Now you too can score your dog's IQ. Complete these 8 quick and easy tests and see if your Fido is a fool or if Jess is a genius!
Allocate your dog the number of points in brackets next to their response to the task.
Test 1: PROBLEM SOLVING
Place treat under soup can. If dog gets treat in:
*less than 5 seconds (5),
*5-15 seconds (4),
*16-30 seconds (3),
*31-60 seconds (2),
*tries but fails to get treat (1),
*shows no interest (0).
Test 2: PROBLEM SOLVING
Quickly throw a large towel over the dog's head and shoulders. If dog gets free in:
*less than 15 seconds (5),
*16-30 seconds (4),
*31-60 seconds (3),
*1-2 minutes (2),
*doesn't get free within 2 minutes (1).
Test 3: PROBLEM SOLVING
Place a treat under a small towel. If dog gets treat in:
*less than 15 seconds (5),
*16-30 seconds (4),
*31-60 seconds (3),
*1-2 minutes (2),
*tries but fails to get treat (1),
*shows no interest (0).
Test 4: SHORT-TERM MEMORY
Command your dog to sit and wait, then let the dog see you put a biscuit on the floor. Turn your dog loose. If dog:
*goes straight to the treat (5),
*searches systematically and finds treat (4),
*searches randomly but finds treat in under 45 seconds (3),
*searches but fails to find treat (2),
*shows no interest (1).
Test 5: LONG-TERM MEMORY
Let the dog see you put a biscuit on the floor (a different place to previous test). Remove your dog for five minutes, play with him/her, return and let your dog loose. If dog:
*goes straight to treat (5),
*goes to the spot from test four, then the correct spot (4),
*searches systematically and finds treat (3),
*searches randomly but finds treat in under 45 seconds (2),
*searches but fails to find treat (1),
*shows no interest (0).
Test 6: PROBLEM SOLVING AND MANIPULATION
Place treat under a low platform (too low and far enough back to reach with mouth - your bed may be a good place). If dog:
*gets treat in under one minute (5),
*gets treat in 1-3 minutes (4),
*uses paws and muzzle but fails to get treat (3),
*uses muzzle only a few times and gives up (2),
*doesn't try, (1).
Test 7: LANGUAGE COMPREHENSION
Leave dog as if for a recall. If dog comes when you call:
* "refrigerator" (3),
* "movies" (2),
* "(dog's name) come" (5),
* "(dog's name) come" twice (4),
* dog fails to come (1).
Test 8: PROBLEM SOLVING
Show the dog a treat through a slit in a large cardboard barricade. Dog should not be able to get treat through slit. Encourage dog to get treat. If dog goes around barrier in:
*less than 15 seconds (5),
*16-30 seconds (4),
*31-60 seconds (3).
Handler stops encouraging dog after 1 minute. If dog:
*goes around barrier in 1-2 minutes (2),
*tries to reach through slit and gives up (1),
*shows no interest (0).
Tally up your dog's score......
What your canine companion's score means:
36-40: Throw a party, your dog is a
genius!
32-35: You have a
very smart pooch!
28-31: Good going, your dog is in the
high average category!
20-27: Someone's got to be
average, right? Well, your dog is.
16-19: OK so maybe they're not Einstein but still your dog is only a little silly - in the
low average group.
12-15: Err does your dog chase it's tail all day? They're a
borderline case.
0-11: There's no gentle way to put this...your dog is simply
dumb - but lovable right?
Don't dismay if your dog is deemed to be a dunce, the results of this test can vary according to factors such as:
*your dog's motivation to get the food,
*the duration of time since your dog was last fed,
*how obedient your dog is and how much obedience training your dog has undertaken,
*how far under the platform the treat is placed in test 6 and other factors including
*the mood your dog is in at the time.
How Bess and Rory scored:
Keen to accept the challenge and grab as many treats as possible, Bess and her buddy Rory took on the intelligence test. (Woolie was worried he'd do badly so declined with dignity.)
Here's how they scored:
Bess
Test 1 5 points
Test 2 4 points
Test 3 5 points
Test 4 5 points
Test 5 5 points
Test 6 3 points
Test 7 5 points
Test 8 4 points
Total 36 points = GENIUS
Without a doubt Bess' keen labrador interest in food helped her score brilliantly. She was stumped by Test 6 but still gave it her best shot, resulting in her scraping in with the brightest of the bright!
Rory
Test 1 5 points
Test 2 5 points
Test 3 5 points
Test 4 4 points
Test 5 5 points
Test 6 5 points
Test 7 5 points
Test 8 5 points
Total 39 points = GENIUS
Rory is a darn bright dog! He very quickly solved the problem solving challenges, digging under the bed immediately in Test 6 unlike Bess. He too loves food so that helped him score so stunningly. It's not surprising he's such a great escape artist either!
Test from an article printed in the Herald Sun (Melbourne) 23/6/01 based on research by Dr Stanley Coren
