The Malinois shepherd (or Mechelaar) is the smartest dog in the world, according to a study involving more than 1,000 dogs. Among all other breeds, the Belgian dog breed came out on top, reported Het Niewsblad.
Scientists at the University of Helsinki presented 1,002 dogs of 13 different breeds with a series of problems focusing on cognitive traits and behaviour. The Malinois shepherd excelled in just about every test.
This comes as no surprise to veterinarian Bart Stegen. "Two breeds stand out in cognitive terms: the Malinois and the Border Collie. Both breeds were originally active on farms to guide herds. This requires self-control. Decades of natural selection have only strengthened that self-control."
It is no coincidence that the Malinois shepherd is used worldwide as a police dog. "Their cognitive qualities make them easy to train. And in addition, they have a well-developed sense of smell, better than that of border collies," said Stegen.
After the Malinois and the Border Collie, the Hovawart and the Spanish water dog complete the top four smartest dogs.
The popular Labrador and Golden Retriever scored slightly lower. Although they did excel in one area: the interpretation of human gestures.
Stegen explained that they are socially adept and "because they are slightly less smart, they are less triggered to explore all sorts of things. That usually makes them a good family dog."
