Are Labradors Smart Dogs? Canine Intelligence Explained

The Labrador Retriever, more commonly known as a “Lab,” is one of the most popular dogs worldwide, especially among families. This working breed has a decorated history and is beloved for their intelligence, affectionate disposition, and patience, making them an ideal choice for families with children.

The Labrador is also considered one of the most trainable and intelligent dogs, ranking as the seventh most intelligent breed.1 But a simple number ranking does a disservice to these dogs' intelligence.

What Does It Mean to Be Smart?

There’s a great deal of debate about the meaning of the term “smart.” Many psychologists find the term reductive and feel that splitting it into different types of intelligence benefits children and adults alike by enabling people to acknowledge strengths and weaknesses rather than putting them in a simple “smart/not smart” dichotomy.

Howard Gardner, a Harvard professor of psychology, breaks intelligence down into eight groups: logical-mathematical, linguistic, musical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic.1

Using this model of intelligence, a person can have genius-level intelligence in one area while struggling in another, but neither negates the other. We can use a similar breakdown of the different types of intelligence to determine the relative intelligence of dogs, including Labrador Retrievers.

Relative Intelligence of Dogs: How Smart Are They Compared to Humans?

According to Stanley Coren, a Ph.D. holder from the University of British Columbia and author of nearly half a dozen books on dog psychology, dogs have an intelligence level roughly equivalent to that of a 2- or 2-1/2-year-old human.

While this figure isn’t specifically for Labrador Retrievers, Coren is a renowned dog researcher. It can be safely assumed that since Labs generally score at the higher end of the dog intelligence spectrum, they’re capable of many things included in his research.

Coren explains that dogs can learn to recognize up to 150 words (including “walk”!), count up to four or five (depending on the individual dog,) and even do rudimentary math calculations like 1+1=2. They can even identify incorrect math calculations by sight, such as 1+1=1 or 1+1=3.

Does a Labrador’s Coat Color Affect Their Intelligence?

Many people fallaciously believe that a Lab’s coat color affects their relative intelligence. However, there’s no scientific evidence that this is true. While many assert that Chocolate Labs are more hyperactive and aggressive than their black or yellow counterparts, this assertion hasn’t withstood any empirical testing.

In a 2019 study, Chocolate Labs scored no higher than Labs of other colors in hyperactivity or aggression. However, they scored lower in trainability, suggesting that Chocolate Labs are more challenging to train than other Labs.

This study based its conclusions on a combination of observable coat color and genotypes. Most interestingly, dogs with the yellow genotype and coat color actually had higher levels of “familiar dog aggression” than other Labs—significantly so, even.

Final Thoughts

If you’re thinking of adding a Labrador Retriever to your family, you’ll get an excellent, patient, and friendly family member. Labradors are incredibly intelligent and will neatly slot themselves into your family with their pleasant personalities and brilliant minds.

Related Read:

• How Much Does It Cost to Own a Labrador Retriever?

• Labrador Retriever vs. German Shepherd: The Comparison (With Pictures)

Featured Image Credit By: fsHH, Pixabay