Research on the intelligence of dogs isn’t complete, but it’s now believed by some psychologists that they are as intelligent as a two-year-old.
Ever think of what’s going on in your dog’s mind? They may be less different from you than you think. They want to be close to their family, make friends with other dogs, and play around outside.
Dogs are considered the earth’s most intelligent animals. A fascinating study by Ladygina-Kohts showed that an animal that can communicate nonverbally and use tools, a dog, for instance, is about as intelligent as a two-year-old.
A dog may be an excellent listener. Some dog breeds will even read social cues from their humans and then react accordingly by looking back at them or picking up on your tone of voice.
Dogs have been known to live in a variety of environments. It’s believed that they have a natural competitive advantage as predators because they are not as constricted by having to use body language to communicate as more intelligent animals such as cats or sheep. Dogs can also benefit from their relationship with humans, who tend unthinkingly to feed and make comfortable the dogs. Learning about their intelligence will enable you to judge their aptitude for different kinds of training, or decide if you want one for your family.
The average dog is able to learn 165 words, which puts them just below the level of a 2-year-old child’s communication skills. They can understand 112 words which means that you should be consistent with your dog’s instructions for it to understand what you’re telling it, but there are many pet situations in which owners don’t need much instruction at all – encouraging your dog in agility or tricks games is self-explanatory!