The dogs listed below are the most trainable, and the most eager to learn. This ranking is based on a book by Stanley Coren, an expert of dog-human interaction. These dogs were placed in the top 10 based on how long it took them to learn a new command and the success rate in remembering that command.
Any dog breed can be smart, and have the ability to learn new and different commands.
Border Collie
This breed is the most intelligent out of this list. Known for their ability to herd sheep, Border Collies are the most trainable. These dogs love pleasing their owners, while doing all of their daily tasks. Since they are highly intelligent, these collies can learn a command only after a few tries and will follow it each time it’s given.
Poodle
This breed is known for their poofy hair and style. They were bred for retrieving game in water. Poodles are very easy to train since they love to please their owners, and learn a command after a few practice runs.
German Shepherd
Coming in 3rd is the German Shepherd. This breed is most popular with the police and military. Since these dogs were initially bred for work, which consisted of herding and protecting sheep, they love having tasks to complete. German Shepherds are eager to learn once they begin their training. They’ll learn a command in just a few minutes.
Golden Retriever
Golden’s come in 4th on the list. They were bred to be hunting dogs. You may be surprised that this breed sits in the top 5, since they’re known for their goofy behavior. But they’re able to learn a new command in less than 10 minutes, and have a high success rate of following that command in the future.
Doberman Pinscher
Concluding the top 5, is none other than the Doberman Pinscher. These dogs were bred to be guard dogs, and they still have that instinctive trait. Like the 4 dogs above, the Doberman can easily learn a new command in just a few minutes, or in 5 tries or less.
Shetland Sheepdog
These dogs were bred for herding, so they love to work and complete a task. Apart from regular training, shelties excel in agility training. These dogs are eager to please their owners, so it’s very easy for them to learn command after command.
Labrador Retriever
Labs were bred to hunt, and retrieve game and fish from the water. Similar to the Golden, labs have a goofy personality as well. Once training begins, it will be a breeze, as they can pick up on different things very quickly.
Papillon
Papillons are the smallest dogs on this list. They were bred as lap dogs, so it’s surprising that they’re in the top 10. They’re known for doing very well in agility competitions. They can learn a new command in just a few minutes, and love doing it since they’re so active for their size.
Rottweiler
Bred for guarding purposes, Rottweilers love pleasing their owners. Known for being very loyal companions, this breed is very easy to train. Like all the dogs on this list, Rottweilers can easily learn a command after a few tries, and remember it when it’s said to them again.
Australian Cattle dog
Finally, in 10th place is the Australian Cattle dog. This breed was bred to herd cattle, hence the name. They love doing tasks, and love to please their owners, so training them is a breeze.
