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AmericanIDOGS.comTest Your Dog's I.Q.!

American Idogs!
Remember that your dog doesn't have to be a genious
to become an American Idog!

The test has 70 items and is divided into four parts. It measures your dog's memory, reasoning, perception, spatial skills & vocabulary, imagination, curiosity, and trainability. The IQ scores received fall into ranges from Blissfully Ignorant to Canine Genius. You will need to print out the animated pawAnswer Sheet to take this test.

For 13 items, you'll need your dog. Choose ONE answer for each item. If one doesn't apply or refers to an unknown situation, imagine how your dog would react and then answer. If no choices apply, choose the one closest to the response you would like to give. You need to wait until your furry companion is at least a year in age before doing this little exercise. He or she does need time to learn and mature!

Part I - Visual Skills

1. How does your dog react when it sees you get its leash to go on a walk?
    A. As if it hadn't been out in months, running around in circles and not keeping still long enough to let me put the leash on
    B. Very happily, wagging its tail and anxious to go
    C. Nonchalantly until I actually put the leash on and we head for the door

2. When you throw a toy or object in the air for your dog to catch, how would you rate your dog's ability to judge its speed and distance?
      A. Excellent
      B. Good
      C. Fair

3. Gather up your coat & keys as if you were to leave the house. Your dog:
      A. Looks at me with a sad expression, thinking that I'm leaving
      B. Looks at me with a glad expression, thinking that I'm leaving
      C. Heads for the door, wanting to go out with me
      D. Takes no notice

4. With your dog watching, pretend to reach for a snack & eat it. Your dog:
      A. Watches me intently as if I'm actually eating
      B. Investigates the spot where I took the 'food' to see if anything is there
      C. Couldn't be less interested
      D. Seems to realize I'm just pretending

5. There's a big fly in the house & your dog spots it. Your dog would:
      A. Do nothing
      B. Watch it buzz, trying to catch it if it flies within easy striking distance
      C. Chase it and try to catch it in its mouth
      D. Follow it and try to swat it with its paw

6. Does your dog seem to realize when you're about to go on a trip?
      A. Yes, once I've brought out my suitcase and begin to pack
      B. Yes, even before I bring out a suitcase
      C. Possibly, when I'm walking out of the door fully laden
      D. No

7. Is your dog able to detect changes in your mood?
      A. Yes, it is very sensitive to the way I'm feeling
      B. Sometimes
      C. No, not that I know of
      D. Takes no notice

8. If your dog was running in the park & its way was interrupted by a long hedge row or fence too high for it to jump over, it would probably:
      A. Run alongside the hedge row and look for a way around it
      B. Forget about it and run off in a different direction
      C. Try to burrow its way underneath or get thru somehow
      D.  Wait for me to lift it over

9. When you look your dog in the eye & it looks back at you, you see:
      A. Fevered excitement
      B. Vacancy
      C. Intelligence and understanding
      D. Aggression

10. Look at your dog and when it looks back at you, smile at it. Your dog:
      A. Comes over to me
      B. Does not react to my warm expression
      C. Gives a soft grunt or a warm expression in return
      D. Both A and C

11. When your dog's on a walk, how would you rate its observation abilities?
      A. Superb
      B. Fair
      C. Poor

12. Your dog is facing the TV when an ad comes on featuring dogs. He:
      A. Watches, interested, but doesn't recognize there are dogs there
      B. Sees the dogs and gets excited or barks
      C. Sees the dogs and begins to whine as if it's confused
      D.  Just stares ahead blankly in the direction of the screen

13. Find a room you can darken & shut yourself and dog inside. Turn on a flashlight and playfully direct the light beam on the floor. Your dog:
      A. Chases the beam
      B. Acts uninterested
      C. Acts unimpressed but notices the dancing light
      D. Becomes curious about the flashlight, but not the light
      E. Investigates the area where the flashlight is shone

14. Take an unopened can of dog food & place in front of your dog. It:
      A. Recognizes the can and gets excited
      B. Moves to its food bowl assuming it's about to be fed
      C. Doesn't seem to recognize the can

15. Now take food your dog really likes & dangle it in front of its nose.  Then hide the food behind your back. Your dog:
        A. Soon loses interest, demonstrating the phrase out of sight, out of mind
        B. Looks behind my back for the food
        C. Stays put and/or whines, wondering where the food has gone
        D. Barks or growls at me, annoyed it's being teased, but doesn't look behind my back
        E. Sits patiently, waiting to be given the food

16. Finally, put some dog food into its bowl and after it's started eating, interrupt it by covering the bowl with a magazine. Lead him from the room for 5 minutes. When you both return to the bowl, your dog:
      A. Remembers food is under the magazine, digging in right away
      B. Investigates, sniffs bowl a minute before pushing magazine aside
      C. Investigates and sniffs the bowl but remains perplexed
      D. Appears to have forgotten about the food altogether
 


Part II - Auditory Skills

17. Does your dog recognize any of these words (or your own versions), and if so, how many? [Dinner, The Vet, Bed, Goodbye]
      A. Yes, three or four
      B. Yes, two
      C. Yes, one
      D. No, none

18. Your dog's sleeping peacefully when suddenly there's a loud and unusual noise from the opposite end of the house. Your dog would:
      A. Spring into action immediately & quietly investigate the disturbance
      B. Lift its head & listen first for further sounds to see whether to get up
      C. Would start to bark right away, then run to the scene
      D. Would go back to sleep

19. In the kitchen, you unwrap some food with your dog in earshot. It would:
      A. Come into the kitchen as soon as it heard the sound of unwrapping
      B. Come in only if it felt particularly curious or hungry
      C. Not realize I was unwrapping food unless I did so right in front of it

20. When you call your dog, using its name, it:
      A. Invariably responds and comes to me
      B. Always recognizes its name has been called, but may or may not come
      C. Recognizes its name only occasionally

21. If you call your dog, using a word other than its name but with the same intonation, it:
      A. Comes as if its name has been called
      B. Recognizes the sound but not the word and therefore does not come
      C. Does not seem to recognize even the sound of my call

22. If your dog is near a door & hears a strange noise outside, it first:
      A. Begins to bark and want to go outside
      B. Ignores the noise
      C. Quietly monitors the noise

23. Does your dog seem to realize when it is being talked about?
      A. Yes, and seems to understand the nature of the comments being made
      B. No, it doesn't
      C. Sometimes

24. How many basic dog commands, such as sit, stay, jump, lie down or paw, have you been able to get your dog to recognize and obey?
      A. None
      B. One to five
      C. More than five
      D. I haven't tried to teach them, but if I did, my dog would learn some.
      E. I haven't tried to teach them, but if I did, I'd be lucky if he would be able to learn one.

25. Does your dog do any special actions on command, such as responding to: 'Find your leash', 'Bring me the ball' or 'Get in your bed'?
      A. Yes, several
      B. Yes, one or two
      C. No
      D. I haven't tried to teach it any and I doubt if it would learn any if I did.
      E. I haven't tried to teach it any, but it would learn one or more if I did.

26. In general, would you say your dog is a fast learner?
      A. No
      B. Not really. It usually takes a while for a message or lesson to sink in.
      C. Yes, fairly quick
      D. Yes, very quick

27. How often does your dog respond to the sound of food being put in its bowl (when it's within earshot but not near enough to see what you're doing)?
      A. Nearly always
      B. Most of the time
      C. Some of the time
      D. Rarely. I have to call my dog to let it know there's food in its bowl.

28. With your dog watching, run a pen lightly but noisily against the side of a chair, making sure that your dog can't see what you're doing. Your dog:
      A. Remains captivated, remaining quite still
      B. Tries to attack the sound source
      C. Stares back at me blankly
      D.  Registers the sound but its curiosity is not aroused

29. Your dog looking, stop what you're doing and listen to an imaginary noise. Your dog:
      A. Enters into the spirit of the occasion by listening to the noise as well
      B. Exhibits little interest
      C. Looks confused since it can't hear any noise, perhaps whining

30. When you have your dog's attention, make meowing sounds. Your dog:
      A. Goes wild, looking around desperately to find the cat
      B. Cocks it head to one side while staring at me, perplexed
      C. Hardly moves but growls or barks at my meows
      D. Just wags its tail expectantly
      E. Is neither interested nor fooled


Part III - Social Behavior

31. If your dog was living in the wild in a pack, which role would it assume?
      A. The pack leader
      B. A pack follower
      C. A pack follower, if not a laggard
      D. My dog would probably get lost.

32. If you and your dog were in a park or in the country and you let it off its leash for a run, which of the following would it probably do?
      A. Try to lose me for ever by running into the distance to prolong its liberty before being caught
      B. Run happily for some distance, only occasionally out of sight
      C. Run happily in various directions but sticking close to me

33. How does your dog feel about cats (other than any it may live with)?
      A. It tries to attack every one it meets.
      B. It still approaches them naively and often gets scratched on the nose.
      C. Wisely wary
      D. It's quite frightened of them.

34. When it meets another dog in the open, your dog usually:
      A. Tries to play with it eagerly
      B. Might greet it with a sniff but is soon ready to move on
      C. Acts submissively
      D. Freezes and stares at the other dog, then tries to attack it

35. Dog vocabulary can be diverse, including a number of different barks, whines, grunts, yowls & growls. Of these sounds, how many does your dog make?
      A. Four
      B. Five to seven
      C. Eight or nine
      D. Ten or more

36. How do you think your dog would spend its free time if it was human?
      A. Organizing social events
      B. Playing sports
      C. Eating out or watching TV
      D.  Reading books or playing with computers

37. Out on a walk, you & your dog came across a much larger dog. Your dog:
      A. Would run up & nip at the animal's feet, barking at it and harassing it
      B. Would growl or bark fiercely, but only from a safe distance
      C. Would stay out of its way
      D. Would approach the animal cautiously or playfully

38. When walking your dog on a leash, does it adjust its pace to yours?
      A. Yes, most of the time
      B. No. It strains ahead, the lead so taut that breathing becomes difficult.
      C. To a degree; it will run as far as it can, then double back towards me

39. If walking your dog on a leash, you come to a busy street, would your dog:
      A. Stop on the pavement, assessing whether it's safe to cross or not
      B. Rely on me to decide when to cross
      C. Continue forwards, forcing me to pull back tightly on its leash

40. If your dog's leash came loose when walking toward a busy road, would your dog:
      A. Probably run right out into the traffic
      B. Recognize the danger of the traffic and check before crossing
      C. Wait or come back to me, giving me a chance to re-attach the leash
      D. Get distracted by something on the way before reaching the busy road

41. How adept is your dog at making its thoughts and feelings understood, through facial expressions, body language, subtle vocal messages, etc.?
      A. Very adept
      B. Fairly adept
      C. More adept than I probably recognize
      D. Not very adept

42. On a walk, if your dog suddenly sees a squirrel or other small animal, it:
      A. Chases it off for fun, without spending much time on it
      B. Pursues it earnestly, drawing upon its skills of speed and change
          of direction, or sneaking up on it quietly
      C. Starts to bark as it begins its chase, giving the animal a head start
      D. Lunges at the animal too eagerly and noisily to catch it

43. If your dog threw a dinner party for other dogs and could choose any of the following foods to serve, which would be the most likely?
      A. Boeuf en Croutre with a Burgundy sauce
      B. Dog food
      C. Roast chicken
      D. Wild rabbit (that it caught itself)
      E. All of the above

44. When travelling in a car, your dog:
      A. Won't stay still and moves from one spot to the next
      B. Sits on a seat or on the floorboard, relaxed
      C. Props itself up against a window, fascinated by the view
      D.  Flies around the car in a state of panic

45. How does your dog behave with kids, other than those it may live with?
      A. Aggressively
      B. Playfully and kindly
      C. Warily
      D. Sometimes warily or kindly, depending on how the kids treat it

46. If playing with your dog, you stop but it still wants to play, it would:
      A. Let you know by wining softly
      B. Let you know by trying to start the game with me again
      C. Let you know by growling

47. If your dog was fed next to another dog, it would:
      A. Barge over to the other's bowl immediately and try to eat all its food
      B. Barge over to the other bowl but keep a watchful eye on its own bowl
      C. Not recognize this as an opportunity to get more food
      D. Move in on the other dog's food only after eating its own
      E. Only eat its own food, as it's been trained to

48. Which would you dog likely say to a new puppy if your were to adopt one?
      A. Hey, great! A new playmate!
      B. My word is law around here, buddy, and don't you forget it.
      C. You're staying how long?
      D. OK, so you're cute & lovable. But I can still get attention too (I hope).

49. Does your dog remember those like family relatives who visit sometimes?
      A. No
      B. Yes, especially if they were friendly to my dog on their last visit
      C. Sometimes
      D. No, but it will act as if it remembers if they offer it some food

50. If your dog could read, which newspaper would it probably buy?
      A. The Star
      B. The Wall Street Journal
      C. USA Today
      D. The New York Times

51. When you're with your dog in the vet's waiting room, how does it behave?
      A. Apprehensively
      B. Wide-eyed and excited by this adventure
      C. Aggressively, ready to get anything that comes near, especially the vet
      D. In a relaxed and friendly way

52. You and your dog out for a walk see two dogs, fighting. Your dog would:
      A. Race over to join in immediately
      B. Not be at all interested
      C. Watch with intense interest but stay clear of the fighting dogs
      D.  Want to run over but only if I allowed it to


Part IV - Domestic Behavior

53. How would you describe your dog's guarding abilities?
      A. Excellent. It is sensitive to the slightest sound yet discerning
      B. Fierce and ready to attack almost anything that moves
      C. Alert but wimpy. Its bark is much louder than its bite
      D. As a bit of overkill. It doesn't know when to stop barking
      E. Non-existent

54. When you're in the kitchen cooking, what does your dog usually do?
      A. Smells it immediately, making a timely appearance in the kitchen
      B. It will have heard me preparing before it could have smelled anything, and it would already be on the scene.
      C. It wouldn't think of coming into the kitchen.
      D. It would come in only if it was hungry.

55. How does your dog behave when you sit down to a meal?
      A. Not well. It's noisy, bothersome & impatient for any I might share.
      B. It sits near patiently, knowing it has a chance of sharing by behaving.
      C. Completely uninterested, altogether missing a chance for tidbits
      D. It sits as close to me as possible, ready with a well-practiced pleading expression, whine or begging position.

56. Take some scrap paper, crinkle it up into a ball in front of your
      dog, and then toss it over to it. Your dog would probably:
      A. Bring it back to you
      B. Begin to tear it into a hundred tiny bits with its teeth
      C. Watch it land on the floor, then just stare at it
      D.  Not be interested in such a boring object

57. How curious is your dog when it's in new surroundings?
      A. Very curious, exploring every nook and cranny
      B. Reasonably curious
      C. The only thing my dog is ever curious about is what's for dinner.

58. If your dog needed a drink of water but had none in its bowl, it would:
      A. Wait for me to notice its empty
      B. Sit next to its bowl and whine
      C. Find me and begin to whine
      D. Summon me to its bowl to show it's empty
      E. Look for other means of refreshment, like toilet bowl or a puddle

59. When your dog has been caught doing wrong and knows it's in trouble, it:
      A. Looks guilty and slinks away, ears and tail down
      B. Dashes off with a worried look in its eyes
      C. Dashes off with a gleeful look in its eyes
      D. Stays put but cowers in front of me

60. Have you been able to house train your dog?
      A. Yes
      B. No. And I'm tempted to give up.
      C. More or less; my dog very rarely messes inside

61. Most dogs love to chew things. Have you been able to teach your dog what is permissible and what's not acceptable to chew in the house?
      A. No. It still chews whatever it pleases.
      B. Yes
      C. Except for a few instances, yes

62. Take out a hairdryer or other noisy electrical appliance that you use often. With your dog watching, plug it in and then wait a few seconds before turning it on. Your dog:
      A. Calmly leaves the room as soon as it sees the appliance
      B. Waits until I turn it on before walking out of the room
      C. Runs from the room in a panic once I've turned it on
      D. Stays where it is, oblivious to the noise
      E. Tries to attack the machine, growling or barking at it

63. How does your dog tell you it wants to go out or get thru a closed door?
      A. It sits at the door and whines continuously.
      B. It scratches gently at the door, perhaps whining a bit.
      C. Tries to attract my attention & get me to open it, or opens it itself.
      D. It sits silently facing the door, waiting for it to open miraculously.

64. Does your dog ever scavenge for extra food in the trash can?
      A. No, I don't think it has ever thought of it.
      B. No, it's been trained not to do so.
      C. Yes, but it's so neat about it I can hardly tell when it has.
      D. Yes, and it's extremely messy when it does.
      E. Only if it is very hungry.

65. You give your dog a command which it seems to understand but doesn't want to obey. How many times do you have to give it before it responds?
      A. One more time, possibly two
      B. Several times, raising my voice and calling its name sternly
      C. Countless times

66. Many dogs have an accurate internal body clock, knowing their owner is due home or it's time for dinner. How accurate is your dog's body clock?
      A. To the minute
      B. Fairly accurate
      C. I don't think my dog has one.
      D. My schedule is too erratic for my dog to use its body clock.

67. When your dog's in a playful mood, give it a toy or piece of cord to grab with its mouth & start a tug of war. After pulling for a while, stop as if to end the game but keep your grip. How long does your dog keep its grip?
      A. For less than five seconds
      B. Up to ten seconds, shaking the toy or growling to get me to play again
      C. For ten seconds or more
      D. Not applicable, as such games just do not interest my dog

68. When a stranger visits your house, your dog:
        A. Barks until it sees I'm in control of the situation, then quietly monitors what happens
        B. Barks or growls until the stranger pats it on the head
        C. Nips at their ankles, barks or growls, refusing to stop until they leave
        D. Greets the stranger warmly
        E. Barks its head off until it becomes distracted by something else

69. If a stranger visited your house with a dog, your dog would:
      A. Really bark its head off
      B. Bark fiercely initially, then continue to growl for some time
      C. Bark or growl at first, then it might begin to play with the dog
      D. Want to play with the dog right away
      E. Immediately want to fight with the dog

70. Which would you choose to sum up your dog's character?
      A. Quiet and wise
      B. Cunning and coy
      C. Sweet and clever
      D. Sweet but slow
      E. Hyperactive and thick

American Idogs!

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This test comes from Melissa Miller's fun book, The Dog I.Q. Test.

 


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