An obedient dog makes life easier in many ways, so many people are researching which breeds stand out from the rest. Below, you can find out which breeds are generally considered to be the best, as well as why this question is not so simple.

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Breed descriptions typically include a comprehensive summary of the expected temperament and typical behavior of dogs representing the breed. These descriptions also reveal the type of work for which the breed was bred, from which it can be inferred, among other things, how independently or, conversely, how closely in cooperation with humans the dogs had to work. This, together with the typical experiences of owners, generally gives a good indication of how obedient the representatives of the breed are. At the beginning of the article, we briefly introduce the breeds that Dr. Stanley Coren considers to be the most trainable according to the AKC, and then we move on to why the breed of dog is not the only thing to consider when looking for a four-legged friend that suits our lifestyle.

Photo: welovedogz.hu/en

Obedience is not everything – most of the dogs listed below have high energy levels and serious needs (at least in terms of physical and mental "exhaustion"), so before we decide on a particular breed, we should read up on it thoroughly and, if possible, ask breeders and experienced owners about their experiences. Without further ado, let's move on to the list of the most obedient and trainable dogs.

List of the most obedient dog breeds

The following list largely overlaps with most pages found on the internet, with the only difference being that the order changes from time to time. However, for the purposes of this article, we will stick with Dr. Coren's and the AKC's collections. The list of the most obedient dog breeds is based on the results of a survey conducted by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 2006.

• Border Collie: The Border Collie is known to be one of the smartest and most hard-working breeds, exceptionally motivated and almost always ready to work. Its essence is cooperation with humans and movement, so in the right hands it is extremely obedient.
• Poodle: although many people underestimate it because of its decorative coat, according to a recent survey, the Poodle is one of the most intelligent dog breeds. Its intelligence is coupled with a high level of obedience and trainability, and it usually learns new tasks quickly and is easy to work with.
• German Shepherd: The undisputed king of service dogs, the German Shepherd has an unmatched work ethic and is generally very trainable, with its obedience being widely praised. While it undoubtedly needs consistent training, if the owner can provide this, they will find a loyal and reliable companion.
• Golden Retriever: One of the gold standards of family dogs, the Golden Retriever has excellent qualities that are worth "exploiting," at least in terms of its intelligence and obedience—thanks to these, it can be trained to do many things with relative ease.
• Doberman: Dobermans have been famous for their loyalty, courage, and obedience for decades, so perhaps there is no need to explain why they are on this list.
• Shetland Sheepdog: Based on the Border Collie, it's no surprise that most breeds traditionally used as herding dogs would make this list, as they are known for being excellent to work with, obedient, and trainable when properly exercised. The Shetland Sheepdog is no exception, a playful and intelligent breed with an excellent work ethic.

• Labrador Retriever: The Labrador Retriever probably needs no introduction, perhaps one of the best proofs of its obedience and ease of handling is that it is an effective and sought-after service dog, capable of performing many tasks.
• Papillon: It may be surprising to see a companion dog on such a working dog-focused list, but it was rightly included. The Papillon is lively and intelligent, happy to learn new things, and closely attached to its owner, so it is not only docile, but also obedient.
• Rottweiler: The Rottweiler is also a popular and well-known breed, whose loyalty, docility and obedience are unquestionable.
• Australian Shepherd: also belongs to the herding dogs, so the obedience, intelligence and trainability of the Australian Shepherd probably come as no surprise to anyone.
• Welsh Corgi Pembroke: the Welsh Corgi Pembroke is not only worth mentioning for its cute appearance, its enthusiasm, intelligence and obedience make it a pleasure to train and easy to work with. It is worth mentioning that it has a little mischievousness, but this is usually not to the extent that it causes serious difficulties for the owner.

• Miniature Schnauzer: The lively, playful Miniature Schnauzer is intelligent and easy to learn, extremely affectionate and loyal, and also very obedient, especially if it has enough activity.
• English Springer Spaniel: The English Springer Spaniel was created for hunting, so cooperation with humans is in its blood. It learns easily, is always ready for adventures, and last but not least, there are no problems with its obedience, it is a very reliable breed.
• +1: Hungarian Vizsla: although it is not on Dr. Coren's list, the short-haired Hungarian Vizsla is mentioned in other collections, so being a Hungarian breed, it would have been a shame to leave it out of the list. Just to list some of its outstanding qualities, the Vizsla is intelligent, people-oriented, docile, loyal and reliable, and last but not least, it is extremely obedient if properly trained.

Short-haired Hungarian Vizsla / Photo: welovedogz.hu/en

Is behavior really inherited, or even trainability and obedience?

After reading such a list, it may seem obvious that behavior is something that can be inherited, and that knowing a dog's breed can clearly tell what qualities it has. But it's not that simple, and this question is now being "dissected" by research.

A study published in 2022 sought to answer this question: to what extent does a dog's personality depend on its breed? Or is there a genetic basis for different behaviors? Based on the responses to a questionnaire from 18,385 dog owners and the analysis of the DNA of 2,155 dogs, they concluded that, overall, a dog's breed has a very small effect on a dog's behavior - to be precise, they found that breed explains only 9% of the differences in behavior. In fact, according to their results, the environment plays a much larger role in shaping it. But interestingly, certain traits, such as biddabality, proved to be more predictable.

Some dispute the results

Not everyone agrees with the research findings – including Jerry Klein, who, based on decades of veterinary and exhibition work, believes that “most dogs meet the personality standard typical of their breed,” and explains that he doesn’t think enough breeds were included, and that it would be worth paying attention to breed groups as well.

This debate can be traced back to the classic dilemma of which is more important: innate characteristics or environmental influences, upbringing? We may never get a clear answer to this, but as it stands, both play a role in the personality and characteristics of an adult human, or in this case, a dog.

Celebrate what makes your dog breed special and find ways to help your dog learn best

– writes Stephanie Gibeault, MSc, Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT).

This idea also sums up everything we have explained at length above quite well. Even if a dog's character basically matches the breed description, it can have its own unique characteristics - so as an average dog owner, we always have to deal with the dog in front of us, and adjust our goals and actions to it. If we insist on a particular breed, then it is worth carefully choosing a breeder who can help us decide which puppy from a given litter best suits us and our ideas.

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