Brainy Breeds

Question: Certain dog breeds seem to be smarter than others, so I purposely chose a Border collie in part because of the breed’s reputation for brains. I didn’t want to fuss with a less-intelligent breed when it came to teaching basic obedience. I don’t have the patience to keep trying and trying to teach a dog to sit or to stay. So far, I’ve been really happy with Einstein’s response to training, but I’m curious: How can I figure out just how smart he is?

Terrier Dog Breed

DNA analysis shows that the terrier breeds are relatively new, developing in Europe in the 19th century. Much of the proliferation of terriers took place in the United Kingdom. Both long- and short-legged breeds exist, depending on whether they were bred to chase prey above ground or into burrows.

Sporting/Gun Dog Breeds

Sporting or hunting breeds are also known as gundogs and bird dogs, although they were used before the advent of gunpowder weapons, when birds and other game were netted or clubbed. They are traditionally used for hunting birds, either upland game birds (quails, pheasants, etc.) or waterfowl.

Sighthound Dog Breed

There is evidence of sighthounds going back about 10,000 years, making them arguably among the oldest-known dogs. Like the scenthounds, sighthounds are associated with hunting game, but they are built for speed because they had to keep their quarry in sight during the chase.