankings reveal which pups earned their reputations as the brightest of the bunch.