Dog Intelligence: Give Your Pup an IQ Test | Posh Puppy
Dog IQ Test
Your dog may never win the Nobel prize or never clear the IIT exams, she may even lose her favourite ball once in a while- but when it comes to making us happy most of our pets are downright brilliant(Dog IQ Test). But that doesn’t mean all dogs are the same.
When we got Silk, she turned out to be a fast learner, especially with some positive reinforcement, she easily learned to sit, stay and fetch even without blinking an eye. She could have anything for a treat. But when I saw my friend’s dog, Tuktuk, unlike Silk, she had no interest in playing fetch or was never as excited for treats as Silk was, but she was such a great dog. Extremely obedient and protective, it turned out that her skill sets were different, like really really different. This got me thinking about different personalities of dogs. Around this time I had also started feeding stray dogs and the difference in their personalities were pretty evident.
I kept googling it and asking other pet owners and it turned out that it really was a thing. Every dog was different.
So want to find out how smart your dog really is? Well I have prepared this DIY IQ test for dogs(Dog IQ Test), which can be a good starting point. Feel free to modify the test as per your dog as I rightly said, every dog is different. The fun part is you are both going to love it no matter what and the tests are so easy that even your children can take up the task. And maybe one day, who knows, your dog might just crack that JEE Mains!
THE DOG IQ TEST:
1.Towel test
Take a large towel or blanket and gently place it over your dog’s head.
If he frees himself from the towel in less than 15 seconds, give him 3 points. If it takes 15-30 seconds, 2 points. Longer than 30 seconds earns 1 point.
- Bucket test
Place a dog treat or a favorite toy under one of three buckets placed next to each other. Let the dog know which bucket the treat is under, then turn the dog away for a few seconds. Then, let her find the treat. If she immediately goes to the correct bucket give her 3 points. If she takes two attempts, score 2 points. If your dog looks under the other two buckets first, score 1 point.
Favorite spot:
With your dog out of the room, rearrange the furniture. When he re-enters the room, if he goes directly to his favorite spot, give him 3 points. If it takes him 30 seconds to investigate before he finds his spot, give him 2 points. If he decides on a new area completely, score 1 point.
- Chair puzzle
Place a treat under a table or chair low enough so your dog can only fit her paw and cannot fit her head. If your dog figures how to reach the treat within one minute, score 3 points. If she uses her paws and nose, score 2 points. If your dog gives up, score 1 point.
- Go for a walk!
On a day or time you normally don’t walk your dog, quietly pick up your keys, and his leash while he’s watching you. If he gets excited immediately, score 3 points. If you have to walk to the door before he knows it’s time to go out, score 2 points. If he sits and just looks confused give him 1 point. This might be a little harder during the lockdown so just give your dog the well deserved 3 points!
- Barrier test
Construct a barrier from cardboard that is 5 feet wide and taller than your dog when she’s on two legs, so she can’t see over it. Attach two boxes to either side as support structures. In the center of the cardboard, cut a 3 inch-wide rectangular aperture – it should run from about 4 inches from the top to about 4 inches from the bottom. (This way, the dog can see through the barrier but cannot physically get through.) Toss a toy or treat to the other side of the barrier, or have someone stand on the other side. If your dog walks around the barrier within 30 seconds, give her 3 points. If she goes around the barrier between 30 seconds and one minute, give 2 points. If she gets her head stuck in the aperture trying to get through, give her 1 point for effort!
Scoring and results
16 points or higher – Brilliant!
13 to 16 points – Well above average
9 to 12 points – Average
5 to 8 points – Below average
1 to 4 points – Not the brightest kibble in the bag, but we still love ’em!
Let us know how your dog performs on the test, upload a photo on instagram with your dog’s score and tag us @the_posh_pupper.
Or follow us here and DM us your dog’s video. We will post it for you!