Last Updated: Apr 14, 2022
Quick Links: Table of Contents
- How Smart is the German Shepherd Dog?
- German Shepherd Dog Intelligence. A Second Opinion
- The Intelligence of German Shepherd Dog Compared to Other Dog Breeds
- Is the German Shepherd Dog Smarter than a Cat?
- What is the IQ of the German Shepherd Dog?
How Smart is the German Shepherd Dog?
The German Shepherd Dog is a dog breed that is known to be:
- Alert
- Confident
- Courageous
- Curious
- Intelligent
- Loyal
- Obedient
- Watchful
But, how smart is the German Shepherd Dog really?
The German Shepherd Dog is the 3rd smartest dog when it comes to obedience and working intelligence.
Accordingly, compared to other dogs, the German Shepherd Dog belongs to the `Brightest Dogs` category.
German Shepherd Dogs tend to learn new commands after fewer than 5 repetitions.
These facts on German Shepherd Dog 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 German Shepherd Dog is the 3rd 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 German Shepherd Dog belongs to the `Brightest 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 German Shepherd Dog? | Ranked 3rd out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Golden Retriever? | Ranked 4th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Belgian Sheepdog? | Ranked 15th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Airedale Terrier? | Ranked 29th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Bearded Collie? | Ranked 34th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Australian Terrier? | Ranked 34th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Kerry Blue Terrier? | Ranked 35th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Norwich Terrier? | Ranked 38th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Fox Terrier? | Ranked 40th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Smooth Fox Terrier? | Ranked 40th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Irish Wolfhound? | Ranked 41st out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Siberian Husky? | Ranked 45th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Dachshund? | Ranked 49th out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Irish Terrier? | Ranked 53rd out of 79 |
| How Smart is the Chihuahua? | Ranked 67th out of 79 |
German Shepherd Dog Intelligence. A Second Opinion
We reviewed another research study to find out more about the intelligence of the German Shepherd Dog. 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 German Shepherd Dog to describe how trainable their dogs are.
536 German Shepherd Dog owners were asked to describe
how easy it was to train their German Shepherd Dog in the CBARQ research survey.We analyzed what these German Shepherd Dog owners said about the trainability of their German Shepherd Dogs 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, German Shepherd Dogs are very much easy to train.
In fact, the German Shepherd Dog ranks 16th out of 124 dog breeds for easiness to train.
Based on our further analysis of the CBARQ research data, we found that the German Shepherd Dog has a trainability score of 86.0 %.
Other dog breeds that are very much easy to train just like the German Shepherd Dog are listed in the table below:
| Trainability Rank | Breed | Trainability Score |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | English Springer Spaniel | 88.2 % |
| 14 | German Wirehaired Pointer | 88.1 % |
| 15 | Collie | 86.4 % |
| 16 | German Shepherd | 86.0 % |
| 17 | Golden Retriever | 85.8 % |
| 18 | Vizsla | 85.2 % |
| 19 | Flat-Coated Retriever | 84.6 % |
According to the CBARQ research data, the dog breeds that are most easy to train are the:
According to the CBARQ research data, the dog breeds that are most difficult to train are the:
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 German Shepherd Dog according to the result of the CBARQ research study.
The Three Parts of the Intelligence of the German Shepherd Dog
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 German Shepherd Dog belongs to the Herding Dogs group.
Dogs in the Herding Dogs group, like the German Shepherd Dog, were bred for moving livestock, including sheep, cattle, and even reindeer.
Herding dogs work closely with their human shepherds, and their natural intelligence and responsiveness make them highly trainable.
Herding dogs have high levels of energy, which needs to be channeled properly to prevent destructive behavior.
Herding breeds are protective of their people and property and make excellent watchdogs. Their intelligence, agility, and activity level make them well suited to dog sports.
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 German Shepherd Dog Compared to Other Dog Breeds
See how smart the German Shepherd Dog is compared to some other dog breeds.
To see how smart the German Shepherd Dog is compared to all other dog breeds, see this ranking of dog breeds based on intelligence.
Is the German Shepherd Dog Smarter Than the Irish Terrier?
The German Shepherd Dog is smarter than the Irish Terrier.
This is because the German Shepherd Dog ranks 3rd out of 79 in the intelligence ranking of 133 dog breeds, while the intelligence rank of the Irish Terrier is 53rd 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 3rd, the German Shepherd Dog belongs to the `Brightest Dogs` category.
This means that German Shepherd Dogs tend to learn new commands after fewer than 5 repetitions.
On the other hand, because of its intelligence rank of 53rd, the Irish Terrier belongs to the `Average Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category.
This means that Irish Terriers tend to learn new commands after 25 to 40 repetitions.
| German Shepherd Dog | Irish Terrier | |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligence Rank | 3rd out of 133 dog breeds | 53rd out of 133 dog breeds |
| Learning Ability | Tend To Learn New Commands After Fewer Than 5 Repetitions | Tend To Learn New Commands After 25 To 40 Repetitions |
Learn more about how smart Irish Terriers are here.
Is the German Shepherd Dog Smarter Than the Weimaraner?
The German Shepherd Dog is smarter than the Weimaraner.
This is because the German Shepherd Dog ranks 3rd out of 79 in the intelligence ranking of 133 dog breeds, while the intelligence rank of the Weimaraner is 21st 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 3rd, the German Shepherd Dog belongs to the `Brightest Dogs` category.
This means that German Shepherd Dogs tend to learn new commands after fewer than 5 repetitions.
On the other hand, because of its intelligence rank of 21st, the Weimaraner belongs to the `Excellent Working Dogs` category.
This means that Weimaraners tend to learn new commands after 5 to 15 repetitions.
| German Shepherd Dog | Weimaraner | |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligence Rank | 3rd out of 133 dog breeds | 21st out of 133 dog breeds |
| Learning Ability | Tend To Learn New Commands After Fewer Than 5 Repetitions | Tend To Learn New Commands After 5 To 15 Repetitions |
Learn more about how smart Weimaraners are here.
Is the German Shepherd Dog Smarter Than the Japanese Chin?
The German Shepherd Dog is smarter than the Japanese Chin.
This is because the German Shepherd Dog ranks 3rd out of 79 in the intelligence ranking of 133 dog breeds, while the intelligence rank of the Japanese Chin 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 3rd, the German Shepherd Dog belongs to the `Brightest Dogs` category.
This means that German Shepherd Dogs tend to learn new commands after fewer than 5 repetitions.
On the other hand, because of its intelligence rank of 62nd, the Japanese Chin belongs to the `Fair Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category.
This means that Japanese Chins tend to learn new commands after 40 to 80 repetitions!.
| German Shepherd Dog | Japanese Chin | |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligence Rank | 3rd out of 133 dog breeds | 62nd out of 133 dog breeds |
| Learning Ability | Tend To Learn New Commands After Fewer Than 5 Repetitions | Tend To Learn New Commands After 40 To 80 Repetitions! |
Learn more about how smart Japanese Chins are here.
Is the German Shepherd Dog Smarter Than the Ibizan Hound?
The German Shepherd Dog is smarter than the Ibizan Hound.
This is because the German Shepherd Dog ranks 3rd out of 79 in the intelligence ranking of 133 dog breeds, while the intelligence rank of the Ibizan Hound is 53rd 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 3rd, the German Shepherd Dog belongs to the `Brightest Dogs` category.
This means that German Shepherd Dogs tend to learn new commands after fewer than 5 repetitions.
On the other hand, because of its intelligence rank of 53rd, the Ibizan Hound belongs to the `Average Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category.
This means that Ibizan Hounds tend to learn new commands after 25 to 40 repetitions.
| German Shepherd Dog | Ibizan Hound | |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligence Rank | 3rd out of 133 dog breeds | 53rd out of 133 dog breeds |
| Learning Ability | Tend To Learn New Commands After Fewer Than 5 Repetitions | Tend To Learn New Commands After 25 To 40 Repetitions |
Learn more about how smart Ibizan Hounds are here.
Is the German Shepherd Dog Smarter Than the Boston Terrier?
The German Shepherd Dog is smarter than the Boston Terrier.
This is because the German Shepherd Dog ranks 3rd out of 79 in the intelligence ranking of 133 dog breeds, while the intelligence rank of the Boston Terrier is 54th 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 3rd, the German Shepherd Dog belongs to the `Brightest Dogs` category.
This means that German Shepherd Dogs tend to learn new commands after fewer than 5 repetitions.
On the other hand, because of its intelligence rank of 54th, the Boston Terrier belongs to the `Average Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category.
This means that Boston Terriers tend to learn new commands after 25 to 40 repetitions.
| German Shepherd Dog | Boston Terrier | |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligence Rank | 3rd out of 133 dog breeds | 54th out of 133 dog breeds |
| Learning Ability | Tend To Learn New Commands After Fewer Than 5 Repetitions | Tend To Learn New Commands After 25 To 40 Repetitions |
Learn more about how smart Boston Terriers are here.
Is the German Shepherd Dog 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 German Shepherd Dog 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 German Shepherd Dog is definitely way smarter than a cat because the German Shepherd Dog 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 German Shepherd Dog?
Before discussing the Intelligence Quotient (IQ) of the German Shepherd Dog, 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 German Shepherd Dogs become full-grown and reach mental maturity at one year of age.
Also, let us make the bold assumption that, as German Shepherd Dogs 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 German Shepherd Dog will have the mental capacity of a 2-year-old human child, and a 2-year-old German Shepherd Dog will still have the mental capacity of a 2-year-old human child, and a 3-year-old German Shepherd Dog 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 German Shepherd Dog, which will have the mental capacity of a 2-year-old child, has an IQ of 200! This is not too surprising because German Shepherd Dogs mature and age faster than humans.
A one-year-old German Shepherd Dog is twice as smart as a one-year-old human child.
Also, since a 2-year-old German Shepherd Dog will have the intelligence of a two-year-old human, then the corresponding IQ of a 2-year-old German Shepherd Dog is 100. Similarly, a three-year-old German Shepherd Dog 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 German Shepherd Dog intelligence. That is what you get when you use human intelligence as a reference to measure German Shepherd Dog intelligence.
Conclusion
We hope this article has provided you with all the facts you need to know on German Shepherd Dog intelligence.
To learn more about the German Shepherd Dog, check out our article where we reviewed the German Shepherd Dog breed.
Also, to learn more about the temperament and behavior of the German Shepherd Dog, check out our article on the temperament profile of the German Shepherd Dog. This will tell you what German Shepherd Dogs are really like.
If you do not own the German Shepherd Dog yet, and you are planning to get one, check out our list of reputable German Shepherd Dog breeders and article on German Shepherd Dog price and buying advice.