- #1. Afghan - often referred to as the “dumb blondes of the dog world” Afghans are affectionate and love being around their owners. While they may have no interest in dominating you, they exhibit a low obedience level and you may have to repeat commands several times before they respond.
- #2. Basenji - temperamental and independent with a lot of cat-like characteristics, Basenjis may spend a lot of time grooming themselves and, like many cats, not pay a whole lot of attention to people.
- #3 Bulldog - often beset with a host of medical problems due to their physical characteristics, Bulldogs, gentle and affectionate with a mind of their own, take a lot of time and patience to train.
- #4 Chow Chow- likes to be at the center of attention and can be jealous and demanding especially when new people visit. Any owner should be firm and strong willed since this breed is very dominant and can easily take charge.
- #5 Borzoi – another dog with a cat -like temperament, Borzois (also called Russian Wolfhounds), are independent and more concerned with themselves than their owners so they are not particularly receptive to training. Although hard to learn commands, they are affectionate and loyal.
- #6 Bloodhound – Since they can successfully track a scent that is days old it may be surprising that Bloodhounds are on this list but they may follow their nose more than they will follow their owner who needs to be firm and patient
- #7 Pekinese - although loyal to their owners, Pekes are independent and dominating. Training this small dog is like training a stubborn child so be firm and consistent.
- #8 Mastiff -one of the biggest breeds, Mastiffs make great guard dogs but are stubborn and sensitive. Training sessions should be kept short and owners should speak in a kind soft voice.
- #9 Beagle – while not necessarily considered stupid, Beagles are very independent which makes training them much harder than it is with many other breeds. But while it may take an entire day to teach Beagles how to heel, this breed is affectionate and great with children.
- #10 Basset Hounds - very gentle and devoted to their owners, Basset Hounds may not catch on to commands right away and while you might be repeating “sit” and “stay” over and over until they get it, Bassets have great temperaments, are well behaved and love to be around people.
Remember, these rankings reflect a general overview of the breed yet individual dogs within that breed can vary greatly in temperament and attitude. So if your dog is on this list don’t worry – there are always exceptions. And if your dog isn’t on this list, watch for the next article when we’ll showcase the ten most intelligent breeds.
