Last Updated: Apr 14, 2022
Quick Links: Table of Contents
- How Smart is the Alaskan Malamute?
- Alaskan Malamute Intelligence. A Second Opinion
- The Intelligence of Alaskan Malamute Compared to Other Dog Breeds
- Is the Alaskan Malamute Smarter than a Cat?
- What is the IQ of the Alaskan Malamute?
How Smart is the Alaskan Malamute?
The Alaskan Malamute is a dog breed that is known to be:
- Affectionate
- Devoted
- Dignified
- Friendly
- Loyal
- Playful
But, how smart is the Alaskan Malamute really?
The Alaskan Malamute is the 50th smartest dog when it comes to obedience and working intelligence.
Accordingly, compared to other dogs, the Alaskan Malamute belongs to the `Average Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category.
Alaskan Malamutes tend to learn new commands after 25 to 40 repetitions.
These facts on Alaskan Malamute intelligence are from the published work on dog intelligence and behavior by the renowned Prof. Stanley Coren. Coren is a Canadian Psychology Professor and Dog Researcher.
In the 1990s, Prof. Coren did extensive scientific research where he `measured` what is called the Working or Obedience Intelligence of more than 130 different dog breeds.
Note that the working/obedience intelligence of a dog is one of the three intelligence components that constitute a dog`s total intelligence. But it is the only intelligence component that can be measured and compared among dog breeds.
Later on, we will further explain what the working/obedience intelligence means, and what the other two parts of a dog`s intelligence are.
For his research on measuring and ranking the intelligence of dog breeds, Prof. Coren consulted with:
- Over two hundred dog obedience judges
- Over sixty veterinarians, and
- Fourteen guard dog experts
From his research data, Prof. Coren ranked dog breeds according to their obedience intelligence from the smartest to the least smart.
According to the study, the smartest dog breed is the Border Collie. Border Collies are so smart that they can understand any new command that you are trying to teach them after repeating the command to them five times or fewer.
The least smart dog breed is the Afghan Hound. The Afghan Hound is one of the dog breeds with the lowest degree of Working/Obedience intelligence. It will take 80 to 100 repetitions or more for an Afghan Hound to learn a new command.
As mentioned earlier, the Alaskan Malamute is the 50th smartest dog breed.
Furthermore, Coren placed dog breeds into one of six intelligence categories:
- Brightest Dogs: Tend To Learn New Commands After Fewer Than 5 Repetitions
- Excellent Working Dogs: Tend To Learn New Commands After 5 To 15 Repetitions
- Above Average Working Dogs: Tend To Learn New Commands After 15 To 25 Repetitions
- Average Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs: Tend To Learn New Commands After 25 To 40 Repetitions
- Fair Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs: Tend To Learn New Commands After 40 To 80 Repetitions!
- Lowest Degree of Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs: Tend To Learn New Commands After 80 To 100 Repetitions Or More!
The Alaskan Malamute belongs to the `Average Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category.
However, note that obedience intelligence is one of the many things that make a good dog. The fact that a dog breed has a low obedience intelligence DOES NOT MEAN the dog breed with not excel at other things.
Intelligence is just one of the many things that make dogs the excellent human companions that they are.
See the intelligence ranking of a few selected dog breeds in the table below: (note, although 133 dog breeds were studied, there are 79 positions because some breeds tied for the same position)
Click here to see the intelligence rank of all 133 dog breeds.
| Breed | Intelligence Rank |
|---|---|
| How Smart is the Australian Cattle Dog? | Ranked 10th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Keeshond? | Ranked 16th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Vizsla? | Ranked 25th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Norwegian Elkhound? | Ranked 36th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Irish Wolfhound? | Ranked 41st out of 79 |
| How Smart is the American Water Spaniel? | Ranked 44th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the American Foxhound? | Ranked 46th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Jack Russell Terrier? | Ranked 46th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Alaskan Malamute? | Ranked 50th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Sealyham Terrier? | Ranked 56th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen? | Ranked 62nd out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Japanese Chin? | Ranked 62nd out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Scottish Terrier? | Ranked 65th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Chihuahua? | Ranked 67th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Pekingese? | Ranked 73rd out of 79 |
Alaskan Malamute Intelligence. A Second Opinion
We reviewed another research study to find out more about the intelligence of the Alaskan Malamute. This other study is The Canine Behavioral Assessment & Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ) study.
This study was done by research veterinarians from the University of Pennsylvania.
In the study, the researchers asked owners of different dog breeds, including owners of the Alaskan Malamute to describe how trainable their dogs are.
38 Alaskan Malamute owners were asked to describe
how easy it was to train their Alaskan Malamute in the CBARQ research survey.We analyzed what these Alaskan Malamute owners said about the trainability of their Alaskan Malamutes and compared that to what other owners said about other dog breeds (125 other breeds).
Dogs that are easy to train are always very eager to listen to their owner. These dogs are not stubborn. These dogs obey simple commands, and they learn very quickly.
Also, dogs that are easy to train tend to do well at fetching objects when asked to. Furthermore, this category of dogs also responds positively to correction and ignores distraction.
According to the results from the CBARQ research, Alaskan Malamutes are a little bit easy to train.
In fact, the Alaskan Malamute ranks 75th out of 124 dog breeds for easiness to train.
Based on our further analysis of the CBARQ research data, we found that the Alaskan Malamute has a trainability score of 60.6 %.
Other dog breeds that are a little bit easy to train just like the Alaskan Malamute are listed in the table below:
| Trainability Rank | Breed | Trainability Score |
|---|---|---|
| 72 | Chinese Shar-Pei | 61.9 % |
| 73 | English Setter | 61.3 % |
| 74 | Jack Russell Terrier | 60.9 % |
| 75 | Alaskan Malamute | 60.6 % |
| 76 | Italian Greyhound | 60.6 % |
| 77 | Samoyed | 60.4 % |
| 78 | Redbone Coonhound | 60.0 % |
According to the CBARQ research data, the dog breeds that are most easy to train are the:
- Belgian Tervuren
- Belgian Malinois
- Border Collie
- Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
- Irish Water Spaniel
According to the CBARQ research data, the dog breeds that are most difficult to train are the:
- Dingo
- Treeing Walker Coonhound
- Basenji
- Afghan Hound
- Pekingese
However, it is important to note that trainability does not always equal intelligence.
This is because a dog can be smart and stubborn at the same time. A smart but stubborn dog will be hard to train.
Visit this page to see the complete temperament profile (trainability, aggression, shyness, prey drive, etc) of the Alaskan Malamute according to the result of the CBARQ research study.
The Three Parts of the Intelligence of the Alaskan Malamute
As mentioned earlier, Prof. Coren ranked dogs based on what is called the `Working/Obedience` Intelligence.
The `Working/Obedience` Intelligence is one of the three parts of a dog`s overall intelligence.
All the three parts that make up a dog`s overall intelligence are:
- Instinctive Intelligence: This is the natural intelligence that comes from instinct. For example, dog breeds that have been historically bred to be guard or hunt dogs will have a high `guarding` or `hunting` intelligence compared to dogs that were not bred for guarding or hunting.
- Adaptive Intelligence: This indicates what a dog can learn to do for himself or herself. Adaptive intelligence is specific to each dog, and not specific to a dog breed. You can improve your dog`s adaptive intelligence (and therefore its overall intelligence) by investing time to train your dog.
- Working/Obedience Intelligence: This intelligence type is the subject of this article. This type of intelligence is breed-specific. Certain dog breeds tend to have higher working/obedience intelligence than other breeds. This intelligence is the closest to what we might call school-learning ability and it is based upon what the dog can learn to do when instructed by humans. This type of intelligence can be measured for each dog breed. Furthermore, the working/obedience intelligence of one dog breed can be compared to that of another dog breed to see which dog is smarter
You can tell what type of instinctive intelligence a dog breed will have based on the dog group the dog belongs.
The Alaskan Malamute belongs to the Working Dogs group.
Dogs in the Working Dogs group, like the Alaskan Malamute, were developed to assist humans in some capacity – including pulling sleds and carts, guarding flocks, guarding homes, and protecting their families.
Breeds in the Working Group are known for their imposing stature, strength, intelligence, and fearless..
The natural breed-specific working/obedience intelligence is a heavy chunk of a dog`s overall intelligence.
According to Prof. Coren, 51 percent of a dog`s intelligence comes from its genes while 49 percent of a dog`s intelligence comes from the dog`s environmental circumstances. Environmental circumstances include how much training you give to a dog.
In short, it will be much easier to train a naturally smart dog.
However, we should mention that a dog breed should not be judged based on its intelligence alone.
There are other important factors you need to consider when deciding on which dog breed to get.
The most important factor to consider is how compatible a dog breed`s overall temperament is with your lifestyle.
The Intelligence of Alaskan Malamute Compared to Other Dog Breeds
See how smart the Alaskan Malamute is compared to some other dog breeds.
To see how smart the Alaskan Malamute is compared to all other dog breeds, see this ranking of dog breeds based on intelligence.
Is the Alaskan Malamute Smarter Than the Dalmatian?
The Dalmatian is smarter than the Alaskan Malamute.
This is because the Dalmatian ranks 39th out of 79 in the intelligence ranking of 133 dog breeds, while the intelligence rank of the Alaskan Malamute is 50th out of 79 in the ranking of the intelligence of 133 dog breeds (133 and not 79 because some breeds tied for intelligence in the same spot).
Because of its intelligence rank of 50th, the Alaskan Malamute belongs to the `Average Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category.
This means that Alaskan Malamutes tend to learn new commands after 25 to 40 repetitions.
On the other hand, because of its intelligence rank of 39th, the Dalmatian belongs to the `Above Average Working Dogs` category.
This means that Dalmatians tend to learn new commands after 15 to 25 repetitions.
| Alaskan Malamute | Dalmatian | |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligence Rank | 50th out of 133 dog breeds | 39th out of 133 dog breeds |
| Learning Ability | Tend To Learn New Commands After 25 To 40 Repetitions | Tend To Learn New Commands After 15 To 25 Repetitions |
Learn more about how smart Dalmatians are here.
Is the Alaskan Malamute Smarter Than the Finnish Spitz?
The Finnish Spitz is smarter than the Alaskan Malamute.
This is because the Finnish Spitz ranks 43rd out of 79 in the intelligence ranking of 133 dog breeds, while the intelligence rank of the Alaskan Malamute is 50th out of 79 in the ranking of the intelligence of 133 dog breeds (133 and not 79 because some breeds tied for intelligence in the same spot).
Because of its intelligence rank of 50th, the Alaskan Malamute belongs to the `Average Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category.
This means that Alaskan Malamutes tend to learn new commands after 25 to 40 repetitions.
On the other hand, because of its intelligence rank of 43rd, the Finnish Spitz belongs to the `Average Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category.
This means that Finnish Spitzs tend to learn new commands after 25 to 40 repetitions.
| Alaskan Malamute | Finnish Spitz | |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligence Rank | 50th out of 133 dog breeds | 43rd out of 133 dog breeds |
| Learning Ability | Tend To Learn New Commands After 25 To 40 Repetitions | Tend To Learn New Commands After 25 To 40 Repetitions |
Learn more about how smart Finnish Spitzs are here.
Is the Alaskan Malamute Smarter Than the Norwegian Elkhound?
The Norwegian Elkhound is smarter than the Alaskan Malamute.
This is because the Norwegian Elkhound ranks 36th out of 79 in the intelligence ranking of 133 dog breeds, while the intelligence rank of the Alaskan Malamute is 50th out of 79 in the ranking of the intelligence of 133 dog breeds (133 and not 79 because some breeds tied for intelligence in the same spot).
Because of its intelligence rank of 50th, the Alaskan Malamute belongs to the `Average Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category.
This means that Alaskan Malamutes tend to learn new commands after 25 to 40 repetitions.
On the other hand, because of its intelligence rank of 36th, the Norwegian Elkhound belongs to the `Above Average Working Dogs` category.
This means that Norwegian Elkhounds tend to learn new commands after 15 to 25 repetitions.
| Alaskan Malamute | Norwegian Elkhound | |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligence Rank | 50th out of 133 dog breeds | 36th out of 133 dog breeds |
| Learning Ability | Tend To Learn New Commands After 25 To 40 Repetitions | Tend To Learn New Commands After 15 To 25 Repetitions |
Learn more about how smart Norwegian Elkhounds are here.
Is the Alaskan Malamute Smarter Than the Rottweiler?
The Rottweiler is smarter than the Alaskan Malamute.
This is because the Rottweiler ranks 9th out of 79 in the intelligence ranking of 133 dog breeds, while the intelligence rank of the Alaskan Malamute is 50th out of 79 in the ranking of the intelligence of 133 dog breeds (133 and not 79 because some breeds tied for intelligence in the same spot).
Because of its intelligence rank of 50th, the Alaskan Malamute belongs to the `Average Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category.
This means that Alaskan Malamutes tend to learn new commands after 25 to 40 repetitions.
On the other hand, because of its intelligence rank of 9th, the Rottweiler belongs to the `Brightest Dogs` category.
This means that Rottweilers tend to learn new commands after fewer than 5 repetitions.
| Alaskan Malamute | Rottweiler | |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligence Rank | 50th out of 133 dog breeds | 9th out of 133 dog breeds |
| Learning Ability | Tend To Learn New Commands After 25 To 40 Repetitions | Tend To Learn New Commands After Fewer Than 5 Repetitions |
Learn more about how smart Rottweilers are here.
Is the Alaskan Malamute Smarter Than the Samoyed?
The Samoyed is smarter than the Alaskan Malamute.
This is because the Samoyed ranks 33rd out of 79 in the intelligence ranking of 133 dog breeds, while the intelligence rank of the Alaskan Malamute is 50th out of 79 in the ranking of the intelligence of 133 dog breeds (133 and not 79 because some breeds tied for intelligence in the same spot).
Because of its intelligence rank of 50th, the Alaskan Malamute belongs to the `Average Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category.
This means that Alaskan Malamutes tend to learn new commands after 25 to 40 repetitions.
On the other hand, because of its intelligence rank of 33rd, the Samoyed belongs to the `Above Average Working Dogs` category.
This means that Samoyeds tend to learn new commands after 15 to 25 repetitions.
| Alaskan Malamute | Samoyed | |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligence Rank | 50th out of 133 dog breeds | 33rd out of 133 dog breeds |
| Learning Ability | Tend To Learn New Commands After 25 To 40 Repetitions | Tend To Learn New Commands After 15 To 25 Repetitions |
Learn more about how smart Samoyeds are here.
Is the Alaskan Malamute Smarter than a Cat?
Dogs have more neurons in their brains than cats. In fact, a dog has twice the number of brain neurons of a cat (500 million versus 250 million neurons).
This is according to a research study in which the scientist counted the number of brain neurons in dogs and in cats.
Brain neurons are used for processing information. Hence, it is likely that the Alaskan Malamute will have a better information processing power than a cat
Thus, if we are to use the number of neurons in an animal`s brain as a measure of intelligence, then the Alaskan Malamute is definitely way smarter than a cat because the Alaskan Malamute has twice as many brain neurons as a cat.
However, intelligence is a very complex concept that may not be explained simply by how many neurons an animal`s brain has. Learn more here.
What is the IQ of the Alaskan Malamute?
Before discussing the Intelligence Quotient (IQ) of the Alaskan Malamute, let us first define what Intelligence Quotient (IQ) is. IQ is simply a measure of how mentally advanced a person is relative to that person`s chronological age (the typical age that is calculated from birthday).
For example, a 2-year-old child with the mental capacity of a 4-year-old has an IQ of 200 (that is 4 divided by 2, multiplied by 100).
This is an old but simple definition of IQ.
According to Prof. Stanley Coren, a dog has the mental capacity of a 2-year-old human child.
Let us assume that Alaskan Malamutes become full-grown and reach mental maturity at one year of age.
Also, let us make the bold assumption that, as Alaskan Malamutes get older, they do not get significantly smarter than a 2-year-old human child (You Can`t Teach an Old Dog New Tricks).
Thus, a one-year-old Alaskan Malamute will have the mental capacity of a 2-year-old human child, and a 2-year-old Alaskan Malamute will still have the mental capacity of a 2-year-old human child, and a 3-year-old Alaskan Malamute will have the mental capacity of a 2-year-old human child, and so on.
Then, from the way IQ is defined, a one-year-old Alaskan Malamute, which will have the mental capacity of a 2-year-old child, has an IQ of 200! This is not too surprising because Alaskan Malamutes mature and age faster than humans.
A one-year-old Alaskan Malamute is twice as smart as a one-year-old human child.
Also, since a 2-year-old Alaskan Malamute will have the intelligence of a two-year-old human, then the corresponding IQ of a 2-year-old Alaskan Malamute is 100. Similarly, a three-year-old Alaskan Malamute will still have the mental capacity of a two-year-old human, making its IQ 66, and so on.
These may sound odd. But this is because the concept of IQ was designed to test human intelligence and not Alaskan Malamute intelligence. That is what you get when you use human intelligence as a reference to measure Alaskan Malamute intelligence.
Conclusion
We hope this article has provided you with all the facts you need to know on Alaskan Malamute intelligence.
To learn more about the Alaskan Malamute, check out our article where we reviewed the Alaskan Malamute breed.
Also, to learn more about the temperament and behavior of the Alaskan Malamute, check out our article on the temperament profile of the Alaskan Malamute. This will tell you what Alaskan Malamutes are really like.
If you do not own the Alaskan Malamute yet, and you are planning to get one, check out our list of reputable Alaskan Malamute breeders and article on Alaskan Malamute price and buying advice.