Ranking the 63 smartest dog breeds By Sabienna Bowman of Stacker | Ranking the 63 smartest dog breeds Dog owners passionately defend their dog breed of choice, but is your precious poodle really smarter than a Labrador retriever? It's time to put those weekly dog park arguments to rest. If you’re looking for a definitive answer to the question of whether or not your pup is smarter than the average dog, then author and professor of canine psychology Stanley Coren’s 2006 book, "The Intelligence of Dogs," is an excellent reference point. It’s widely accepted among the community of canine devotees as an accurate representation of the trainability and overall intelligence of breeds recognized by the American and Canadian Kennel Clubs.