Let’s get one thing straight right away. No matter how “dumb” these dogs are — or are perceived to be by brainiacs with an IQ test — these animal companions aren’t any less lovable or loyal. Now, the list in reverse order:
Borzoi
Borzois are many things — loyal, independent, willful, proud, charming, affectionate — but smart? Not so much. They do get marks for having a cat's intuition to clean themselves, but their other cat-like qualities (they're not as driven as most dogs to please their masters) make them difficult to deal with sometimes.
Chow Chow
There's a difference between smart and intelligent and that gap is noticeable in the Chow Chow. The breed is loyal to its family, but becomes very dominant in the household and is wary of strangers. They need an owner who is calm, consistent and firm to lay down the law — but its difficult for the breed to accept their masters' friends and visitors, despite attempts at training.
Bulldogs
These pups are gentle, affectionate, even-tempered, friendly, persistent, dependable, brave — but you won't see any dominating an agility course or sniffing out trails.
Basenji
This is a unique breed, also known as the “African barkless dog” because instead of barking, it makes yodeling noises. Between that and their cat-like tendency to clean themselves, the Basenji doesn't score high on your classic dog trait test.
Afghan Hound
This elegant, dignified breed is notoriously difficult to train and housebreak. What they lack in smarts, however, they make up for in affection towards their owners. They are sweet and loyal to the ones they love, but the breed is wary of strangers so don't expect a warm greeting if you come across one out for a walk. They are beautiful though!
What was the criteria for this?
Let’s look at two standards: The Brightest Dogs understand new commands in less than 5 repetitions. They obey the first command the first time 95% of the time or better. The dogs on this list take 80 to 100 repetitions or more to understand a new command. They obey an order less than 25% the first time…or less.To learn more, check the Readers Digest review.
