Back to School: Top 5 Smartest Dogs in History
To celebrate back to school season, here are five amazing stories of the smartest dogs throughout history.
Happy back to school season! As the school year kicks off, it’s a great time to celebrate not just our human scholars but also the canine geniuses who have astounded us with their intelligence.
From performing remarkable feats to understanding complex commands, here are the stories of five ultra-intelligent dogs throughout history.
1. Chaser: The Vocabulary Whiz
Border Collies are generally often regarded as one of the smartest dog breeds. However, one particular border collie, Chaser, stands out from the rest and is often given the title of the “smartest dog in the world." Could you memorize all of the toys in the photo above and quickly identify one from the pile? Chaser can!
Chaser, a Border Collie from South Carolina, was renowned for her extraordinary vocabulary and cognitive abilities. Trained by Dr. John Pilley, Chaser learned to recognize over 1,000 different toys by name. This remarkable feat was not just a matter of rote learning; Chaser demonstrated an understanding of object categories and relationships. For instance, she could group toys by type and even understand the differences between a ball and a frisbee. Her skills were tested in various scientific studies, showing that she could accurately retrieve toys from a pile of hundreds based on their names—a testament to her impressive memory and comprehension.
Chaser's intelligence also went beyond simple retrieval tasks. She was able to learn new words and incorporate them into her existing vocabulary, showing an advanced level of cognitive flexibility. This ability to adapt and expand her knowledge base set her apart as one of the most intelligent dogs that has ever lived.
2. Endal: The Service Dog Superhero
Endal, an English Labrador Retriever, was a service dog whose intelligence was evident through his diverse skill set and adaptability. Trained to assist his owner, Allen Parton, who had mobility and speech challenges, Endal performed a wide range of tasks, including learning to pull the stopper out of a bathtub, calling 9-1-1 on a cell phone, and learning hundreds of commands in sign language. Endal was also the first known dog to be able to insert and remove a card from an ATM machine!
One of Endal’s most remarkable feats happened when Allen fell out of his wheelchair. Endal was able to get Allen’s cell phone from under the car, covered Allen with a blanket, and then walked over to a nearby hotel to ask for help.
In addition to helping Allen, Endal also worked with autistic and terminally ill children, making him one of the most incredible service dogs in history.
3. Skidboot: The Trickster with a Brain
Skidboot, a Blue Heeler from Texas, was a true rodeo dog who was celebrated for his impressive repertoire of tricks and commands. His ability to perform complex behaviors, such as playing dead, rolling over, and even responding to mathematical questions, demonstrated his exceptional intelligence. Skidboot could throw away trash in a trash can, kneel down in a patriotic salute, and do a variety of rodeo tricks, including taming a wild horse.
Due to his amazing intelligence, Skidboot was featured in many TV shows, and he even met Oprah!
One notable example of Skidboot’s intelligence was his ability to perform a series of tricks in rapid succession, showcasing his memory and ability to follow multi-step instructions. His playful interactions and the joy he brought to his audience were a testament to this cowboy dog's amazing brainpower.
4. Rico: The Word-Recognition Expert
Ready for another super-smart border collie? Rico, a Border Collie from Germany, exhibited exceptional word-recognition skills that earned him a place in the annals of canine intelligence.
Rico could recall the names of over 200 distinct objects, a skill that was demonstrated in various experiments. What made Rico's abilities even more impressive was his capacity to remember and differentiate between objects even after extended periods of time of over a month, highlighting his long-term memory capabilities.
Additionally, Rico's performance in studies showed that he could infer the names of new objects based on his existing vocabulary. Scientists compared Rico's cognitive abilities to those of other high-intelligence mammals like chimpanzees and dolphins. Rico's ability to understand and act on complex verbal commands made him a standout example of canine cognitive prowess.
5. Jim the Wonder Dog: The Amazing Showman
Jim the Wonder Dog, an English Pointer from Louisiana in the early 20th century, was renowned for his astonishing feats of intelligence and psychic powers that seemed almost magical.
Jim could perform a variety of tasks, including predicting the outcomes of Kentucky Derby horse races and MLB World Series, understanding commands in foreign languages (even though his owner only spoke English), and identifying cars by make, color, out-of-state plate, and license number.
In addition to understanding foreign languages, Jim could also understand commands in Morse Code and shorthand. He was even said to have accurately predicted the sex of multiple unborn babies. Jim has been indoctrinated into Ripley’s Believe it or Not! and crowned as one of the smartest dogs that ever lived.
Conclusion
As we head back to school, let’s take inspiration from the stories of these incredible canine scholars whose intelligence has amazed and inspired us. Whether it's Chaser’s vocabulary mastery or Jim the Wonder Dog’s uncanny predictive abilities, these smart dogs remind us of the incredible potential within our furry friends.
You can celebrate the smart dogs in your life with PugMug’s School Days style pack, featuring five amazing school-themed art styles for scholarly dog portraits of your canine friend.
Our unique custom dog portraits, available on a variety of fun products, from notebooks to hoodies, is a perfect way to honor your pet’s intelligence and make your home a celebration of your furry friend’s remarkable traits.
Interested in more stories of incredible pets throughout history? Check out our post on the most significant pet events of the 20th century!
