The 12 smartest dog breeds, ranked

“It’s not a surprise that this hard-working, herding breed comes in first on our list,” say Caitie Steffen, veterinarian and geneticist Dr Angela Hughes. Border Collies are always eager to learn and please their owners, which earns them the top spot in this smartest dogs ranking. “How can you argue with a dog with a vocabulary of over 1,000 words?” adds holistic pet therapist and author, Sally Morgan, referring to Chaser, a famous border collie from South Carolina who was once profiled on 60 Minutes.