The most intelligent dogs are not necessarily the easiest to train. That’s because there is more to trainability than canine cleverness. A dog’s personality, genes, distractibility, and instinctual drives also influence its capacity to learn.
We have compiled a list of the dog breeds that are easiest to train.
Read: What Are the Top 3 Best Dog Breeds?
1) Golden Retriever
Smart, eager to please, and versatile, this friendly and popular breed is perfect for families.
It may act silly sometimes just to entertain its owners, but the Golden Retriever is one of the most intelligent dog breeds. Its versatility is such that it can work as a search and rescue canine, a guide dog, or a dependable companion.
2) German Shepherd Dog
Its courage, loyalty, confidence, and keen intelligence make the German shepherd the canine assistant of choice in the police force and army. This powerful and large breed has a high stamina and energy level. It is also a versatile dog and suitable as a family pet. Despite its stern and imposing appearance, the German shepherd is good with children.
3) Border Collie
Hailed as the smartest dog breed in Britain, the border collie can quickly learn a variety of commands. It is also known for its complex agility skills. Being a herding dog, the border collie likes to be kept busy and has the athleticism to withstand the demands of driving livestock. However, it is also affectionate with its human. Due to its high energy and mental stimulation requirements, this breed is best suited to experienced dog owners.
Read: Fall in Love with Border Collies with These Six Amazing Facts
4) Labrador Retriever
This Labrador retriever has been the most popular breed in the UK for many years, and with good reason. Similar to the golden retriever, Labs are playful, energetic, happy, gentle, and smart. It loves to play the clown and is willing to do anything to please its humans. The Labrador retriever is also an athletic canine and can compete in dog sports. It is also versatile and able to serve as a therapy, sniffer, guide, search and rescue, hunting, or companion dog.
5) Australian Shepherd
Like the border collie, the Australian shepherd is a herding dog (Pastoral Group), which is one of the most trainable breeds. It can learn a wide array of skills quickly and loves to be busy working. The Australian shepherd does well in dog sports and requires a lot of exercise and mental stimulation to be happy. However, it is also devoted and likes to be in the company of its family. Eager to please and protective of its owners, the Aussie is friendly with those it knows and is good with children.
6) Poodle
The good-natured poodle is remarkably easy to train as it is known to be the smartest dog breed in the world. It is even known to outsmart its owners. Considering it has been employed in circus work in the past, that is no surprise. Coming in standard, miniature, and toy sizes, this breed’s coat is attractive, hypoallergenic, and does not shed heavily. The poodle is a friendly canine that can thrive with children and other pets.
7) Rottweiler
Loving, loyal, and confident, the Rottweiler is protective of its family. It is known not to allow strangers in the home unless its owners welcome the visitors themselves. With its imposing appearance, this breed makes a compelling watchdog. Like the German shepherd, the Rottweiler is a working dog that does well as a service, police, therapy, or herding dog. Its high energy and intelligence require a lot of exercises and mental stimulation.
8) Miniature Schnauzer
This terrier dog breed’s agility, energy, and intelligence are remarkable. Its capacity for obedience makes it more trainable over other terrier breeds. It is also a great family dog as it is playful and eager to please its humans. The Miniature Schnauzer has a tendency to vocalise, but with early socialisation, regular exercise, and mental stimulation, its barking can be managed well.
Read: How to Stop My Dog from Barking Excessively
9) Papillon
Do not let its small frame and pretty looks fool you—the Papillon is one smart cookie! Friendly, alert, amusing, and a generally happy pooch, the papillon gets its name from its butterfly-like ears. In French, the butterfly is called ‘papillon.’ But unlike the butterfly, this toy dog is not shy. It is versatile, athletic, and capable of learning various tricks. It is known to do well at dog shows. Further, the papillon is known to be a fantastic companion dog and will follow its owners around.
When Is the Best Time to Train a Dog?
Although you can start training puppies when they are about ten weeks old, the duration should be short. The sessions should also be based on their ability to concentrate.
Usually, dogs are easier to train once they are adults. This is especially if they have undergone basic training early in their life. Always base your training programme according to the dog’s health and breed. You should know as much as you can about your pet’s breed so you can avoid falling into training pitfalls.
