Is this normal, or is she just smart???

Our new pup, Sunny, learned sit, down and shake in less than 10 minutes. It always took us longer to teach our last dog, Bishop, tricks and manners. I was just curious if this was normal, or if my dog is smart? I mean, she is more than likely an intelligent dog, but does this mean she could be above normal as far as intelligence goes?

Very smart doggie you have, took my parents dog ages to learn basics but my uncle's Labradors are very intelligent and learn tricks pretty quick.

Some breeds pick up tricks and obedience alot faster than other dogs, there is the exception of breeds such as the German Shepherd, Doberman and Border Collies i suppose that pick things up really fast because they are very active dogs that are willing to learn, all dogs are willing to learn as long as it's fun for them and you.

You just never know. My Bear used to go surveying with my Dad when I'd help him. I could tell Bear to take me back to the last station and he'd take me back to where Dad had the instrument set up last; I could tell him the last point and we'd go back to the last place we'd held the rod. Dad had human helpers who never learned the difference. But Bear refused to learn "tricks!" Obviously they were beneath his massive dignity. Mickey, the Toy Fox Terrier I got for my fourth birthday, was frighteningly intelligent. She also held a grudge. She'd figure out a way to get even with you even if it took a month. But she loved to do tricks. We went to the circus and I came back very impressed indeed as only a four year old can be, with the tricks the dogs in the circus had done. Of course, since they looked just like Mickey, I figured she could do them too. So we spent the afternoon, a four year old and the world's most stubborn dog, and she learned to do all the tricks!

Maybe it's just that she's more eager to please you so she tries harder for you.

that's so true. The smarter they are the less they want to obey. hehe

What breed is Sunny? Is this a working breed, herding breed or terrier type? It sounds like you're doing a good job showing him what you mean and he is receptive to it. He must like learning new things and you two have something going on.

Intelligence is a hard thing to measure since dogs learn in different ways and are bred to do different things. Their minds don't all work in the same direction.

I don't think intelligent dogs are stubborn. I think they're just "creative." LOL. If someone has trouble training an intelligent dog, then the trainer has not found the most interesting way for the dog to learn. The trainer is not creative enough.

My Doberman is very quick to pick up new things. He learns new commands in a matter of a few tries. He is, however very distractable, so may appear to be resisting me, but the truth is, when I have any difficulty getting his attention or getting something across, it is because I'm not being interesting enough. LOL. He is willing and eager to use his mind and learn new things.

In fact, last night I had him in the den with me while I was on the computer. He had his dinner bowl on the floor in there, as I have to seperate my four dogs when they eat. He wasn't very hungry, wasn't eating it and looked bored. So I got up and had him do some tricks we've been practicing. He looked so relieved to have something to do. I grabed a handful of kibble which he previously had showed no interest in. I asked him to weave through my legs, shake, high five and the latest, play dead. Each success would bring him a few kibbles. He was so glad to get those pieces of kibble. LOL. The bowl was sitting right next to him while he was in a down/stay. He could have just as easily eaten right from that. But he wanted to wait until he did his job to be rewarded with the kibble, didn't want to have it without earning it. What a work ethic! I got a kick out of that.

My experience as a trainer is that every dog is different, learns at different rates in different ways, no matter the breed. The trainer has to be good at reading his dogs personality and adjusting his communications. I,ve met highly intelligent dogs that had yokels for relatives, sometimes for siblings. In the litter of my female dog Mary....Mary learned to jump through the hoop quickly and liked to jump high..her sister Sally had to go around me a dozen times before she would get her courage up...and attempt to jump through. she got it eventually, but it took much longer. Sally was more insecure. She was the omaga of the litter. Mary would do every trick but speak.She is 10 now and she still refuses. The most you get is a sneeze out of her. My old boss had three rules for training a puppy
1. Always make sure they are having at least 50 percent of the fun
2 Always leave the wanting more
3.Never give a command without inforcing it.
Just thought I would pass on his words. SMkie

Sounds like one of you is trained very well! He sure got you to play with him. Conniving little critters, aren't they?

Oh yes...oportunists in the worst way. LOL. But he didn't get his walk that day due to unbelievable weather and he really needed something to do. Plus, I spend too much time on the computer so that little training practice was needed. At least he wasn't bugging me. He just had that look in his eyes, the blank, stare. I could tell he was fantisizing about doing something really fun and what a drag it was to be cooped up. LOL.

Sunny is a Boxer/English Pointer mix...we think. When we got her from the shelter, they said that the owners said that they owned her mother and she was Brittany. Sunny looks nothing like Brittany, though. She has the English Pointer build and color...with the Boxer face...I will try to post pictures.

Oh, please do! It's easy to post them in the Dog Pictures. Just follow the link at the top of the page, then you'll see a link that says 'upload' and follow your nose!

You know, I kind of think that "smart" shouldn't be so easily defined. There are so many different types of intelligence. With people too. Like the people in Mensa who have such high IQs. They are very smart academically but sometimes they have huge problems socializing. I have a friend (my friends ex-husband) who qualifies for Mensa but he's NOT good with people. But some people have really such great "people smarts."
I think animals are the same. So if your dog learns things quickly, I say he's definitely smart in at least one manner.

But if it's true that smarter dogs don't learn as quickly then Mikey must be the SMARTEST dog in the whole-wide world!
Saje

I think you've made an excellent point, Saje. But you generally do.