Merge - In the News

Meet The Smartest Dog Breeds In The World

By Sabienna Bowman of Stacker

Dog owners passionately defend their dog breed of choice, but is your precious poodle really smarter than a Labrador retriever?

It's time to put those weekly dog park arguments to rest. If you're looking for a definitive answer to the question of whether or not your pup is smarter than the average dog, then author and professor of canine psychology Stanley Coren's 2006 book, "The Intelligence of Dogs," is an excellent reference point. It's widely accepted among the community of canine devotees as an accurate representation of the trainability and overall intelligence of breeds recognized by the American and Canadian Kennel Clubs.

Coren's list of the 63 brightest dog breeds was compiled with help from the American and Canadian Kennel Clubs, as well as a survey of dog owners. At Coren's request, obedience trial judges ranked breeds on obedience and working intelligence—categories that are based on how well a breed typically learns from humans. The analysis also ranked breeds based on adaptive intelligence, which refers to a dog's ability to problem-solve on its own. Breeds that took the shortest amount of time to learn new commands rank the highest.

Does your loyal pup's breed make the list? Read on to see if you'll be bragging to the neighbors about your dog's intellectual prowess the next time you take your fur baby out for a walk. Don't worry: Even if your dog's breed doesn't land on the list, that doesn't mean he's not a good boy—some traits simply can't be measured.

You may also like: Least obedient dog breeds

© Canva

Critical Heat Warning Issued To 9 Dog Breeds

(Photo credit: Ivan Pantic / Getty Images)

The ASPCA issued a heat warning for pet owners to take precautions as warmer weather approaches. One veterinarian shared a video on social media, detailing nine dog breeds at a higher risk for heatstroke.

Veterinarian warns pet owners about heatstroke in dogs

A veterinarian famous on TikTok and Instagram shared a video specifying nine dog breeds that are more susceptible to the dangers of warmer weather, the Independent reported. The TikTok famous vet, who goes by Cat the Vet, first shared the video in preparation for one of the heat waves that hit the UK and parts of Europe last summer. In the video, the vet highlighted nine dog breeds that are at an elevated risk for heat-related illness.

Cat the Vet first mentions the Chow Chow, a thick-coated dog that is 17 times more likely to suffer heatstroke than the average dog. Additionally, these dogs also have slightly flat faces. The brachycephalic, or short and flat skull shape, can contribute to difficulty breathing. On the list, Cat the Vet included the French Bulldog, English Bulldog, and the Dogue de Bordeaux, dogs that are known for their flat faces.

"This [proves] what we already know, that flat-faced breeds are massively more vulnerable in hot weather," Cat says in the video.

The Greyhound placed fifth on the list, likely due to the increased potential for their core temperature to rise too high. Cat explained this is likely due to their large muscle mass in relation to their overall body size.

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel ranked sixth, followed by the Pug, another brachycephalic breed. Lastly, Cat cited the English Springer Spaniel and the Golden Retriever, two breeds known for their high energy levels and eagerness to play. Both are heavily coated, which can also increase their risk of heatstroke.

UK study shows dog breeds more susceptible to heatstroke

Cat the Vet's video cites a Vet Compass study from 2020, titled Incidence and risk factors for heat-related illness (heatstroke) in UK dogs.

Story continues

"Regardless of the breed of your dog, please please be careful as the temperatures spike," she said.

As summer approaches, organizations like the RSPCA, the ASPCA, and the American Humane urge pet owners to learn about the signs of heatstroke in dogs. The warning includes symptoms of heat-related illness, including panting, increased respiratory rate, vomiting, drowsiness, and excessive drooling.

Now that you know about this critical heat warning, learn more about dog breeds that don't tolerate heat well with this guide.

The post Critical Heat Warning Issued to 9 Dog Breeds appeared first on DogTime.

Jaws Drop As Labrador-Pit Bull Puppy Is Labeled Wrong Breed: 'Those Ears'

© Courtesy of Chloe Anderson/TikTok Tiktok Dog

A dog owner has gone viral after sharing a video of how a dog that she adopted, under the impression that she was a Labrador-pit bull puppy mix, turned out to be a different breed after growing up.

In the video shared on TikTok in April under the username freshsqueezedchloj, she explained that when she first got her puppy, Stevie, she was told it was a Labrador-pit bull mix, but once the puppy grew up, the features turned out to be quite different than what such a mix would actually look like.

But the poster said she prefers the dog she received to the one she was originally supposed to get, saying that instead of feeling scammed, she feels like she "scammed them."

Chloe, the dog's owner, told Newsweek: "Turns out she is a German shepherd/Staffordshire terrier mostly with a small percentage of pit, chow, and husky! She is very mellow and sweet when she is in the house but can run for miles when she is outside.

"She is cuddly when she gets to know people and she warms up quickly but can initially be shy/want to make the first move. She is currently 2 years old and I got her when she was 2 months, so we have had a lot of bonding time. She's my little co-pilot in life and I'm so glad the world has gotten to see how cute she is!"

Jaws Drop As Labrador-Pit Bull Puppy Is Labeled Wrong Breed: 'Those Ears'

SHARE

SHARE

TWEET

SHARE

EMAIL

What to watch next

Watch Australian Shepherd Dog Use Button To Tell Owners He Needs To Go Outside

Newsweek

Mom Revamps Kitchen With $51 Hack

Newsweek

Why Venice's Grand Canal Turned Bright Green

Newsweek

Ukraine Requests 100 Western Fighter Jets

Newsweek

Why Kate Middleton's Brother Thinks George, Charlotte And Louis Are 'Lucky'

Newsweek

Sheriff's Video Shows Rescue of Bear Stuck in Car at Lake Tahoe

Newsweek

Full List of House Republicans Who Plan To Vote for Debt Ceiling Deal

Newsweek

Russia Renews Deadly Kyiv Air Strikes With Third Attack in 24 Hours

Newsweek

Moscow Reports Explosions As Multiple Drones Hit Russian Capital

Newsweek

Multiple People Injured In Hollywood Beach Shooting

Newsweek

Biden Laughs At Reporter's Question Of Possible Trump Pardon

Newsweek

Biden Honors 'Fallen Heroes' On Memorial Day

Newsweek

Climate Protesters Pour Charcoal Into Trevi Fountain

Newsweek

Video Of People Avoiding Bud Light At George Strait Concert Goes Viral

Newsweek

Couple With Health Problems Lose Weight Together

Newsweek

Cruise Ship Hit By Hurricane-Force Wind Leaving Passengers Terrified

Newsweek

Click to expand

UP NEXT

The hilarious post comes with a caption: "Was told she was a lab/pit mix when I adopted her." Followed by: "Those ears say otherwise..."

A voiceover adds: "So if you got your dog off of Craigslist like I did, I just want to know what did your dog look like when you got them and then what do they look like now? I'll go first."

While pure-bred dogs might be more appealing to owners, mixed breeds usually live longer.

According to the Canine Journal, that's because pure-bred dogs have a risk of carrying genes for illnesses that are common to that specific breed, while mixed breeds, also known as "mutts," which have at least two breeds in their DNA, tend to have the least health problems and live longer.

The video quickly gained popularity on social media, attracting animal lovers from across the platform. It has received more than 1.5 million views and 169,800 likes.

One user, Timelyy, commented: "Oh you adopted scooby doo." And Caiti Nicole said: "The puppy version is LITERALLY scrappy doo," while vmendoza1220 added: "That's a whole shepherd lol he is beautiful."

Gremlin wrote: "looks like a Shepard/husky/cattledog/pit mix." And RockitBeinBad suggested: "Looks like an Anatolian shepherd. Very loyal dogs." Christina Bohley said: "I swear, 'lab/pit' has become like a catch-all for when they don't know! They wrote the same about my boy, and that's not even close!

Another user, britzosmash, commented: "I was also told that my dog was a lab/pit mix. He looks exactly the same just black." And Beritpåbærtur said: "That dog looks exactly like a guy I went on a tinder date with."

Joehawnuh wrote: "We were told lab mix and he was mostly pit/sharpei and everything under the sun & the other was flat coated retriever and she's a border collie mix." And another user added: "Mine was supposed to be Chihuahua lab but is all pit lol."

Update 5/15/23, 6:24 a.M. ET: This article has been updated with comments from the original poster, Chloe, and new pictures.

Update 5/16/23, 7:30 a.M. ET: This article has been updated to include a new video.

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.Com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.

Related Articles

Start your unlimited Newsweek trial

---