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Think your dog's smart? Put that pooch to the test
My wife, Angee, and I, have two dogs who resemble the Labrador breed - Millie and Bo. Millie seems rather intelligent. Bo seems rather, well, dumb. Lovable, but dumb.
Intelligence in animals is not easy to measure. You may recall that Johnny Carson and Ed McMahon always were quarreling about which species is smarter - pigs or horses. I find that it is not only difficult to tell which species has the best brains, but it's even difficult to measure intelligence between two animals of the same species.
There are two types of dog intelligence - instinctive intelligence and adaptive intelligence. Instinctive intelligence has to do with behaviors programmed into an animal's genetic code. It's what makes herding dogs want to herd and retrievers retrieve. Adaptive intelligence has more to do with developing skills not necessarily related to their genetics.
Just last week, I saw a Labrador that has a highly developed instinctive intellect but apparently has not had enough opportunity to develop adaptive intelligence. This particular dog, Rave, could pick up a duck on a dead run and then quickly return it to his hunter-owner. Rave's adaptive intelligence failed him when he attempted to pick up a large rock, apparently shaped like a duck, as he was running full throttle. He fractured four teeth. We'll just have to wait to see if he adapts to that faux pas.
If you'd like to check your dog's intelligence, I would suggest four problem-solving tests I used for Millie and Bo.
First, take a large towel or blanket and gently throw it over your dog's head. If he frees himself from the towel in less than 15 seconds, give him 3 points. If it takes 15 to 30 seconds, give him 2 points. If it takes him longer than 30 seconds, give him 1 point. This test measures disposition and problem solving. Millie escaped in seven seconds. It took Bo 15. This put Millie ahead 3 to 2.
For the second test, place a treat (or favorite toy) under one of three buckets that are lined up in a row. Show your dog which bucket the treat is under. Turn your dog away for 10 seconds and then let him go. If he goes straight to the right bucket (the one with the treat under it), give him 3 points. If it takes two tries to find the treat, 2 points. If he checks the wrong two first before finding the treat, give him 1 point. This test measures memory. Millie and Bo scored 0. They both reminded me of a person that starts a sentence but then can't remember what he was going to say, so he just stands there with his mouth open. Millie and Bo just looked at me. Since they both are mixed breeds, perhaps they received a Chihuahua-sized brain in their Labrador bodies. Still 3 to 2 in favor of Millie.
I persisted by going on to the third test: Place a treat in a square of aluminum foil and fold it twice to close it. If the dog uses his paws to get the foil open, give him 3 points. If he uses his mouth and paws to open the foil, give him 2 points. If he can't get the foil open and just starts playing with it, give him 1 point. This test measures problem solving. Bo used his paws and his mouth and scored 2 points. Millie tried to eat the foil. Although that could be a minus 5, I gave her a 1 for effort. The score jumped to 4-4.
On to the final test. Play "Go Find." Make your dog "sit" and "stay" in one room. Take his favorite toy and hide it in a different room. Then say "OK!" and encourage him to find it. Time him. If he finds it right away, give him 3 points. If he finds it with a little help and a little more time, give him 2 points. If he can't find it without much help, he only gets 1 point. Millie immediately located her toy fish, scoring 3 more points. Bo has no idea of what "Find your fishy!" means and froze his score at 4.
So Millie looks like the smarter dog with a final score of 7 to 4. A score of 7 indicates the dog is pretty smart. Of course, this test isn't very scientific and the results could undoubtedly change with further testing. If they were border collies, they would be anxiously awaiting the next series of tests. If they were Afghan hounds, they would still be under the large towel used in the first test.
So, canine intelligence is just not easy to measure - even with my own pets. I think I'll cover myself with a blanket, open a can of peanuts (if I can find one), retrieve a beverage from the fridge and track down a book on fishing or vacationing, leaving scoring intelligence to the intelligent.
Speaking for Alex this week is Dr. Larry Baker, who practices small animal medicine and veterinary dentistry at 2800 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Decatur. To submit a question, write to Ask Alex, c/o Herald & Review, Box 311, Decatur, IL 62625 or e-mail jmatherly@herald-review.com.
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