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Intelligence [Print This Article]
Published in the August 2006 Colorado Greyhound Adoption Newsletter. Although this article was written for greyhounds, it applies equally to all breeds of dogs.
Question:
I’ve heard that greyhounds aren’t that smart, and that I shouldn’t bother trying to train mine. Is that true?
The Trainer Answers:
Absolutely not! People often mistakenly assume intelligence and trainability are the same. The most intelligent dogs are not necessarily the easiest to train, and the less intelligent dogs are not necessarily the most difficult to train.
While intelligent dogs might learn things more quickly, they can sometimes be more difficult to train as they become bored and disinterested quickly. Dogs who develop destructive or other undesirable behaviors are often smart dogs without enough to do.
On the other hand, some of the less intelligent (not stupid, just not as smart) dogs can make the best family pets. These dogs are generally content with minimal training and the chance to go for walks, play and spend time with their families.
As for the intelligence of greyhounds, mileage will vary by individual as with any breed. When comparing intelligence among breeds, consider the breeding purpose for each. Different breeds have different types of intelligence depending upon the purpose for which they were bred. Border collies, for example, were bred to herd livestock and work closely with humans. They have been bred to take direction from people, and therefore tend to be very adept at reading people. They can be easy to train because of this. However, they can also be very difficult as a family pet if you have a dog bred from working lines sitting home alone with nothing to do most of the day. Their needs will not be met.
The greyhound, on the other hand, was bred to chase down game and more recently, to chase a lure on a track or course. They are bred for a more independent job, and therefore working closely and taking direction from humans is not a high priority. In general, they will not be as adept at reading people or as concerned about what people want. They are bred to run in fast, short bursts, and they don’t have much to do the rest of the time. For many families, this makes them a better choice as their needs for physical and mental stimulation are not as high.
I will discuss further how this affects trainability in the next installment of Ask the Trainer. Stay tuned!
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