Cavalier King Charles spaniels are people-oriented dogs that desire nothing more than companionship with their owners.
This means that they are not the type of dog that is going to excel in traditional obedience trials or working intelligence tasks.
However, this does not mean that they are not intelligent dogs.
Cavalier King Charles spaniels are considered to be the 44th most intelligent breed of dog in terms of obedience and working intelligence. This ranking places the Cavalier King Charles into the average capacity for dogs.
How do we know this?
The ranking of the Cavalier King Charles spaniel’s intelligence was published in Stanley Coren’s The Intelligence of Dogs.
This book is considered to be the definitive guide when it comes to canine intelligence.
In his book, Coren looked at over 130 different breeds of dogs and assessed them on their working and obedience intelligence.
The working intelligence of a dog is their ability to learn new tasks and commands, as well as retain that information.
Obedience intelligence refers to a dog’s ability to follow commands that they have been taught.
While the Cavalier King Charles spaniel did not rank highly in either category, they did manage to score an average intelligence when the two scores were combined.
This means that they are an intelligent breed of dog, but they might not be the best breed for those looking for a highly obedient or trainable dog.
Cavaliers are very people oriented
While a Cavalier King Charles may not be a breed for out and out training, one area that they do excel in is that of being great human companions.
Cavaliers are one of the most people-oriented breeds of dogs, which means that they thrive on companionship and being around their favourite humans.
This makes them the perfect breed for those looking for a dog to cuddle up with on the couch or snuggle in bed.
In fact, their people-orientation is a sign of great intelligence and emotional sensitivity.
It takes a lot of intelligence and social awareness to be able to read and respond to the emotions of humans the way that Cavaliers do.
Cavaliers can be easily trained
While Cavalier King Charles spaniels might not excel in traditional obedience trials or working intelligence tasks, this does not mean that they are not intelligent dogs.
Cavaliers are actually quite easy to train, especially when compared to other breeds of dogs.
This is because they are so people-oriented and desire nothing more than companionship with their favourite human making them highly motivated to please their owners and will do whatever it takes to earn their affection and approval.
So, while they might not be the best breed for those looking for a highly obedient or trainable dog, they are still an intelligent breed that can be easily trained.
What about other intelligence rankings?
It is important to note that the intelligence ranking of the Cavalier King Charles spaniel is just one of many.
There are a variety of different intelligence rankings for different dog breeds, and each one measures something slightly different.
So, while the Cavalier King Charles spaniel might not be the most intelligent breed of dog according to Stanley Coren’s ranking, they might be ranked higher on other intelligence rankings.
This just goes to show that there is no one definitive answer when it comes to the intelligence of different dog breeds.
It is important to consider a variety of different rankings and intelligence assessments before making a decision about which breed is the most intelligent.
Final Words
The Cavalier King Charles spaniel is an intelligent breed of dog that is ranked average in intelligence when compared to other breeds.
Cavaliers are one of the most people-oriented breeds of dogs, which means that they thrive on companionship and being around their favourite humans making them ideal companions.
This makes them the perfect breed for those looking for a dog to cuddle up with on the couch or snuggle in bed.
So, while the Cavalier King Charles spaniel might not be the most intelligent breed of dog according to Stanley Coren’s ranking, they are still an intelligent breed that can be easily trained and makes a great companion.
