Teacher’s PET! The easiest dog breeds to train revealed – so how does YOUR pooch stack up?

Science
By William

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With their adorable faces and wagging tails, it’s no surprise that dogs have been man’s best friends for thousands of years.

But not all breeds are created equal when it comes to training – and if your dog is misbehaved, it can become a huge source of stress.

In a new study, researchers from the University of Helsinki have revealed the easiest breeds to train.

Their findings suggest that Australian Cobberdogs, Australian Labradoodles and Golden Labrador Retrievers have the best focus when it comes to training.

In contrast, Bull-type terriers, Sled dogs and Parson-type terriers are the most difficult to train, according to the study.

In a new study, researchers from the University of Helsinki have revealed the easiest breeds to train. In the photo: an Australian Cobberdog

Bull-type terriers (pictured), sled dogs and Parson-type terriers are the most difficult to train, according to study

Bull-type terriers (pictured), sled dogs and Parson-type terriers are the most difficult to train, according to study

In the study, the team looked for the personality differences between dog breeds.

“The breed of the dog is the most important determinant of personality differences,” said Dr Milla Salonen, lead author of the study.

“All dogs are individuals and all breeds have different traits, but breeds differ in what kind of personality most dogs within each breed have.”

The team collected a huge dataset of behavioral studies with information on 11,000 dogs from 300 different breeds.

These were then divided into 52 groups.

The data revealed a strong link between race and seven personality traits.

These were insecurity, training focus, aggressiveness/dominance, energy, canine sociability, human sociability and perseverance.’

In terms of training, the ‘other breeds’ group topped the list as the easiest to train.

The easiest dogs to train

  1. Other breed (Australian Cobberdog, Australian Labradoodle, Golden Labrador Retriever, Indian Pariah Dog, Peruvian Hairless Dog Large, Peruvian Hairless Dog Medium sized, Peruvian Hairless Dog Miniature, Seskar seal dog, Unknown breed, Wolfdog, Xoloitzcuintle Intermediate and Xoloitzcuintle Standard)
  2. labrador retriever
  3. Border Collie
  4. Spanish Water Dog
  5. Rough Collie
  6. golden retriever
  7. Poodle
  8. Shetland sheepdog
  9. Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
  10. Lagotto Romagnolo
  11. Welsh Corgi
  12. Teacup dogs
  13. Asian primitive races
  14. Dachshund
  15. English Shepherds
  16. Lappish Shepherd
  17. Central European working dogs
  18. Smooth Collie
  19. German shepherd
  20. Retrievers / Flushing dogs
  21. pointers
  22. Berman Mountain Dogs
  23. Belgian Sheepdogs
  24. Other companion dogs
  25. Australian Shepherd
  26. Bichon type dogs

The hardest dogs to train

  1. Bull-type terriers
  2. Sled dogs
  3. Parson type terriers
  4. Pinschers/Schnauzers
  5. Primitive greyhounds
  6. Scenthounds
  7. Fighting dogs
  8. Spire of the northern companion
  9. Chinese Crested Dog
  10. European greyhounds
  11. Central European Shepherds
  12. Brachycephalic dogs
  13. Northern hunting spears
  14. Livestock watchdogs
  15. Jack Russell Terrier
  16. Yard terriers
  17. Mastiff type dogs
  18. Miniature Schnauzer
  19. Whippet
  20. Hunting terriers
  21. Mixed breed
  22. Miniature Pinscher
  23. Schapendoes
  24. Finnish Lappish Hound
  25. German Spitz related breeds
  26. White Swiss Shepherd Dog

Parson type terriers proved to be some of the trickiest breeds to train. In the photo: a Parson Russell Terrier

Parson type terriers proved to be some of the trickiest breeds to train. In the photo: a Parson Russell Terrier

This group included Australian Cobberdog, Australian Labradoodle, Golden Labrador Retriever, Indian Pariah Dog, Peruvian Hairless Dog Large, Peruvian Hairless Dog Medium sized, Peruvian Hairless Dog Miniature, Seskar seal dog, Unknown breed, Wolfdog, Xoloitzcuintle Intermediate and Xoloitzcuintle Standard.

This group was closely followed by Labrador Retriever, Border Collie and Spanish Water Dog.

At the other end of the scale, Bull-type terriers, Sled dogs, Parson-type terriers and Pinschers/Schnauzers were considered the most difficult to train.

Aside from breed, several other factors have been found to affect a dog’s trainability.

Female dogs were found to be easier to train, while training also became easier as dogs aged.

Meanwhile, neutered dogs proved more difficult to train than those that had not yet been spayed.

‘Based on our research, personality traits are extremely complex and have amazing similarities between dogs, humans and other animals,’ Dr Salonen added.

WHAT ARE THE TEN GENERAL MYTHS ABOUT DOGS?

It’s easy to believe that dogs like what we like, but this isn’t always entirely true.

Here are ten things people should remember as they try to understand their pets, according to animal behavior experts Dr Melissa Starling and Dr Paul McGreevy, from the University of Sydney.

1. Dogs don’t like to share

2. Not all dogs like to be cuddled or petted

3. A barking dog is not always an aggressive dog

4. Dogs do not like other dogs entering their territory/home

5. Dogs like to be active and don’t need as much relaxation time as humans

6. Not all dogs are overly friendly, some are a bit more shy to begin with

7. A dog that seems friendly can quickly become aggressive

8. Dogs need open space and new areas to explore. Playing in the garden is not always enough

9. Sometimes a dog won’t misbehave, it just doesn’t understand what to do or what you want

10. Subtle facial cues often prevent barking or snapping when a dog is unhappy

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