The Myth of Canine Hierarchy - What Science Tells Us About Dog Intelligence

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Yes, they found breed differences. But not where you'd expect them, and not in the ways our cultural narratives would predict.

Border Collies, those supposed canine Einsteins, excelled at impulse control—which makes sense if you think about it. Herding requires incredible restraint, the ability to resist the urge to simply chase and instead channel that predatory instinct into something useful. But guess what? They weren't universally superior across all cognitive tasks.

German Shepherds and Malinois, breeds we associate with intense focus and trainability, actually scored lower on impulse control tests. Why? Because their jobs often require immediate, decisive action. When you're detecting explosives or apprehending suspects, hesitation isn't a virtue—it's a liability.

The most striking finding, though, was what they didn't find: no significant breed differences in short-term memory or logical reasoning. None. Zero. That brilliant Border Collie might be no better at remembering where you hid the treats than your supposedly "average" mixed breed.

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