7 Most Trainable Dog Breeds – Train Smarter not Harder

Discover the 7 most trainable dog breeds and start training your dog today! Train smarter, not harder, with these intelligent breeds.

There are many reasons why we love our dogs. For one, there’s nothing better than the companionship and love that a dog can provide. If you work at it, you can build a bond with your pooch that rivals any friendship you’ve ever had. Others have dogs for specific purposes. Maybe they breed them or enter them in dog shows, or they use a dog for hunting. 

A trainable dog can mean many things. For example, you could want a dog to follow your simple commands, such as “sit” and “come.” This can make your life easier and also keep your dog safe. However, you may also want to be able to train your dog to search through the woods for hunting prey or even to find a lost child. If these are important to you, you need a dog susceptible to that kind of training. 

When talking about trainable dogs, it’s important to remember that it’s not the same as intelligence. Trainable dogs will do whatever they can to please you and do what you ask. They may be very smart as well. However, a dog can be intelligent but still not be very interested in pleasing you unless it pleases them too. Plus, there may be smart and trainable dogs but physically unable to do the task you want them to. For example, a tiny dog won’t be able to do high jumps on an obstacle course. Here are some of the seven most trainable dog breeds, along with what skills you can use. 

Poodle

Poodles are mostly known for how they look and act. They are friendly and patient, and they have a distinctive thick coat of curls. However, don’t let the looks fool you, they are extremely smart and trainable. They love spending time with family and always aim to please them. You can get your poodle to follow your basic obedience commands, but they are very popular for agility training and dog shows. If you are looking for a dog that will be well-behaved and that can show off once in a while, then the poodle is a great choice. 

Labrador Retriever

The labrador retriever is the most popular dog breed in America for many reasons. One of the biggest is how amenable they are to instruction and for their special skills. They are loyal and willing to please, making them great candidates for obedience training. As the name would suggest, they have been bred for many years to be retrievers. They still need to improve at playing fetch, although every lab almost certainly is. It means they can be trained to run into areas and find downed hunting prey, such as ducks. Training for this job takes many weeks of hard work, but labs will figure it out. Most other breeds will not. 

German Shepherd

The German shepherd is a jack of all trades. You can find these dogs working with the police as drug sniffers, guarding property, being used as guide dogs, and in movies and TV shows. There may be other dogs that are better at these tasks, but no dog is as good at all of them as German shepherds are. They are incredibly loyal and incredibly eager to please. You can train a German shepherd for almost any task or job, and they will get the hang of it in no time. 

Corgi

When sitting down, you might think that a corgi is a medium to large-sized dog. However, when a corgi stands up on its little legs, you’ll see how short they are. However, that size hides the fact that they are deceptively fast and athletic. Corgis love to be with family and are very good at obedience training. They are also known for being effective retrievers and great with agility. When checking out Corgi puppies for sale, you will see that they have adorable dispositions and charming smiles. They have also been bred to be guard dogs, which makes them a little bit too vocal sometimes, but you will know you are protected. 

Papillon

The Papillon is a toy dog, which is the category for small pooches. They are most likely the most trainable of all toy dogs. Despite their size, they are very good at tricks and agility and are very amenable to behavioral and social training. Papillons love to work, so if you give them something to do, they will work at a problem until it is solved. All of this comes in a tiny package that won’t be able to jump up on couches, tables, and counters. 

Doberman Pinscher

Doberman pinschers are known for looking strong and intimidating. There is a good reason for this. They were originally bred to be protective dogs, meaning they have an instinct for who might threaten themselves or their owners. They understand that their job in the pack is to make sure that everyone is safe, and they will do what they can to please their family. While a doberman has a serious look, they are affectionate and loving when they are not in guard mode. 

Border Collie

The border collie is another intelligent, trainable dog and good at a wide range of skills. Its most notable talent is the ability to herd sheep. It can do this better than any dog in the world. They are also excellent at agility and obedience. They are also very loyal and family-focused, so you can be sure to develop a deep bond. 

A trainable dog makes things easier for any dog owner. There are scientifically proven benefits to having a dog, and if training is too big of a deterrent for you, then consider one of these trainable breeds.