Size Matters When It Comes To Dog Smarts

All dogs are pretty much 'good boys,' but University of Arizona researchers say some breeds are smarter than others.

The scientists looked at 7,000 pure bred dogs from 74 different breeds. They found larger dogs, such as Labradors and Great Danes, have bigger brains than smaller dogs, which gives them improved "cognitive function."

This means bigger dogs have increased self control and high-performing short term memory, which in turn means they obey the command "stay" more than smaller dogs.

However, smaller breeds were found to be more skilled at other tasks, such as going to where their owner was pointing when told-- this is evidence that the little dogs have "social intelligence," according to the researchers.

Study author Daniel Horschler adds, "The jury is out on why, necessarily, brain size might relate to cognition. We think of it as probably a proxy for something else going on, whether it's the number of neurons that matters or differences in connectivity between neurons."

Daily Mail


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