Have you ever stared into a puppy’s eyes? There’s an entire world happening inside their head!

Just how intelligent are dogs? Everyday we see dogs doing incredible things to aid humanity! Dogs can learn a myriad of tricks, serve the disabled, work with police, and so much more. While there are many factors that contribute to the capacity dogs have to learn, breed does appear to play an important role.

Here are the top 10 smartest breeds of dogs.

1.Border Collie

While the average dog’s intelligence can be compared to a human two-year old, a border collie could be compared to a human four-year old. The border collie is believed to be the smartest of all dogs. In fact, if you don’t find a way to keep your border collie busy - it will find it’s own way! This is because they were bred to be shepherd dogs. They have been specifically bred to do a job and keep busy. This is why they are always up to learning something new and dislike sitting idly by.

2. Australian Shepherd

Not only among the world’s cutest dogs, Australian Shepards are also among the smartest. Shepherd dogs in general, as stated with the border collie, tend be more motivated to learning new things, as their history as required them to. The Australian Shepard is even more athletic than the border collie; dog sports are an excellent use of this breeds’ intelligence and athletics.

3. Poodle

The poodle was originally used as a hunting dog. Even as a house dog, a poodle has some pretty impressive brain power. Not only do poodles look classy, they also make the best performers. You might have seen poodles balancing on beach balls or jumping through hoops.

4. Australian Cattle Dog

Australian cattle dogs were also breed to do a specific job. This is why, if given a job, they will perform it well. If not, they could become bored and engage in less-than-desirable behavior. This is a struggle with most intelligent dogs. Bad behavior in a dog can be confused with boredom. Think of a particularly intelligent child. If their homework is too easy, they may become bored in school and misbehave.

5. German Shepherd Dog

There is a reason why these dogs are classically used as police dogs. Once trained, a German Shepherd will perform any task asked to perform. These dogs are protective, and have so much energy and intelligence that they can easily become anxious. Giving them tasks will help relieve their stress. A simple task for a German Shepherd could be to protect children, and in this they would do very well.

6. Shetland Sheepdog

Yes, we are talking about those great big, fluff-monster dogs. Compared to the other dogs mentioned before, the Shetland Sheepdog can be considered more of a watcher. They form deep bonds with people and are excellent at reading them and even tuning into their personalities. This makes them easy to create bond with and to train.

7. Papillion

Don’t be fooled by its appearance. People generally don’t see toy breed dogs as very intelligent, yet the papillion is here to prove just how smart they can be. This might is the smartest of the smaller dogs. It may come across as stubborn at first, and may require attentive training.

8. Rottweiler

Rottweilers know people VERY well. They may show a different side of their personality around people they trust. Like an introverted child, at first they may appear shy and stoic. As they former a deeper bond with you, they will open up and become a loyal friend.

9. Jack Russell Terrier

These little guys are clever. They are energetic, and it may be near impossible to keep them from getting their way. Jack Russell Terrier, once you get past their stubborn nature, excel at dog sports and barn hunting.

10. Golden Retriever

Golden retrievers are often used as service dogs. They are easy to train and read social situations exceptionally well. They are possibly the friendliest dogs around, as this is why they are so popular as house dogs.

If your fur baby didn’t make it onto this list, it doesn't mean they aren’t intelligent. There are more factors than breed that contribute to a dog's’ overall intelligence. Every dog is a unique individual, after all, and comes with their own strengths and weaknesses.

Something to understand about highly intelligent dogs is that they can be challenging to train and take care of. Don’t confuse bad behavior with boredom. Practice patience with your fur baby. Perhaps all they need is a job to do.