According to canine researcher Stanley Coren, from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, dogs can distinguish more than 160 words . Furthermore, they are capable of solving complex problems , with mental abilities close to that of a 2-year-old child. According to Coren, three types of canine intelligence can be distinguished: instinctive, adaptive, and work and obedience. The latter is the one that mainly differentiates the breeds: Collies are the most intelligent, followed by Poodles and German Shepherds. Fourth on the list is the golden retriever , and fifth is the doberman.
Dogs can understand up to 165 words on average, although some are capable of learning 200, as German researchers from the Max Planck Institute showed working with border collie Rico. In addition, these animals have the ability to count to four or up to five, and have basic arithmetic concepts that allow them to detect errors in simple sums such as 1 + 1 = 3. As if that were not enough, they are capable of tricking other dogs and humans to get rewards, another clear sign of intelligence. They also learn on their own the best way to get to a certain place or how to operate simple machines.
