10 Dumbest Dog Breeds

10 Dumbest Dog Breeds

Sometimes using the process of elimination can help you select the perfect dog for your needs. While the dog breeds in this list might be considered the "dumbest" or least trainable around in general, that doesn't mean every dog of the breed lacks intelligence. In fact, even the dumbest breeds can breed some rather smart dogs - a lot of it is up to the training and stimulation given the pup from a young age.

1. Mastiff

While many dog breeds are of the "Mastiff" variety, the only true Mastiff is also referred to as the English Mastiff. Originally used as Roman war dogs, this massive breed is noble and gentle, but not particularly bright.

They are loyal, and are natural guard dogs that will ferociously protect their nuclear family. They can be a bit on the lazy side, and sometimes their lack of response to a command comes more from the area of not caring than not understanding. These are not dogs for urban environments or apartments, either, as they need space to move.

2. Beagle

This hound was originally used for its superior nose, allowing it to track small animals with its sense of smell alone. In one experiment a mouse was placed in a one-acre field while researchers let loose a few different breeds of dogs to see how long it would take them to track the animal. The Beagle tracked the mouse in less than a minute, while other breeds took quite a bit longer. Unfortunately Beagle's rely solely on their sense of smell, and almost not at all on sight, leading to other dogs being preferred for tracking, such as Shepherds and Collies.

Beagles continue to be popular dogs, thanks to an amiable and over-trusting personality, and they can be creative when it comes to getting in trouble. However, they are easily distracted, and very single-minded.

3. Pekingese

This tiny Chinese dog, originating from Western China, has been bred over 2000 years to develop a very distinct look. This thorough inbreeding has also produced a dog that is not particularly bright or responsive to training. Their face, in appearance, is somewhat like that of the Chow Chow, and their temperament is also eerily similar. Pekingese are dependent but slow to learn commands, and can be aloof at times.

4. Basset Hound

The hound family of dogs features prominently in the least intelligent dog breeds, although that likely has much to do with their singular purpose, which is to track prey.

Basset hounds are stubborn dogs that will shut down if punishment training is used rather than food-based reward training. They are friendly, docile, and patient, making them a great family dog, but will never be a strong contender in obedience trials. They are not particularly independent, although they do need enclosed spaces and leashes as they tend to bolt after any scent that catches their fancy.

5. Bloodhound

This popular tracking dog, known to have one of the strongest noses in the dog world, also is a bit of a one-hit wonder. Training a bloodhound to trail is easy, and it will do this almost reflexively, it just needs practice to keep on trails. Getting a bloodhound to do anything else requires excessive repetition of training and of saying the command. This is attributed to the fact that they are so strong in one area. Thankfully, while hard to train, they are affectionate, gentle, and even-tempered.

6. Borzoi

Also called the Russian wolfhound, these dogs are incredibly independent, which brings into question the idea of command obedience intelligence versus general intelligence. They are natural coursing dogs, like other sight hounds, but have a reasonable prey drive. Even so, a fenced yard is necessary to keep a borzoi from bolting after another animal. Borzois can be stubborn at times, and are very sensitize, not responding well to harsh treatment or punishment-based training.

7. Chow Chow

A native dog of northern China, its fluffy appearance is easily recognized. Its name in Chinese translates to “puffy-lion dog,” an apt description. It is one of the oldest recognizable breeds, with rough depictions dating back to 150 BC. However, it is also one of the least intelligent when it comes to training ability, and can also be quite aloof. They tend to attach themselves to a single owner.

8. Bulldog

A popular mascot throughout the years, this breed was originally bred to bait bulls, and was never expected to be intelligent. Unresponsive to commands, and difficult to train, the bulldog is not independently intelligent like some of the other hard-to-train breeds. The current bulldog is quite removed from the original ones, and are more likely to sit around snoring than go chase bulls, and is generally won’t listen to a command out of sheer laziness.

9. Basenji

A unique breed of African hunting dog, the Basenji is another member of the hound group. They do not have a bark, but instead emit a yodeling sound or howl, and overall they have more in common with wild dogs such as dingoes and Pariah dog types.

They are frisky, and tend to get themselves in trouble, particularly when it comes to climbing. They are trainable, and can respond to consistent and positive training, but will still not respond often on the first command. The training has to be an ongoing process, and may take months. They also respond particularly poorly to punishment, so hard discipline will only undo training.

10. Afghan Hound

One of the oldest known breeds in its current form, this breed has a personality that is closer to that of a cat than the usual trainable dog. They prefer to operate by themselves, and tend to be rather aloof. They are not a dominant breed, but also have a streak of independence.

The high level of reasoning skills in the breed actually lead it to be good in agility trials, and athleticism and instinct help it be a star in the sport of lure coursing. They have the lowest amount of obedience intelligence of all breeds, though, needing command repetition up to 100 times until understanding, and they almost never obey a command the first time.