"Easy" to train breeds

[Shannerson]

In your opinion which breeds are the easiest to train? We really appreciate our border collie/samoyed's level of trainability. He is so quick to catch on, and understands body language so well. Our next dog will probably also be a shelter dog, I was thinking purebred but .... We like our dogs laid-back gentle yet fun-loving nature. He is quiet but barks when he needs to alert us. Loves people, gorgeous coat, sheds which I hate, but can't have everything. I don't like smooth coats but don't want to have to groom a coat every day, either for maintenance. Any ideas? I wish we could just clone Faris.

 

[colliewog]

IMO basically, a breed bred to work WITH man will be more inclined to want to work than a breed bred to work independent of man. I've found that the softer herding breeds and the retrievers are pretty easy to train (read that willing to learn).

 

[Renee750il]

The Aussie I rescued was one of the easiest to me, but I don't do much typical training, I mainly talk to them and expect a give and take sort of relationship

 

[Dekka]

My JRTs are very smart, and pick up on things in a flash. However that can make them hard to train

But yes dogs bred to work with humans tend to be the easiest. JRTs are NOT bred to work with humans, but to work alone. That said-Dekka is one of the easiest to train dogs I have ever worked with.

 

[mrose_s]

It depnds on a lot I think, there are many dogs that are very easy to train when they can see the point in it. For example, you can't do "sit, stay, down, come" in a park with a kelpie all day. Pretty soon they'll walk off after giving you that "i don't care anymore" look. If they can see the point in it (eg: herding) then they are in for the long haul. They are very trainable, so long as you make it worth while. They are also the type of dog to listen to one person and one person only (my uncles Kelpie smokey, while just lovley, has zero respect for anyone but my uncle. If he is away and someone else lets Smokey out, that dog is gone looking for th ute and no amount of calling will bring him back)

Now, I'm going to mention BC's, I don't have much experience with them personallym but from what I've seen/read/been told they are more the sort of dog that works because its work. They give everything their all which is what makes them ideal for agility/obediance/flyball etc. They don't always have to look for the point behind things, but I imagine there are exceptions to that rule, perhaps moreso in true working lines?

 

[chanda]

my friend told me that its easier to train retrievers compare to other breeds...

 

[corgipower]

Retrievers are often easy to train - unless you have a chessy... Some herding breeds can easy - aussies, bc's. Some herding breeds are more independant (like corgis ).

I found afghans surprisingly easy to train (mind you, I only worked with three and a half afghans) - ya kinda have to use reverse psychology, but they are very intelligent.

Terriers are often intelligent but a bit on the willful side. Toy breeds are easy to train if they don't get a lap dog syndrome where all they wanna do is be carried.

There's not any one breed that's easier to train - I know someone who finds bloodhounds easier to train than she does goldens. You need something that's suitable for you and your personality.

 

[drmom777]

Half an Afghan??? Front or back half?

 

[Dekka]

I bet it was the top half.. then it can't run off.

 

[corgipower]

LMAO!! Definitely the front half. She got the brains of the afghan. The other half was lab, which was definitely in the back end which never stopped wiggling.

 

[drmom777]

Must have been some strange looking dog......

 

[corgipower]

Must have been some strange looking dog......

Did I mention she was cross eyed?

 

[drmom777]

Awww, but she is cute.......

I'm disappointed, she doesn't meet my weirdness expectations at all. LOL

 

[Laurelin]

All my dogs have been really easy to train, imo. The herders are pretty easy, retrievers as well, and the papillons are probably the easiest ones of all to train.

 

[adojrts]

I don't know, it's very very subjective. Personally I think it should classified as 'how easy is it to mess this breed up?' or 'how much dedication is needed?

I also think it depends on the person and the dog. Now having said that, I know someone who breeds and shows Goldens and to quote them, "Any idiot can train a Golden.' :rofl1:

Personally I don't understand why so many people believe Labs (Retrievers) are so easy, except that I do understand they will take a beating more than many breeds. Labs don't get their brains until 18 months old (breeders and trainers of them even claim that statement lol), and if not worked with can be just as aggressive, dog reactive, ill mannered and rude as any breed I have ever met. Especially the field working lines, show lines of course are much more quiet.

 

[Suzzie]

well, let me relate my dogs, ones that i've had, and ones my family has had.. some are mixes and you can kinda see where the two dogs meet and compromise:

pembroke welsh corgi - very easy to train but sometimes goes into overdrive and doesn't care what you want or think

Old English Sheepdog - very easy if you can make it clear what you want from the dog. It's like teaching an idiot so you must be extremely consistent and firm, VERY eager to please but can be extremely stubborn if you weren't consistent and firm.

Dalmatian/Border Collie mix - Extremely smart, but extremely selective hearing. Therefore, you get a dog that listens intently as you tell it to sit, then goes off and digs holes in the yard instead of sitting.

Beagle/Cattle Dog mix - extremely smart and willing to please, but if a more interesting smell or fast moving object comes along, it's all over. Impatient and easily bored by repetitive training (more than three times).

Beagle/Am Eskimo mix (we think) - provided you have a treat, you are the world and your word will be obeyed. No treat? Goes off and digs holes in the yard with the other dog.

Cattle Dog/German Shepherd mix - very smart and willingness to learn new things, fiercely loyal.

Now, I've heard great things about English Shepherds, which is my next dog, in terms of trainability.

 

[corgipower]

pembroke welsh corgi - very easy to train but sometimes goes into overdrive and doesn't care what you want or think

Most corgis are not exactly easy to train. Training a pemmy is like trying to teach the class clown.

 

[Suzzie]

ahh, merlin wasn't hard at all... he does flyball, is starting agility, is working on disc dog, and is the perfect gentleman on the leash and off (usually), and had all the basics commands down pat super quick. My SO was thinking about doing herding lessons with him when I take Roofus.... we'll see. It could just be because Merlin gets a LOT of exercise between all his activities and keeping up with the bigger dogs.

 

[PWCorgi]

Most corgis are not exactly easy to train. Training a pemmy is like trying to teach the class clown.

I'll agree with you on that! They totally know when they have an audience and take full advantage of the fact :lol-sign:

Izzy will do something perfect all week, and then at flyball she spends the night goofing off and making me look like a fool.

For example, last Friday we were doing some ball work but Izzy thought that was super boring she starts air snapping and zooming around Then about halfway through doing restrained recalls she flips herself on her side and makes digging motions with her front paws, lol. The more people laugh the worse she gets, I swear.

 

[sheplovr]

Of course I am going to say the West German Shepherds I breed. My pups I am told potty train a few days, they are in alot of working abilities such as search n rescue, bomb detecting, narcotics, fly ball, agility, Obedience, Therapy of all kinds from seizure sniffing to cancer to diatetes, etc.

I import to get the best of the best bred from V-VA rated parents of the pups I buy and raise. So easy to teach anything in minutes to couple days, depending on what I am working on.

Of course there are many intelligent breeds of dog, it also depends on the way they have been raised with positive methods to the blood lines. I tend to back off smaller couch potatoes. They love to sit and do nothing most of them. lol. No offense to anybody please.