When choosing a new dog for your family, it’s a good idea to consider the appearance, temperament, and exercise requirements. However, the intelligence of the dog is often overlooked.
Yet their brains make up their personality, so it’s essential to find one that has an intelligence level that you’re compatible with. While humans have a habit of molding them into the perfect pet for our family, we tend to forget what they were made to do – and that is using their brains for work! Let’s explore how smart Greyhounds are?
Comparison to Other Dogs
In truth, compared to other breeds, Greyhounds appear fairly far down the intelligence list. They are smart. However, canine psychologists have discovered that while Greyhounds are still categorized as having above-average intelligence, they struggle with certain tasks.
But don’t let this faze you. Greyhounds are still smart dogs; they sometimes take longer to understand new concepts or tricks.
Greyhounds are extremely independent dogs, so it’s important to make sure they feel involved in training tasks. You want to work with them, not have them work for you.
Remembering that there is no single way to test a dog’s intellect is also important. As much as professionals have tried, all dog breeds are unique in what we designed them to do. This makes it impossible to create a standardized test for them.
How Smart are Italian Greyhounds?
Italian Greyhounds are a much smaller counterpart than a typical Greyhound. So they suit some households a little better in regard to space and exercise levels. However, they are incredibly similar in their level of intelligence.
This also means that they experience similar difficulties.
They have very similar instinctive and adaptive intelligence. This is due to being a sighthound breed and having that natural prey instinct.
However, testing Italian Greyhound’s intelligence is even more challenging as they are susceptible to environmental changes.
A simple movement in the background could be far too distracting or anxiety-inducing for them. They naturally want to chase anything they see.
A leaf blowing in the wind could push all your training out of the window for the day.
How to Test a Greyhound’s Intelligence?
If you really want to put a Greyhound to the test, you need first to consider what the breed was originally made to do. Typically, in modern times we only tend to use Greyhounds for racing.
We send them running around a confined track chasing a mechanical lure. There’s no denying they are a wonderful sight to see, but there is a reason they are so good at it.
Traditionally, Greyhounds, and their smaller Italian counterparts, were made to hunt. To aid their owner in chasing and coursing down hares, rabbits, and deer.
Keeping Your Greyhound Focused
Though these hunting practices have long ended, it’s important to remember this background when training your dog.
To test a Greyhound’s intelligence, you must keep the tests focused on its strengths. Greyhounds are rather stubborn dogs and often see themselves as equals rather than your subordinates.
You’ll want to focus on tasks you do together instead of tasks your dog will do for you. This way, just like a child, your dog will see the training as fun, not as a chore.
Greyhounds are one of the best dog breeds for Adaptive Intelligence – meaning they are incredibly good at learning from their mistakes. They might not get something correct the first time, but they will keep trying until they get it right!
Mix this with their extremely high Instinctive Intelligence and the ability to carry out the job they were bred to do, and you have a super smart dog on your hands!
Are Greyhounds Good for First-Time Owners?
While considering a Greyhound’s intelligence is definitely an interesting topic, the real question most are interested in is what this means for first-time owners. In truth, it’s all circumstantial!
Looking at a Greyhound’s stubbornness, it would be a lie to say this couldn’t get overwhelming for a new owner. But if you’re determined to bring a new Greyhound home, there are a few things to consider to make your life easier.
Once you get into the swing of it, you’ll love your new, furry best friend.
A New Puppy
There is always something special about bringing a new puppy home. But if you’re the first-time owner of a Greyhound, you should be aware of any difficulties this might cause.
They can be harder to train because they can struggle to learn commands. For a puppy, the important thing to remember is patience! It might take them a little longer, but they can learn just like any other breed if you are willing to keep working on it. Consistency is the key!
Or A Rescue…
If you’re cautious about the challenges of a new puppy, then a rescue might be much more your style. With Greyhound racing still a common practice, there’s never a shortage of dogs needing a loving home after retirement.
Most of these would have already undergone some training, saving you the struggle of trying to teach them yourself.
Yes, you will sadly miss out on the puppy years, but it doesn’t mean you’ll love them any less. They may be adults, but they still have a lifetime of love and companionship to offer!
Some owners can experience problems with training initially when it comes to retired Greyhounds. This is because their training has built them for the track, not for a home. They are often brought up in kennels.
This means that normal home comforts can seem more challenging for them to get used to and could even be a source of anxiety.
Are Italian Greyhounds Good for First-Time Owners?
Italian Greyhound intelligence is equal to a normal Greyhound. However, they are usually not recommended for new owners. While these dogs are lovely companions, cuddly and energetic, they tend to be incredibly touch-sensitive and can be fearful of grabbing hands if they aren’t invited.
Even raising your voice can cause them to be fearful, so they often require a quiet owner or family and someone who is able to work through their fears during training.
How To Train a Greyhound
So, after all this talk of Greyhound intelligence, I’m sure you’re wondering exactly how you would train a Greyhound. The physical process isn’t too different from how you would train any other dog. The main thing you need to remember is patience!
Training Reinforcement
When training any dog, it’s important to understand the training methods and, most importantly, the ways of reinforcement.
The 2 most used reinforcement methods are positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement. Positive reinforcement is the most effective way for a Greyhound and most dogs.
If you’re attempting to train a puppy, the first few months of their lives are the most crucial in training. Their brains are still learning so much about the world. What you teach them and how you teach them will impact them until their elderly years.
Training a Regular Greyhound
In brief, training your dog is to demonstrate behavior and reward them. This is positive reinforcement. For most dogs, ‘sit’ will be the first command they learn. However, this position can be difficult for a Greyhound due to their great muscle mass and hip position.
A common and effective way to introduce a command is to wait for the dog to do it naturally. Wait for your dog to sit, or lie down in this case, by themselves, then speak the associated word and reward them with a treat or toy.
Over time, they will learn to associate the action with your words and eventually copy it whenever asked. Many breeds can build this association in as little as an hour. But Greyhounds might take a little longer, so keep at it until they get it right.
Training an Italian Greyhound
The methods of training an Italian Greyhound are very similar. But these dogs are commonly more sensitive than regular Greyhounds, so using positive reinforcement with them is even more vital. Italian Greyhounds are also surprisingly athletic, with a high prey drive. This means using squeaky toys as a reward instead of treats might be a good idea.
Italian Greyhounds are known to have smaller bladders than the average dog. So it’s important to note that potty training can be much more difficult and will require much more work to get them to go the toilet outside.
They will also often refuse to go outside in unfortunate weather, so it’s important to have a dry and warm area that appeals to them.
They are also very touch-sensitive, and being grabbed or physically corrected can upset them, so do your best to avoid this during training.
Summary
The answer to “Are Greyhounds Smart” isn’t straightforward. Greyhounds and Italian Greyhounds might not be the most intelligent dogs on the market. But their slight lack of brains is overruled by their perseverance and willingness to problem-solve.
It might take them a few weeks, but they are dedicated to learning. These beautiful dogs would be a perfect fit for anyone willing to work through their quirks and give them a warm and loving home.
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