When choosing a dog, breed intelligence and temperament, among other
things, are important considerations. If you already have a dog, how
does your breed measure up?

Intelligence can be measured in more ways than one. Problem solving
ability and instinctive ability are important qualities in a dog but,
when tested in obedience alone, a dog trainers'survey produced some
interesting results. When dog breeds were temperament tested by the
American Temperament Testing Society, even more surprising results
were recorded.

Alfons Ertel established the American Temperament Testing Society
(ATTS) in 1977. The test simulates a casual walk through a park and
focuses on stability, shyness, aggressiveness, and friendliness as
well as the dog's instinct for protectiveness toward its handler, and/
or self-preservation. The test is for all breeds and is uniform
throughout the country. Approximately one thousand test events have
been held, with 26,615 dogs tested as of December 2005 and 21,615 dogs
have earned TT titles.

Listed below, in order, are dog breeds that understood new commands in
less than 5 repetitions and obeyed first commands 95% of the time or
better, along with their ATTS passing percentage.

1. Border collie, 79.7%
2. Poodle, 76.2%
3. German Shepherd, 83.1%
4. Golden Retriever, 83.7%
5. Doberman, 76.8%
6. Shetland Sheepdog, 66.9%
7. Labrador Retriever, 91.4%
8. Papillon, 79.7%
9. Rottweiler, 82.5%
10. Australian Cattle Dog, 78.1%
Listed below, in order, are breeds that understood new commands in 5
to 15 repetitions and obeyed first commands 85% of the time or better,
along with their ATTS passing percentage.
11. Pembroke Welsh Corgi, 78%
12. Miniature Schnauzer, 78.6%
13. English Springer Spaniel, 84.3%
14. Belgian Tervuren, 77.1%
15. Schipperke, 91.2%Belgian Sheepdog, 79.7%
16. Collie, 79%Keeshond, 80.2%
17. German Shorthaired Pointer, 75.9%
18. Flat-coated Retriever, 91.5%English Cocker Spaniel, 93.2%Standard
Schnauzer, 66.1%
19. Brittany Spaniel, 90.3%
20. Cocker Spaniel, 81.7%
21. Weimaraner, 79.4%
22. Belgian Malinois, 90.2%Bernese Mountain Dog, 85.8%
23. Pomeranian, 75%
24. Irish Water Spaniel, 88.5%
25. Vizsla, 82.6%
26. Cardigan Welsh Corgi, 75.9%
Other Breeds of Interest and their ATTS Passing Percentages
Standard Smooth Dachshund, 66.7%
Boston Terrier, 86.2%
Beagle, 79.7%
Dalmation, 81.6%
Chihuahua, 67%
American Staffordshire Terrier, 83.3%
American Pit Bull Terrier, 83.5%
Mixed Breeds, 85.4%

http://www.dunhill-dogs.com/german-s...dog-breed.html

On Jun 27, 3:40*pm, "vaticans.org" wrote:
When choosing a dog, breed intelligence and temperament, among other
things, are important considerations. If you already have a dog, how
does your breed measure up?

Intelligence can be measured in more ways than one. Problem solving
ability and instinctive ability are important qualities in a dog but,
when tested in obedience alone, a dog trainers'survey produced some
interesting results. When dog breeds were temperament tested by the
American Temperament Testing Society, even more surprising results
were recorded.

Alfons Ertel established the American Temperament Testing Society
(ATTS) in 1977. The test simulates a casual walk through a park and
focuses on stability, shyness, aggressiveness, and friendliness as
well as the dog's instinct for protectiveness toward its handler, and/
or self-preservation. The test is for all breeds and is uniform
throughout the country. Approximately one thousand test events have
been held, with 26,615 dogs tested as of December 2005 and 21,615 dogs
have earned TT titles.

Listed below, in order, are dog breeds that understood new commands in
less than 5 repetitions and obeyed first commands 95% of the time or
better, along with their ATTS passing percentage.

1. Border collie, 79.7%
2. Poodle, 76.2%
3. German Shepherd, 83.1%
4. Golden Retriever, 83.7%
5. Doberman, 76.8%
6. Shetland Sheepdog, 66.9%
7. Labrador Retriever, 91.4%
8. Papillon, 79.7%
9. Rottweiler, 82.5%
10. Australian Cattle Dog, 78.1%
Listed below, in order, are breeds that understood new commands in 5
to 15 repetitions and obeyed first commands 85% of the time or better,
along with their ATTS passing percentage.
11. Pembroke Welsh Corgi, 78%
12. Miniature Schnauzer, 78.6%
13. English Springer Spaniel, 84.3%
14. Belgian Tervuren, 77.1%
15. Schipperke, 91.2%Belgian Sheepdog, 79.7%
16. Collie, 79%Keeshond, 80.2%
17. German Shorthaired Pointer, 75.9%
18. Flat-coated Retriever, 91.5%English Cocker Spaniel, 93.2%Standard
Schnauzer, 66.1%
19. Brittany Spaniel, 90.3%
20. Cocker Spaniel, 81.7%
21. Weimaraner, 79.4%
22. Belgian Malinois, 90.2%Bernese Mountain Dog, 85.8%
23. Pomeranian, 75%
24. Irish Water Spaniel, 88.5%
25. Vizsla, 82.6%
26. Cardigan Welsh Corgi, 75.9%
Other Breeds of Interest and their ATTS Passing Percentages
Standard Smooth Dachshund, 66.7%
Boston Terrier, 86.2%
Beagle, 79.7%
Dalmation, 81.6%
Chihuahua, 67%
American Staffordshire Terrier, 83.3%
American Pit Bull Terrier, 83.5%
Mixed Breeds, 85.4%

http://www.dunhill-dogs.com/german-s...dog-breed.html

Hmmmmm....I see there are no giant breeds on the list! No St.
Bernards, Newfoundlands, mastiffs,Great Danes, Great Pyrenees,Irish
Wolfhounds,or other dogs of similar size. I had a St. Bernard once,
who was brilliant at learning new commands, and my very first dog was
an Irish setter who could've done CALCULUS if she'd been able to hold
a pencil! On the other hand, I once had a Sheltie who kept bolting
outside to chase cars, and wound up getting killed by the SEVENTH car
that HIT him (he'd been struck on 6 previous occasions by six OTHER
cars, and each time had to be taken to the vet). I thought from that
that Shelties as a breed must be really, REALLY stupid,but perhaps I
was wrong, this report says differently. At least they're pretty, and
loving to their families. (We were RENTING, which was why the yard was
unfenced.)
I'll bet that the giant breeds were not even TESTED, because whoever
set up and was paying for the temperament testing was afraid of the
resulting lawsuits if a giant dog bolted during a test and dragged and
injured the tester, or someone else. I've known a few of the giant
dogs, and the ones I knew took VERY well to training.
Cindy Yost