“Your pet is (probably) not a genius, and that’s OK.”

 

I’m going to start wondering if that dog sprawled on the floor, surrounded by shredded book pages, is the author’s dog, Watson (article link below). I’m also going to go out on a limb and suggest the dog on the sofa could be BettyB on one of her best days. She’s truly gifted in a lot of ways. And no, she doesn’t know her toys by name—only because I never took the time or effort to teach her.

 

If you’ve read Chaser by Dr. John Pilley, you’ll understand where I’m going with this article. Dr. Pilley was a psychologist. The following is taken from a Wikipedia page:

 

“John W. Pilley (July 1, 1928 – June 17, 2018) was an American behavioral psychologist best known for research into canine cognition and language learning with a Border Collie named Chaser, who had the largest tested memory of any non-human animal. Pilley was a professor emeritus in the Department of Psychology at Wofford College and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Psychology in 2016.”

 

Chaser was an excellent read—a real page‑turner if you’re like me: someone who had to study dogs as part of a new career and quickly realized this wouldn’t be some willy‑nilly application, but a serious endeavor requiring a serious mindset. I highly recommend Chaser. It is an excellent example of canine learning, and Chaser became famous for a reason.

 

Part of my overall point, though, is that Dr. Pilley understood Border Collies raised under ideal conditions are primed to learn simple associations between objects. This cognitive skill, combined with Border Collie drive—aka motivation—was fully leveraged. In this case, the motivation was learning how to learn, not just herding sheep.

 

The thing about dogs is that much of what they’re capable of learning depends on our knowledge of how to teach and on understanding what dogs, in general, are capable of learning. Case in point: a dog’s ability to follow gaze and/or human pointing signals. This is not a skill all dogs come equipped with at the most basic learning level.

 

We also need to keep in mind that dogs comprise a massive population across much of the world. These populations—including purebreds, mixed breeds, feral and semi‑feral dogs, and even wild dogs—are highly variable both behaviorally and cognitively.

 

Reading this article was a reminder of how seriously anyone pursuing a career in professional dog training or behavior should approach that path. It’s obvious the author didn’t interview professional dog trainers, non‑veterinary behavior specialists, or veterinary behavior experts.

 

The problem is that this article is like so many memes that fail to take dogs—and dog ownership responsibilities—seriously. What it does explain is why professionals encounter so many misunderstood dogs with misunderstood behavior problems.

 

Sure, dogs do things we find funny, and it’s tempting to share those moments with the world. But some behaviors we find amusing actually signal real problems. It may not be funny for dog owners dealing with destructive behaviors, like tearing up books.

 

Some behaviors aren’t funny or cute. When dogs aren’t taught early—starting at eight weeks and continuing through adolescence and into adulthood—what they need in order to live safely and adaptively with humans, we are responsible for the resulting mistakes. Some of these mistakes directly lead to relinquishment, whether to shelters and rescues or abandonment along rural roads.

 

Articles like this also highlight how poorly we often fail to teach our dogs. This article practically gives owners permission to accept dumbed‑down dogs. It’s not entirely the public’s fault, but responsibility does come with dog ownership. On the other side of the issue is the quality, reliability, and trust the public needs—and deserves—from those who call themselves professional dog trainers and behavior experts.

 

Dogs need to learn things. They thrive in learning environments, including non‑working homes. Companion dogs don’t need college‑level skills, but their brains do need fine‑tuning. If all you want is something to cuddle with that doesn’t include a brain, get yourself a nice stuffed dog.

 

Reference:  https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/15/science/pets-dogs-intelligence.html?smid=nytcore-android-share