Study: Dogs are Smarter than 2-Year Old Humans

As someone who has both a 2-year-old and two small dogs at this very moment, I would argue that this study is conservative in its assertion that dogs are as smart 2-year olds, but I digress.

The study was performed by Stanley Coren, a canine expert operating out of the University of British Columbia. "We all want insight into how our furry companions think, and we want to understand the silly, quirky and apparently irrational behaviors [that] Lassie or Rover demonstrate," Coren said. "Their stunning flashes of brilliance and creativity are reminders that they may not be Einsteins but are sure closer to humans than we thought."

Coren used simple tests to track the dogs' ability to solve problems and count, in relation to similar tests performed on toddlers. Language assessments were also performed and it was determined that dogs of "average" intelligence can learn about 165 words, including signals and gestures. Dogs in the top 20% of intelligence could master around 250 words.

The study also confirmed some already known tiers of dog intelligence, listing border collies, poodles and german shepherds as the most intelligent breeds according to Coren's tests. These breeds are assumed to be more intelligent because they are newer breeds. Coren believes that humans intentionally bred dogs who were more receptive to human language and who interacted best with humans.