Last Updated: Apr 14, 2022
Quick Links: Table of Contents
- How Smart is the Clumber Spaniel?
- The Intelligence of Clumber Spaniel Compared to Other Dog Breeds
- Is the Clumber Spaniel Smarter than a Cat?
- What is the IQ of the Clumber Spaniel?
How Smart is the Clumber Spaniel?
The Clumber Spaniel is a dog breed that is known to be:
- Gentle
- Loyal
- Affectionate
- Dignified
- Aloof
But, how smart is the Clumber Spaniel really?
The Clumber Spaniel is the 37th smartest dog when it comes to obedience and working intelligence.
Accordingly, compared to other dogs, the Clumber Spaniel belongs to the `Above Average Working Dogs` category.
Clumber Spaniels tend to learn new commands after 15 to 25 repetitions.
These facts on Clumber Spaniel 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 Clumber Spaniel is the 37th 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 Clumber Spaniel belongs to the `Above Average Working 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 Doberman Pinscher? | Ranked 5th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the English Springer Spaniel? | Ranked 13th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Belgian Tervuren? | Ranked 14th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Schipperke? | Ranked 15th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Pomeranian? | Ranked 23rd out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Cairn Terrier? | Ranked 35th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Norwegian Elkhound? | Ranked 36th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Pharaoh Hound? | Ranked 37th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Clumber Spaniel? | Ranked 37th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel? | Ranked 44th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Akita? | Ranked 54th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Norfolk Terrier? | Ranked 56th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Mastiff? | Ranked 72nd out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Bloodhound? | Ranked 74th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the American Bulldog? | Ranked 77th out of 79 |
The Three Parts of the Intelligence of the Clumber Spaniel
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 Clumber Spaniel belongs to the Sporting Dogs group.
Dogs in the Sporting Dogs group, like the Clumber Spaniel, were bred to help hunters catch and retrieve feathered game..
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 Clumber Spaniel Compared to Other Dog Breeds
See how smart the Clumber Spaniel is compared to some other dog breeds.
To see how smart the Clumber Spaniel is compared to all other dog breeds, see this ranking of dog breeds based on intelligence.
Is the Clumber Spaniel Smarter Than the Finnish Spitz?
The Clumber Spaniel is smarter than the Finnish Spitz.
This is because the Clumber Spaniel ranks 37th out of 79 in the intelligence ranking of 133 dog breeds, while the intelligence rank of the Finnish Spitz is 43rd 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 37th, the Clumber Spaniel belongs to the `Above Average Working Dogs` category.
This means that Clumber Spaniels tend to learn new commands after 15 to 25 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.
| Clumber Spaniel | Finnish Spitz | |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligence Rank | 37th out of 133 dog breeds | 43rd out of 133 dog breeds |
| Learning Ability | Tend To Learn New Commands After 15 To 25 Repetitions | Tend To Learn New Commands After 25 To 40 Repetitions |
Learn more about how smart Finnish Spitzs are here.
Is the Clumber Spaniel Smarter Than the Greyhound?
The Clumber Spaniel is smarter than the Greyhound.
This is because the Clumber Spaniel ranks 37th out of 79 in the intelligence ranking of 133 dog breeds, while the intelligence rank of the Greyhound is 46th 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 37th, the Clumber Spaniel belongs to the `Above Average Working Dogs` category.
This means that Clumber Spaniels tend to learn new commands after 15 to 25 repetitions.
On the other hand, because of its intelligence rank of 46th, the Greyhound belongs to the `Average Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category.
This means that Greyhounds tend to learn new commands after 25 to 40 repetitions.
| Clumber Spaniel | Greyhound | |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligence Rank | 37th out of 133 dog breeds | 46th out of 133 dog breeds |
| Learning Ability | Tend To Learn New Commands After 15 To 25 Repetitions | Tend To Learn New Commands After 25 To 40 Repetitions |
Learn more about how smart Greyhounds are here.
Is the Clumber Spaniel Smarter Than the Lakeland Terrier?
The Clumber Spaniel is smarter than the Lakeland Terrier.
This is because the Clumber Spaniel ranks 37th out of 79 in the intelligence ranking of 133 dog breeds, while the intelligence rank of the Lakeland Terrier is 62nd 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 37th, the Clumber Spaniel belongs to the `Above Average Working Dogs` category.
This means that Clumber Spaniels tend to learn new commands after 15 to 25 repetitions.
On the other hand, because of its intelligence rank of 62nd, the Lakeland Terrier belongs to the `Fair Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category.
This means that Lakeland Terriers tend to learn new commands after 40 to 80 repetitions!.
| Clumber Spaniel | Lakeland Terrier | |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligence Rank | 37th out of 133 dog breeds | 62nd out of 133 dog breeds |
| Learning Ability | Tend To Learn New Commands After 15 To 25 Repetitions | Tend To Learn New Commands After 40 To 80 Repetitions! |
Learn more about how smart Lakeland Terriers are here.
Is the Clumber Spaniel Smarter Than the Bernese Mountain Dog?
The Bernese Mountain Dog is smarter than the Clumber Spaniel.
This is because the Bernese Mountain Dog ranks 22nd out of 79 in the intelligence ranking of 133 dog breeds, while the intelligence rank of the Clumber Spaniel is 37th 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 37th, the Clumber Spaniel belongs to the `Above Average Working Dogs` category.
This means that Clumber Spaniels tend to learn new commands after 15 to 25 repetitions.
On the other hand, because of its intelligence rank of 22nd, the Bernese Mountain Dog belongs to the `Excellent Working Dogs` category.
This means that Bernese Mountain Dogs tend to learn new commands after 5 to 15 repetitions.
| Clumber Spaniel | Bernese Mountain Dog | |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligence Rank | 37th out of 133 dog breeds | 22nd out of 133 dog breeds |
| Learning Ability | Tend To Learn New Commands After 15 To 25 Repetitions | Tend To Learn New Commands After 5 To 15 Repetitions |
Learn more about how smart Bernese Mountain Dogs are here.
Is the Clumber Spaniel Smarter Than the Curly-Coated Retriever?
The Clumber Spaniel is smarter than the Curly-Coated Retriever.
This is because the Clumber Spaniel ranks 37th out of 79 in the intelligence ranking of 133 dog breeds, while the intelligence rank of the Curly-Coated Retriever is 41st 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 37th, the Clumber Spaniel belongs to the `Above Average Working Dogs` category.
This means that Clumber Spaniels tend to learn new commands after 15 to 25 repetitions.
On the other hand, because of its intelligence rank of 41st, the Curly-Coated Retriever belongs to the `Average Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category.
This means that Curly-Coated Retrievers tend to learn new commands after 25 to 40 repetitions.
| Clumber Spaniel | Curly-Coated Retriever | |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligence Rank | 37th out of 133 dog breeds | 41st out of 133 dog breeds |
| Learning Ability | Tend To Learn New Commands After 15 To 25 Repetitions | Tend To Learn New Commands After 25 To 40 Repetitions |
Learn more about how smart Curly-Coated Retrievers are here.
Is the Clumber Spaniel 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 Clumber Spaniel 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 Clumber Spaniel is definitely way smarter than a cat because the Clumber Spaniel 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 Clumber Spaniel?
Before discussing the Intelligence Quotient (IQ) of the Clumber Spaniel, 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 Clumber Spaniels become full-grown and reach mental maturity at the age of one year.
Also, let us make the bold assumption that, as Clumber Spaniels 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 Clumber Spaniel will have the mental capacity of a 2-year-old human child, and a 2-year-old Clumber Spaniel will still have the mental capacity of a 2-year-old human child, and a 3-year-old Clumber Spaniel 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 Clumber Spaniel, which will have the mental capacity of a 2-year-old child, has an IQ of 200! This is not too surprising because Clumber Spaniels mature and age faster than humans.
A one-year-old Clumber Spaniel is twice as smart as a one-year-old human child.
Also, since a 2-year-old Clumber Spaniel will have the intelligence of a two-year-old human, then the corresponding IQ of a 2-year-old Clumber Spaniel is 100. Similarly, a three-year-old Clumber Spaniel 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 Clumber Spaniel intelligence. That is what you get when you use human intelligence as a reference to measure Clumber Spaniel intelligence.
Conclusion
We hope this article has provided you with all the facts you need to know on Clumber Spaniel intelligence.
To learn more about the Clumber Spaniel, check out our article where we reviewed the Clumber Spaniel breed.
If you do not own the Clumber Spaniel yet, and you are planning to get one, check out our list of reputable Clumber Spaniel breeders and article on Clumber Spaniel price and buying advice.
