dog breeds ranked

I just don't understand any of his reasoning, for example what makes a husky better than a malamute, or a chihuahua better than a boxer, how did he decide that pointers are dumb but German pointers are intelligent and what makes a collie better than any other dog? Think it's a load of rubbish but thought i would share anyway.
 
the factors are on a key down the bottom left, ie intelligence and how much it costs to maintain a Chihuahua ranked it higher than a boxer..

I understand where they're coming from, and its a bit like what happens in my brain when someone says "what type of dog is best for me". However what doesn't seem to be considered is exercise requirement. That to me is a huge factor - someone with a sedentary lifestyle should probably not have something like a husky or another breed which has a huge exercise need. And likewise someone who wants a dog to take running probably shouldn't have a Peke. So exercise need should also be factored, IMO.

It's an interesting chart, but not comprehensive.
 
Ester, poodles were top right between GSP and labrador. Again, as much as I adore poodles, the grooming cost along should have knocked them back a bit more -but apparently their intelligence must have kept them right up there? Health wise they are known to have a few things, so I would not have thought so much to keep them up there, but maybe the "cheap to feed" is what keeps them there too. They don't have poodles separated by size. Yet they do have Miniature Schnauzer....also in the top right.
 
hmm, I have limited experience with Gordons but I do get bored of people saying my red setter must be thick. He might let enthusiasm for life get the better of him sometimes but this is a dog that successfully ambushes other dogs at play and nicks their toys so they will chase him, can open doors (inwards and outwards), single out 5 different toys by name (used to be more but I don't practice much these days), turns the light on, moves his bed to the wood burner or the radiator depending on what he wants and used to shut my old collie in his crate :D he is without a doubt, extremely high maintenance in wanting attention,grooming, fussiness when eating and vet fees though.

dog breeds are very personal, there are plenty I wouldn't give house room to and there are those that maybe aren't as trainable but that doesn't make them less intelligent (more so in my book).
 
One of my Aunt's gordons is scared of the dark and cannot negotiate a stile in any way shape or form :p. She'd be a fab gundog ;) :p.

Thanks PNP I couldn't see them at all but figured they popular enough to be there.
 
MotherOfChickens said:
hmm, I have limited experience with Gordons but I do get bored of people saying my red setter must be thick. He might let enthusiasm for life get the better of him sometimes but this is a dog that successfully ambushes other dogs at play and nicks their toys so they will chase him, can open doors (inwards and outwards), single out 5 different toys by name (used to be more but I don't practice much these days), turns the light on, moves his bed to the wood burner or the radiator depending on what he wants and used to shut my old collie in his crate :D he is without a doubt, extremely high maintenance in wanting attention,grooming, fussiness when eating and vet fees though.

dog breeds are very personal, there are plenty I wouldn't give house room to and there are those that maybe aren't as trainable but that doesn't make them less intelligent (more so in my book).
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Good point - trainability doesn't necessarily equate intelligence.

True story: I had a chap come to me for grooming his Irish Setter not that long ago. He'd already been asked to not rebook in to two different salons simply because the dog was so uncooperative with the groomers he'd been to previously. So he told me the dog was awkward, and disobedient. He said his other Irish wasn't like that but this one was. On the day of his appointment, in walked this stunning lad (the dog, can't remember what the guy looked like) who wasn't exactly nervous, but he wasn't oozing confidence either.

I attempted to stack him out on the floor and the dog just flopped on to the floor and refused to move. Okayyyy.

I promised I'd do my best and made no promises about actually FINISHING. I had to get help to get the dog in to the bath tub, it was a bit of a drama with legs and arms going everywhere, scraping and scrabbling but eventually me and a helper got him in to the bath and he stood rigid for the bath. I did a bit of blasting in the tub, and he was fine with that. But I wanted to let him chill out in the drying cabinet (a large crate with a warm fan). So I said to the dog (because I'm a nutter) "Now, you're going to step nicely out of the bath, and straight in to the cabinet over there". I opened the door to the bath and he did exactly as I'd asked. I closed the door to the cabinet behind him and he just stood there, facing with the fan going up his bum. Not wishing to have his coat curl the wrong way I said to him "I should have clarified, but could you please face the other way?" and the dog very politely turned about and faced the fan. I did some tidying and what not and realised he was still standing in exactly the same position he had been in. So, says I "if you like you could just lay down in there". And he did, immediately. He stayed in there til I was ready to put him on the table. He wasn't for standing so I lay him out on his side and completely dried and brushed one side, and then stood him up, lay him on his other side and did all the same again. When it came time to trim, I let him just sit on the table, and he was fine with that. Then I needed more done on the legs, which I really needed him to stand for - and he wasn't terribly keen to stand on the table. So rather than upset him, I just stood him on the floor and he stood like a statue while I trimmed his feathers. When I was done, he scratched at the door to the drying cabinet, I opened it and he went in and lay down again.

So, I said to the fella when he came to collect his dog, that I was more than happy to have him back - it wasn't that the dog was difficult - he just wanted to be asked nicely LOL.

Is he smart? I think so. Perhaps not "trainable" with some methods and therefore deemed awkward or unruly. But as far as I was concerned, you just had to ask rather than demand. Worked for him anyway.

Okay, yes I did say I was a nutter LOL
 
i completely agree that bedlingtons re overlooked treasures, but cannot understand how they can be called dumb. Never met a stupid bedlington, they tend to be very wise, and very considered in their behaviour. They obey orders that are directly relevant to their own opinions.
 
Bosworth said:
i completely agree that bedlingtons re overlooked treasures, but cannot understand how they can be called dumb. Never met a stupid bedlington, they tend to be very wise, and very considered in their behaviour. They obey orders that are directly relevant to their own opinions.
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maybe it's not the intelligence quotient that brought them down? But rather health issues ? or perhaps cost associated with grooming AND to purchase? I would imagine they may be more expensive as a rare breed (though I've never looked in to it).
 
If you look at the chart a left facing dog is dumb, right facing is bright. See top right. So a bedlington is down as dumb, and gordon setter is bright. Yet every single gordon setter I have met has been dumb. And a friend who bred them used to tell everyone they were thick.

Bedlingtons are actually not that expensive to buy when compared to many other pedigrees. A good pedigree is about £800, a working bred is probably about £400
 
Bosworth said:
If you look at the chart a left facing dog is dumb, right facing is bright. See top right. So a bedlington is down as dumb, and gordon setter is bright. Yet every single gordon setter I have met has been dumb. And a friend who bred them used to tell everyone they were thick.

Bedlingtons are actually not that expensive to buy when compared to many other pedigrees. A good pedigree is about £800, a working bred is probably about £400
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Ah, so you're right. oops, hadn't seen that. Nor did I til just now see the CAT! Who let a cat in there ! hehehe
 
I've always wanted a Bedlington an' all :D What I don't get is that none denies huskies are intelligent dogs but they are not the easiest to obedience train.

PucciNPoni-my setter is extremely sensitive, I went to great pains to socialise him well and despite his confidence I can see how they go 'wrong' if you like. Any hint of a tone in the voice brings on the selective deafness (which was a challenge for recall between the ages of 9 months and 7 years :D)

as for grooming-he loathes being bathed (but loves water out and about) but will gladly sit while I do everything, he knows to turnaround when I say 'other side' and will stand/sit for as long as I need him to.
 
Glad to see Papillons ranked fairly highly- I often feel they are an overlooked toy breed but they are such happy little dogs, easy to care for and very smart. The only major problem I have with mine is her intolerance of cold and bad weather! Dog breeds are very personal though, what floats someone else's boat will sink another's!
 
MotherOfChickens said:
What I don't get is that none denies huskies are intelligent dogs but they are not the easiest to obedience train.
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Note that they are facing left to denote thickness. :p It measures intelligence by percentage of time a first command is obeyed and how many repetitions it takes to understand a new command, both of which they will score poorly on. They will be bumped up by their longevity, lack of genetic disease and low grooming requirement. Unfortunately the study only seems to account for frequency of grooming - you could get away with not brushing them ever, they don't matt and are pretty self cleaning - but fails to account for the fact that you'd be ankle deep in tufts of coat...

The data breakdown is more interesting than the infographic: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AmCeWwNKr6FmdFktWm80Z2NETVdNdDRnZ1BRWUotZnc#gid=10
 
the woman who trained me to groom has a history of breeding and showing Setters, Irish and English. She had to turn all her handles so they had to be opened upwards because they were so good at letting themselves out of closed rooms. I know some other gun dogs like this - curly coat retrievers for one (Hey, didn't see them on the chart).

She was telling me that I should get an English Setter to show in addition to my poodle. She jokingly said that I shouldn't worry about my cat flap being too small; the Setter will cheerfully make it bigger.

I have groomed a few Gordons over the years, but one bitch in particular makes me laugh - I stood getting the bath ready. I had the door to my room closed so she was able to wander about freely. I turned my back to do something and when I turned round, she was in the bath, on a small wee perch, waiting to be washed.
 
I, like everyone else have favorite breeds eg. labradors, springers, working cockers and collies but I frequently am surprised when I meet a breed that I would say I didn't like only to find that the one I meet is a complete character and adorable. I really don't like jack russells but have a friend who has a fantastic little dog who is just delightful. I am also not very keen on staffies but met one on my walk this morning who was just a little darling. So I have learnt not to pass judgment by breed but by each individual dog.
 
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