How we review this book: We present the key takeaways and our perspective from an HonestDog viewpoint based on publicly available content, professional reviews, and interviews with the author. This overview is neither a traditional review nor a substitute for reading the book itself; it's designed to help you decide whether it's worth your time.
Hardly any dog book is cited as often – and misunderstood as frequently – as Stanley Coren's "The Intelligence of Dogs". We're reviewing it with a critical eye because that famous breed ranking tells a very different story than many people believe.
What It's About
Psychology professor Stanley Coren divides intelligence into three categories: instinctive, adaptive, and working/obedience intelligence. For his well-known ranking of around 130 breeds, he systematically surveyed dog trainers from over 1,000 North American clubs – measuring primarily how quickly a breed learns and obeys new commands. At the top: the Border Collie, Poodle, and German Shepherd.
Our Assessment
Here's the honest truth: Coren's ranking measures obedience intelligence, meaning the willingness to respond to commands – not everyday "smarts." An independent hound that solves problems on its own ranks low, even though it's highly intelligent. The book is an entertaining introduction, but the ranking becomes dangerous when people use it to choose their breed. A "smart" dog isn't automatically the right match – often it's quite the opposite: breeds at the top of the ranking need an enormous amount of mental and physical stimulation and quickly overwhelm beginners.
What Puppy Buyers Should Take Away
- Never choose a breed just because it's "intelligent" – instead, ask how much mental engagement it requires.
- Highly trainable breeds are demanding; without proper outlets, behavior issues arise.
- "Stubbornness" is often just independent thinking – not a sign of low intelligence.
What Breeders Should Take Away
- Advise prospective owners honestly about the exercise and stimulation needs of particularly eager-to-learn breeds.
- A good match matters far more than the appeal of owning a "smart" breed.
What HonestDog Makes of It
Instead of forcing breeds into a rigid leaderboard, we ask: What fits your lifestyle? A Border Collie, for instance, is highly intelligent – and precisely for that reason, only suitable for active people with plenty of time. Our breed finder translates traits like these into an honest match rather than a simple ranking.
Book Overview
- Title: The Intelligence of Dogs
- Author: Stanley Coren
- Publisher: Free Press, 1994
- ISBN: 978-0-02-905765-8
Transparency note: This review is based on publicly available information about the book rather than a complete reading by our team. We base factual statements regarding breed health and breeding on HonestDog, FCI, AKC, and veterinary sources.