All dogs are wonderful in their own ways, but some breeds happen to be just a little smarter than the rest.
Canine psychologist and trainer Stanley Coren is well known for his study of the most intelligent breeds, which he first collated for his book Intelligence of Dogs in 1994. He updated it in 2006, and to this day it remains the guide on 'smart' pooches.
He evaluated almost 200 breeds on their instincts, obedience and ability to adapt, ranking each breed while also explaining that intelligence has a variety of different dimensions.
Here are the 18 smartest breeds according to Coren.
The German shorthaired pointer is a pointing dog, originally developed in the 19th century for hunting.
The GSP is intelligent and active, but without proper training and exercise can become destructive.
The Keeshond originated in Holland and is known for its brightness and obedience.
While very affectionate, it is not a breed recommended for inexperienced trainers as a Keeshond requires consistency, fairness and a structured environment.
Just like Lassie, the Collie is an intelligent breed.
The Collie is very clever and quick to learn and makes an excellent family dog.
Schipperke means 'little captain', and the breed gets this name because it was bred specifically for pest control on Flemish canal boats.
The schipperke is curious and clever and ranks 15th in Coren's The Intelligence of Dogs.
A herding dog from Belgium, the Belgian Tervuren has been used as an assistance dog, companion dog, detection dog, guard dog, guide dog, police dog and search and rescue dog, thanks to its high level of intelligence, alertness and sensitivity.
Must be pretty clever, huh?
The English springer spaniel is a breed of gun dog traditionally used for flushing and retrieving game.
It is often used as a sniffer dog and needs moderate amounts of activity to focus its clever mind.
The miniature schnauzer originated in Germany in the mid-to-late 19th century.
It is the smartest of the schnauzers when it comes to obedience and working intelligence.
Ranked 11th in Coren's The Intelligence of Dogs, the Pembroke Welsh corgi, a cattle herding dog breed, is considered an excellent working dog due to its intelligence.
Coren found the Pembroke Welsh corgi can understand new commands in five to 15 repetitions and can obey the first command 85 per cent of the time or better.
The Australian cattle dog, often known as a Red Heeler or Blue Heeler depending on its colouring, is a breed of herding dog. It is intelligent and responsive, like many other working breeds.
Don't underestimate the Rottweiler.
While known for being an excellent guard dog, it is equally as intelligent and can pick up tricks very well.
The papillon is one of the oldest of the toy spaniels. It is intelligent and self-assured and can pick up new tricks easily.
The word papillon means butterfly in French, and the papillon breed typically has butterfly-like fringed hair on its ears. Pretty!
The Labrador retriever originates from the United Kingdom.
The Labrador can be trained as a guide or assistance dog, or for rescue or therapy work thanks to its high intelligence, initiative and self-direction.
Shetland sheepdogs come from the Shetland Islands in Scotland and they have a high level of intelligence.
Despite being herding dogs, they are often raised today as working dogs and family pets.
Dobermanns make excellent guard dogs thanks to their intelligence and alertness.
They need to be properly trained but, with a consistent approach, they learn very quickly.
Golden retrievers were first developed in Scotland and are known for being clever.
Coren found they can understand new commands in fewer than five repetitions.
German shepherds were bred specifically for their intelligence and, coupled with their strength, this makes them excellent police, guard and search and rescue dogs.
They're able to learn various tasks and understand instructions better than other breeds.
In second place, the poodle is known for its working intelligence, according to Coren.
It is one of the oldest breeds developed especially for hunting waterfowl. It has become a popular companion dog, particularly in crossbreeds.
The poodle typically excels in obedience training and do well many at many dog sports.
The border collies of the world are probably feeling pretty proud, having been named the smartest dogs in Stanley Coren's intelligence rankings.
Coren's research indicated the border collie can understand new commands in fewer than five repetitions and can obey the first command 95 per cent of the time or better.