Plenty of us decided to welcome new four-legged friends into our homes in the last couple of years – according to the Kennel Club figures dog ownership soared by nearly eight percent – and post-lockdown demand for puppies remains high.
There are a whopping 221 different breeds of pedigree dog to choose from, alongside numerous crossbreeds, so there’s plenty of thinking to do before you select your family’s latest addition.
There’s even academic guidance to seek out, with Psychologist Stanley Coren’s book ‘The Intelligence of Dogs’ ranking breeds by instincts, obedience, and the ability to adapt.
As well as having varying levels of intelligence, different breeds of pup are also very different when it comes to the crucial process of training.
While some are liable to quickly pick up basic commands, others will find it a far trickier business – while others may even ignore your wishes even though they understand you perfectly.
So, here are the 10 breeds of dog that are easiest and most difficult to train.
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1. Border Collie
First, we're looking at the dogs that are likely to come top of their obedience class, and there's one breed that's certain to be the teacher's pet. There's a reason that Border Collies are a favourite for the tricky business of herding sheep - they are incredibly intelligent and learn amazingly fast.
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2. German Shepherd
A favourite of the police and army, the German Shepherd is one of the hardest working dogs out there and picks up new things quickly.
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3. Poodle
They may sometimes look high-maintenance, but Poodles are very eager to please and keen to learn.
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4. Papillon
If you are looking for a smaller breed of dog that is easy to train, then the Papillon could be for you - they have quick minds and enjoy learning new things.
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