2/16: The Intelligence of Dogs

Here’s one for the dogs and the dog lovers out there!

dog wearing glasses

©istockphoto.com/vander

Most U.S. residents — 80% — say dogs are more intelligent than we think they are.  Just 15% believe dogs are less intelligent than commonly perceived.  5% are unsure.  Not surprisingly, nearly nine in ten of those with a dog at home — 87% — think a dog’s intelligence is underrated.  This compares with 73% of residents who do not own a dog.

Women give dogs a big “bark out.”  85% believe canines are sharper than we think compared with 76% of men.  18% of men and 11% of women, however, report dogs are less intelligent.

And, if you’re wondering if someone you know is a dog owner, you have about a fifty-fifty shot of being right.  51% of U.S. residents say they or a member of their household have a dog at home.

Table: Dog Intelligence
Table: Have a Dog

Marist Poll Methodology

Related Story:

Are You Smarter Than Your Dog?