Some dogs are known for their intelligence, while others steal the spotlight with their striking appearance. What if I tell you some dog breeds are a complete package, the true beauties with brains! They boast their adorable looks with smartness.
Smart dog breeds possess excellent problem-solving skills, memory, and adaptability. Dog intelligence can be of various types, including instinctive, adaptive, and working intelligence. Intelligent dog breeds not only obey commands, but they also understand and respond to situations quite well.
Do You Know? Dogs’ cognitive abilities are equivalent to a 2 to 2.5 years human child, as mentioned by the American Psychological Association.
Having big expressive eyes, elegant posture, fluffy ears, and shiny coats, these fur balls learn commands quickly and are highly responsive to training. Here are the top 7 prettiest and smartest dog breeds you should know.
Smart And Prettiest Dog Breeds You Should Know
1. Maltese
One of the cutest dog breeds, Maltese are known for their unwavering loyalty and affection towards their humans. They are the true “Velcro dogs” who thrive on human companionship.
Why They are Smart
These super smart canines learn new commands and tricks. Their eagerness to please and easy trainability contribute to their smartness.
If you exercise your Maltese dog regularly, take it for walks, and provide it with puzzle toys and enrichment activities. They seem to be the smartest of all canines.
What Makes them Beautiful
Maltese can turn heads with their petite size and beautiful long coat. The fluffy white hair is complemented by dark eyes and a black button nose. Maltese carry their tail upright, creating a plume of white hair arching over the back.
2. Samoyed
Samoyeds are medium-sized herding dogs with a naturally smiling face. This smile is an adaptation to harsh weather as it prevents drooling so that no icicles form on the Samoyed’s face, explains WebMD.
One of the smartest breeds, Samoyeds are known for being fiercely loyal and affectionate towards people and children. These good-natured dogs tend to be very social.
Why They are Smart
Samoyed is a smart dog, more intelligent than average. It surpasses many other dog breeds when it comes to intelligence. They pick up training cues quickly, but can be a bit difficult to train due to their stubborn streak.
What Makes them Beautiful:
These cute dogs possess a beautiful white coat. Looking like a puffball, your Samoyed will be ever-ready to accompany you on hikes and long runs. Their pointy ears, dark almond-shaped eyes, and smiling face will melt your heart.
3. American Eskimo Dog
American Eskimo Dogs, affectionately known as Eskies, are loving, charming, and playful pets who make excellent family companions. Their striking good looks with a clever mind make them a complete “beauty with brains” package.
Why They are Smart
It is an intelligent dog breed that likes having things to do. Their eagerness to please makes training a breeze. These quick learners pick up new commands quickly, sometimes by only watching other dogs.
Eskies are the Spitz-type dogs who excel in agility and obedience competitions. These energetic canines love running, jumping, and playing, so they will always keep you on your toes. Eskies have been used as therapy dogs due to their loving and affectionate nature.
What Makes them Beautiful:
The American Eskimo dog has a plush white coat that is super soft to touch. The white fur is accentuated by dark nose and lips and expressive eyes that convey a keen intelligence. Like Samoyeds, Eskies also present a constantly smiling face. They have a lion-like mane around the chest and shoulders.
4. West Highland White Terrier
West Highland White Terriers are the spirited and sturdy dogs from Scotland. They are one of the friendliest dogs that love being the center of attention. These cheerful pooches are quite loyal and make good family dogs, but are not clingy. Westies were originally bred to hunt foxes and other small game.
Why They are Smart
Westies are quite intelligent and curious by nature. They are quick learners who can master a new command in 25 to 40 repetitions. They rank high in adaptive and instinctive intelligence. These smartest dogs possess excellent problem-solving capabilities and tend to learn from past experiences.
What Makes them Beautiful
Westies are compact dogs with an iconic white double coat that gives them a crisp, clean look. Their mischievous eyes and pointy ears give them a complete terrier appearance. A carrot-shaped tail always wagging with delight adds to their charm.
5. Toy Poodle
These smart dogs are one of the most intelligent dog breeds. Standing no more than 10 inches and weighing only 4–6 pounds, Toy Poodles have a big and playful personality, according to PetMD.
Why They are Smart
Toy Poodles are exceptionally intelligent pups, easy to train, and eager to please. Poodles are great at obedience training, agility competitions, and solving enrichment puzzles.
These energetic dogs have lower exercise needs than many other breeds and benefit from daily walks and play sessions. They have a natural affinity for water and are avid swimmers.
What Makes them Beautiful
Toy Poodles are the curly-haired cuties having bright, round eyes. They have a hypoallergenic coat, which makes them ideal for allergy sufferers. The beautiful fur needs frequent grooming, including regular brushing at least a few times during the week.
6. Papillon
Papillons are one of the smartest dog breeds! Despite their small size, they are quite active and make excellent watchdogs. Paps are companions at heart and thrive on human companionship. They can develop “separation anxiety.”
Why They are Smart
Papillons are eager to please their humans so they can be trained easily. They possess exceptional problem-solving skills naturally and perform well in sporting activities. They also excel at agility and obedience competitions. However, Papillon puppies can be challenging to house train.
What Makes them Beautiful:
The breed is named for its butterfly-like, fluffy ears. The word “papillon” refers to “butterfly” in French. Cute ears, silky coat, and the right size to scoop up in your arms make Paps popular among dog lovers. Their plumed tail also adds to their charm.
7. Chihuahua
Chihuahuas are the feisty little canines who come with a lot of personality in a small but adorable package. One of the fiercely loyal dogs, the Chihuahua, is quite playful and energetic. They are bright and loving with their family members.
Why They are Smart
Chihuahuas are the smartest dogs because they have the biggest brains for their size. Their intelligence and a strong desire to please make them easy to train. Chihuahuas learn quickly and excel at obedience training and other canine sports.
What Makes them Beautiful
Chihuahuas are one of the cutest dogs that make great cuddle partners and can be carried anywhere you go. Their flat or slightly wavy coat comes in a variety of striking colors. Chihuahuas can be easily characterized by their erect ears and big, round eyes.
Conclusion
Dogs have been bred for loyalty and companionship. Some dogs are known for their intelligence, and others for their good looks. However, this article highlights the cutest dog breeds with the sharpest minds in the dogdom.
If you are planning to adopt a smart dog breed with the prettiest face, make sure to take care of their grooming needs. Exercise them properly and provide enough mental enrichment. Otherwise, they can show undesirable behaviors like chewing on furniture or excessive barking.
