Dogs with good personalities could make a big difference in one’s pet ownership experience, and one’s relationship with their dog. In fact, many people research which dogs have the most personality and intelligence before getting a dog, which is wise, since getting a dog should be prefaced with a lot of research.
Pet compatibility is incredibly important, especially if you’re getting a dog for emotional support and companionship. You know what’s most important to you in a dog, so do your research before selecting one. Perhaps you’ll research dogs with good personalities, intelligent dogs, or dogs that are friendly and cuddly.
Many studies suggest that dog ownership is good for your overall health, especially if you choose the right dog that suits your temperament and lifestyle. For instance, those that have an anxiety disorder could benefit more from calmer breeds of dogs like a tiny Cocker Spaniel Prince Charles. This breed is easy to bring around and serves as a great emotional support animal.
Getting a dog could change your life in some really great ways. The right dogs with good personalities and intelligence that match your needs can reduce stress, mitigate depression, encourage more exercise, and improve cardiovascular health. When you’re on the lookout for a new “paw-rfet” doggo to join your family, good looks and cuteness are a great starting point. However, the ideal pooch for you must have the right personality, good nature, and intelligence to add love and light to your life.
Dogs With Good Personalities and Intelligence Can Often Be Easy to Train
Just like humans, dog personalities are unique because each breed has different traits. According to Dennis Riordan, DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine), intelligence also varies from dog to dog, based on their unique DNA and other factors.
In general, dog intelligence is measured based on how many repetitions of a command it takes for the dog to figure out what you want them to learn. It also includes how often the dog follows the learned command or trick the first or second time you say it. Some breeds have been consistent in doing these things faster than others. It’s easy to train dogs with good personalities because of their astute and smart nature.
While many dog breeds make for delightful companions, not all of them have dynamic personalities with intelligence to match. If you want a dog that’s a fast learner, trainable, and can do tricks, one of these 8 dog breeds with the best personalities and intelligence may be the pooch “paw-sitively” perfect for you
Highly Prized Pooch: German Shepherd
When you look around you, you’ll notice that a lot of people love the German Shepherd. This breed is highly prized in military/ police work, home protection, and show competitions because it belongs to the list of dogs with good personality. Moreover, the Service Dog Training School shared that German Shepherds are commonly partnered up with disabled individuals and are rated as the most popular service dog worldwide.
That’s because German Shepherd dogs are intelligent, eager to please, highly trainable, and incredibly loyal. Although they look fierce with their stern face, size, and athleticism, they make for excellent family pets. A highly trained German Shepherd will do well with children. They can learn at an amazingly fast speed and retain what they’ve learned consistently.
Most Talented Doggo: Parson Russell Terrier
If you’re in search of clever and bold dogs with good personality, a Parson Russell Terrier (PRT) could be the playful friend to warm your heart. These lovable cuties will motivate you to move and keep up with their adventures since they love a good romp. A PRT is fast enough to keep up with horses and fearless enough to flush a fox.
This lovable pooch is wicked smart, and easy to train. In fact, according to the Guinness World Archives, the PRT breed carries the tag of being the most talented pooch in the world. A PRT called Smurf holds the record of holding the most tricks performed by a dog in one minute. Smurf executed a record-breaking 32 tricks on his owner’s command. A few examples of these nifty tricks are barking, walking on hind legs, crawling backward, rolling over, and even making a cup of tea by pretending to pee in a teacup. All of these antics prove that this breed is wicked smart and very fast.
Cunning Canine: Border Collie
If you’re looking for a smart dog with a winsome personality who can do it all, a border collie typically fits the description. This breed has long been known for being a protective herding dog that keeps flocks of sheep safe. That’s why they’re also known as the best “shepherding dogs.”
Border collies are cunning canines that learn cues and follow commands quickly because they’re highly intelligent. More importantly, they understand routines so you can train them to handle daily tasks with minimal supervision. Because of their nature, this breed is known for being observant, nimble, and athletic. That’s why it’s no surprise that they do well in agility competitions. If you want a whip-smart workaholic doggo who can compete, this quick learner is for you.
Golden Personality: Golden Retriever
Golden Retrievers are known to have an equally golden personality since they have such a happy disposition. They have an affable nature, they’re cuddly, friendly, and have a strong desire to please people. Apart from being one of the friendliest dog breeds, Golden Retrievers are intelligent and fiercely loyal. For this reason, they also act as service or therapy dogs, work as search and rescue dogs, and often win in the obedience category during dog competitions.
In the world of TikTok, this is the most popular breed with its hashtag #goldenretriever receiving an astounding 21.2 billion views. It’s not surprising they belong to the list of dogs with good personality. It is a joy to watch this smart dog perform various commands. A Golden Retriever has a bright and sunny nature that makes it a perfect family pet or service dog.
Adaptable Companion: Miniature Schnauzer
Another pooch that belongs to the list of dogs with good personality is the Miniature Schnauzer. This breed is known to do well on agility courses because they naturally love the thrill of the hunt and stay highly alert no matter where they are. They have keen powers of observation and come with high pattern recognition, ensuring they respond well to both verbal commands and hand signs. Their innate curiosity makes them fast learners, so you could easily train a Mini Schnauzer for a variety of tasks like fetching or barking at strangers.
Since these hairy creatures are tiny and highly adaptable, they will do well whether you’re on a vast farm or a tiny apartment. They are a fun-loving and playful dog breed that could make a great addition to your family. You can shower them with kisses as they love being the center of attention. Once they’ve bonded with you, you’ll have a loyal life companion.
Eager-to-Please Pup: Shetland Sheepdog
Shelties or Shetland Sheepdogs hail from the Shetland Islands of Scotland. They bear a close resemblance to Collies, a much bigger cousin. This breed is small and nimble, but don’t let their size fool you. They are keenly observant dogs that excel in agility, obedience, and herding. Since these dogs with good personality have a strong desire to please their humans, Shelties are also popularly used as service, therapy, or medical alert dogs.
According to the American Kennel Club, herding or hunting dogs like Shelties were bred to protect livestock or hunt for food. Hence, it’s written in their genetics or part of their biological inclination to become one of the smartest dog breeds. As a result, they have a strong herding instinct, which makes them compelled to protect their owners. They are truly intelligent dogs that respond well to training exercises, and they thrive when you give them something to do.
Fluffy Friendly Pal: Standard Poodle
The fluffy hairdo of a poodle may fool you into believing that this breed is merely vain. However, they’re more than that since they’re dogs with good personalities. You may be surprised to know that they are skilled hunters. Looks can indeed be deceiving! The poodle breed is super smart, and this includes all sizes: standard, mini, and toy sizes. Among all three, the standard is the smartest and most assertive of the lot, in part due to size and strength. This well-behaved pooch could be trained not to tear up furniture or jump on strangers.
Beneath all the fluffy fur and cutie curls, the standard poodle has a long and strong body. This slender build means a poodle is an excellent swimmer. And rightly so because the term poodle stems from the German word Pūdel or pudeln which means to “splash about.” Poodles were originally bred to retrieve things from the water like ducks and other birds to give to their owners. If you want a spritely, friendly, and fluffy companion that you can order on command, a standard poodle is a good choice. Notably, this breed doesn’t shed a lot of hair and is touted to be hypoallergenic, so it may work even for people with sensitivities like allergic rhinitis or asthma.
Clown Pug: French Bulldog
This high-class Frenchie breed has earned a nickname called clown dogs. The name alone is enough to tell you that they are dogs with good personality. The quirky alias has something to do with their bat-like ears, expressive cutie pie faces, and soulful eyes that could pierce your heart and make you smile. The name also aligns with their playful, bubbly spirit and strong love of entertainment.
In fact, training the French Bulldog is easy as long as you make the training sessions feel like a game so they have fun. After all, they tend to think of everything as playtime. Since this breed is a free spirit, it’s not an ideal choice for competitions on agility or obedience. If you’re serious about owning a highly personable Frenchie, it would help if you start training early in a puppy kindergarten since they could respond better to cues in school.
Which Dog Breed is Right For You?
Never get a dog without doing your research first, both online and in person. Just like human beings, dogs have different temperaments. Of course, it would be best to own breeds of dogs with good personalities. If you’re determined to own a dog, choosing a breed that matches your traits will ensure you enjoy each other’s company for a long time. Taking a CircleDNA test will help because this doesn’t only evaluate your ancestry or health disease risk. Among the 500-plus reports, you get genetic personality insights that tell you your unique strengths and weaknesses, as well as possible genetic predispositions to increased stress. After knowing your inclinations based on your genetics, you may be able to determine which breed complements your personality. For example, if your DNA test confirms what you already suspected – that you are an anxious individual – a calm and cuddly dog with a loyal and friendly personality such as a Golden Retriever could be right for you.
Getting a dog could be a wonderful way for you to enjoy improved mental health and loving companionship. If you believe you’d be a good dog parent and take good care of your dog, this could be a great decision as long as you do your research first.
References:
- Pet ownership and human health: a brief review of evidence and issues (June McNIcholas et.al.) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1289326/
16 of the Smartest Dog Breeds (Chad Taylor) https://www.dailypaws.com/living-with-pets/pet-compatibility/smartest-dog-breeds - German Shepherds as Service Dogs (Renee Fong) https://www.servicedogtrainingschool.org/blog/german-shepherd-service-dog
- Talented Terrier Smurf enters Guinness World Records 2017 book for performing most tricks (Rachel Swatman) https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2016/9/talented-terrier-smurf-enters-guinness-world-records-2017-book-for-performing-mos-443137
- TikTok Famous Dogs 2022 (Scotsman) https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/family-and-parenting/tiktok-famous-dogs-2022-here-are-the-10-breeds-of-adorable-dog-that-get-most-views-on-tiktok-including-the-loving-labrador-retriever-3687474
- Herding Group (American Kennel Club) https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/herding/
10 Facts About Poodles (Jan Reisen) https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/lifestyle/10-facts-about-poodles/
