Get

In Your Inbox

Dogster is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more.

Are Golden Retrievers Smart? Breed Intelligence Revealed

woman training a golden retriever puppy

Golden Retrievers have been branded as America’s favorite family dog for a good reason. They are known for being incredibly friendly, loving, and undeniably loyal canine companions. Not only do Golden Retrievers have the personality to become integral parts of any family, but their goofiness and lovability also come with a surprising secret weapon: their high IQ.

Don’t let their penchant for attempting to carry sticks twice their size through your front door fool you; Golden Retrievers are the fourth most intelligent dog in the world. They rank right behind Border Collies, Poodles, and German Shepherds.

Dr. Stanley Coren, a psychology professor and neuropsychological researcher, did a series of studies and research to determine the obedience intelligence in dogs after surveying and consulting over 200 obedience trainers and judges. He is known for his research into canine behavior and his determination that the smartest canine breeds can pick up new commands in less than five exposures and have an obedience percentage of about 95%.

Golden Retrievers are easy to train and can pick up on human emotions with little additional training. They are so smart that their intelligence level matches that of a two-year-old human!

divider single dog paw oct 2024

How Do We Know Golden Retrievers Are Smart?

It’s a big claim that Golden Retrievers are the fourth smartest dogs, so what exactly determines how smart a dog is? Dr. Coren based his research on two factors: the number of repetitions necessary to learn a command and the success rate of obeying a known command on the first attempt. According to Coren’s research, Golden Retrievers require fewer overall repetitions to learn new commands. They also had a higher success rate of obeying orders on the first try.

Golden retriever beautiful lovely pair
Photo Credit: Rala3030, Shutterstock

Instinctive and Adaptive Intelligence

Another portion of Coren’s research determined that dogs have different types of intelligence. You can see how smart a dog is by examining their instinctive and adaptive intelligence.

Instinctive Intelligence

As you can probably tell from the name, instinctive intelligence refers to a dog’s instincts. This intelligence centers on inherited abilities that are bred into the dogs. It could be their hunting instinct, their nursing instinct, or, in the case of our Golden Retrievers, the instinct to retrieve things for you without you asking.

happy little girl hugging her golden retriever dog
Photo Credit: Tatyana Vyc, Shutterstock

Adaptive Intelligence

Unlike Instinctive Intelligence, Adaptive Intelligence is what a dog can learn without you explicitly training them. While this might seem confusing, a great example is your dog learning your daily routine. For example, say that you always put your dog in their crate when you leave.

You do it often enough as part of crate training that it’s not an explicit command. Eventually, your dog will see you getting ready to leave, and they will go to their crate without you commanding them, giving them a treat, or leading them in that direction. Adaptive intelligence typically showcases skills your dog learned from previous experiences.

divider dog paws 4 oct 2024

How Smart Are Golden Retrievers?

You might be wondering exactly how intelligent Golden Retrievers are. Knowing that they rank fourth smartest among 150 breeds doesn’t necessarily equate to knowing how smart they are. Golden retrievers’ intelligence ranking is based on their ability to understand commands and their emotional intelligence.

Golden Labrador Retriever
Photo Credit: Glass_Burin P, Shutterstock

Learning Queues

Because they were bred as hunting dogs, they are highly attuned to their owner’s commands. During Coren’s research, he discovered Golden Retrievers were so good at learning new commands that some could even understand commands in as few as five repetitions. Their ability to perform tricks with minimal verbal and nonverbal cues moves them up the intelligence list.

Emotional Intelligence

The Golden Retriever’s reputation precedes them regarding their emotional intelligence. They are known for their love, loyalty, and playfulness. Golden Retrievers are highly expressive and can also respond to the emotions of the people around them. Your Golden can tell when you are happy, angry, exhausted, and might need more love.

divider dog faces oct 2024

Why Are Golden Retrievers Smart?

It’s no accident that different breeds display different levels of intelligence. Some dogs, specifically ones bred for hunting or guarding, learn commands quickly and are more responsive to an owner’s command.

Golden Retrievers were originally bred to be sporting and retrieving dogs. Breeders valued dogs that responded to commands and made sure to select those traits. Selective breeding has led to Golden Retrievers being smart and easy to train.

golden retriever outdoors
Photo Credit: Chiemsee2016, Pixabay

How Can I Tell if My Golden Retriever Is Smart?

Even though, statistically speaking, Golden Retrievers are incredibly smart, determining your dog’s intelligence level is a different adventure. Your dog may enjoy eating cardboard as much as they love to learn and perform new tricks.

A great way to determine your Golden’s intelligence level is to monitor how easy they are to train. Keep track of how often you have given the command before your dog starts following the expected behavior. You may also notice that your dog is incredibly attuned to your emotional state, which indicates their intelligence. Remember that emotional intelligence and learning tricks are separate factors in their overall intelligence level.

divider dog paws 2 oct 2024

Conclusion

Golden Retrievers are among some of the most intelligent breeds. They are quick learners, dedicated companions, and loyal friends. They are ideal for any dog lover seeking an easily trainable lifelong companion.

No matter how brilliant your dog is, you must invest time and effort into their training. Golden Retrievers benefit from mental stimulation and training challenges to keep them engaged. They will play with you every chance they get, and because of their eagerness to please you, they thrive on active interactions with their owners and families.

See also:


Featured Image Credit: Ovchinnikova, Shutterstock

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate (you can leave written feedback after clicking submit)

Help us improve Dogster for pet parents!

Your feedback really matters.

What did you like about this post? Also how can we improve it?

Join the conversation

Leave a Reply

You’re very welcome to leave a comment or question. Please know that all comments must meet our community guidelines, and your email address will NOT be published. Let’s have a positive and constructive conversation.

Talk With A Vet Online

Peace of mind,
anywhere, anytime

Affordable vet advice

How Smart Is an Akita? Breed Intelligence & Facts

Thinking about adopting an Akita? This beautiful Japanese breed is known for being powerful, as well as loyal to its people; it’s also...

Akita dog

Are Rottweilers Smart? Canine Intelligence Explained

Rottweilers are big, slobbery dogs that look downright adorable yet menacing if turned against you. Despite their impossible-to-miss brawn, Rotties have brains too....

rottweiler dog standing on the field

How Smart Is a Whippet? Vet-Verified Facts About Dog Intelligence

As one of the fastest dogs on the planet, the Whippet is a remarkably agile dog. Whippets are known to be calm, athletic...

close up of a brindle whippet outdoors

Are Australian Shepherds Smart? Dog Breed Intelligence Comparison

Australian Shepherds have got it all—beauty, personality, and brains. According to the American Kennel Club, the Australian Shepherd is a highly intelligent breed.1...

Australian Shepherd

More related

dog breeds shih tzu

Is a Shih Tzu Smarter Than Other Dogs? The Surprising Answer!

If you’re looking for a loyal companion dog, you can’t go wrong with the Shih Tzu. They’re perfect for small homes and moderately...

Welsh Corgi Cardigan

How Smart Are Corgis? Canine Intelligence Explained (Vet-Verified Info)

There’s nothing wrong with a “dumb”- but loving dog, but some owners have a special place in their hearts for the smart ones....

Boston Terrier

How Smart Are Boston Terriers? Vet-Verified Facts & FAQ

It’s difficult to judge the smartness or intelligence of a dog, but canine psychologist Stanley Coren attempted to do exactly that while compiling...

cute brown poodle on the floor

Are Poodles Smart? Canine Intelligence Explained

Poodles are fun-loving and loyal animals. They come in a variety of sizes, and they are known for their lush coats. These coats...

Keep reading

Can Dogs Eat Green Beans? Vet-Approved Feeding Facts

Our canine companions are excellent at sneaking food off our plates or out of our hands, but human food isn’t always the best for them. Sometimes, our food has more fat and sodium than our dogs need, while other times,...

Can Dogs Eat Green Beans

Shameless Pets Dog Treats Review 2025: Our Expert’s Opinion

Review Summary Shameless Pets is a pet food company that makes both dog and cat treats out of upcycled ingredients — meaning they use surplus and misfit produce (think jumbo blueberries and leftover post-Halloween pumpkins) to make their products. This...

Dogster_Shameless Pets Dog Treats Review

Can Dogs Eat Jicama? Vet-Verified Facts

As a dog owner, you know that canines will eat just about anything that they can get ahold of, even if it is not healthy or safe for them. Food scraps, garbage, and even poop are typically considered delicacies by...

Can Dogs Eat_jicama

7 Best Taste of the Wild Dog Foods in 2025 – Reviews & Top Picks

Dogs have always been known for their hearty appetites, and this is especially true of those that are bred to be active. Today, there is an abundance of different types of dog foods on the market, each with its own...

Maltese dog eating from a bowl

How Much Food Does a Great Dane Need? With Feeding Chart

Great Danes are one of the biggest dogs in the world, and it’s no surprise when you meet one face to face. If you decide to add one of these gentle giants to your family, one of the first things...

great dane dog outdoor

Can Dogs Have Almond Milk? Vet-Verified Nutrition & Health Facts

Lactose intolerance is common in adult dogs, so it’s not recommended for them to consume dairy milk. Fortunately, your dog can enjoy many different alternatives, including almond milk, in moderation. In general, almond milk is safe for dogs to drink,...

a glass of Almond milk surrounded with almonds

10 Best Puppy Foods for Goldendoodles in 2025 – Reviews & Top Picks

Welcoming a Goldendoodle puppy into your home is fun and exciting! The right toys, beds, leashes, bowls, and food are all important things to acquire when you get a new dog. When it comes to puppies, they need different nutrition...

female goldendoodle puppy

Can Dogs Have Beets? Vet-Reviewed Nutritional Facts & FAQ

For many people, beets aren’t the first vegetable that comes to mind when they’re at the grocery store or getting ready to make dinner. They are an often maligned and underrated vegetable that adds flavorful depth to dishes, not to...

Beets on a white wooden surface