10 Easiest Dog Breeds to Train ...

Those of you that know me know that I love dogs. My favorite dog is the pit bull. There is so many negative opinions around this breed and I do not want to get into that right now. Perhaps next week, I will blog top 10 reasons to love pit bulls, but right now, I am going to give you 10 easiest dog breeds to train. Know that every single breed of dog you pick is going to require attention. They are going to require time on your side, regardless of the breed you choose.

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The Labrador Retriever

The Labrador Retriever Photo Credit: Bryan Burke

Golden Retrievers are medium sized, athletically built dogs. There coat is short, straight and water resistant. They love catching Frisbees and swimming in whatever water they can find. The three colors of a lab are yellow, chocolate and black.

Australian Cattle Dog

Australian Cattle Dog Photo Credit: Red~Star

The Australian Cattle Dog is medium sized with a smooth coat texture. The coloring of these are either red or blue speckle.

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The Australian Cattle Dog is known for its exceptional intelligence and high levels of energy. These traits make them quite eager to learn and therefore, relatively easy to train compared to other breeds. Originating from Australia, where they were bred to herd cattle over long distances, these dogs possess a strong work ethic and are incredibly loyal to their owners. It's essential to provide them with plenty of mental and physical stimulation to prevent boredom, which can lead to destructive behavior. Their desire to please, combined with their innate cleverness, makes them outstanding companions for those willing to invest time into training and activity.

Belgian Sheepdog

Belgian Sheepdog Photo Credit: SINGER - Photography

The Belgian Sheepdog has a muscular body and is medium. There body is well proportioned. They have straight, long hair that is not silky nor wiry. Their undercoat is dense and thick.

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Recognized for their intelligence and trainability, the Belgian Sheepdog is an excellent candidate for various types of training, from basic obedience to more complex tasks such as agility and police work. Loyal and attentive, these dogs thrive on mental stimulation and enjoy learning new commands. Their eagerness to please their owners makes training a pleasurable experience. Belgian Sheepdogs are also known for their protective instinct, always on the lookout for their family’s safety, which can be channeled positively through training. Socialization from a young age is key to ensure they grow into well-rounded adults.

Related: How to House Train a Puppy ...

Australian Shepherd

Australian Shepherd Photo Credit: PsychaSec

This breed of dog is also referred to as the Aussie. This is another well-proportioned dog that comes in a number of different colors including blue-merle, black, red-merle and red. The Australian Shepherd is slightly longer than he/she is tall.

Border Collie

Border Collie Photo Credit: annia316

This is a medium sized dog that is known for the unique herding techniques. If you are looking for a dog for your farm, then this would be a smart choice. Their head is well proportioned with a muzzle that shrinks slightly toward their nose.

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Doberman Pinscher

Doberman Pinscher Photo Credit: vicipix

This is a fairly large sized dog that has been powerfully built. They are well capable of both speed and endurance. They have a body that is muscular and compact. The head, legs and neck are in proportion to their body. Be careful of this breed, though, if you have children.

German Shepherd

Photo Credit: jacilluchThe German Shepherd Dog is built with powerful, well developed features and smooth curves. They are like the sports car of canines. They are well known for being police dogs. Their ears are pointed and they always seem to be alert.

Bloodhounds

Bloodhounds Photo Credit: Contadini

How could we leave Ol’ Red off of this list? They are smart dogs that are noted for working at prisons. They are good at search and rescue. There coat is red and they are a fairly large dog. I just love those drooping ears and the way they bark and howl is beautiful.

Shetland Sheepdog

Shetland Sheepdog Photo Credit: Laura Adams Photographic Art (is catching up!)

The Shetland Sheepdog, also known as the Sheltie is a medium sized dog. Their markings resemble that of a Collie. They have exceptional grace. This is also a great dog to have on a farm as they are good at herding.

American Pitbull

American Pitbull Photo Credit: S Alex Maier

You can’t say that this one is shocking to you that I put this as my number one breed of dog that is smart. I have personal experience with these dogs and despite of what you may hear, they are very friendly dogs. These dogs also love swimming in the water, at least, my dog, Copper can never turn water down. These dogs follow instructions and are always eager to please their owner. If you have children at home, then do not choose this breed of dog unless you can spend the time and money to train it properly!

There you have the ten easiest breeds to train. All of the dogs I have listed on here are very smart. When you look into these dogs eyes, you can see just how smart they are.

Top Photo Credit: S Alex Maier

Feedback Junction

Where Thoughts and Opinions Converge

I work with a dog rescue that rescues mainly pitbulls on deathrow. I have trained several of them and this is NOT an easy breed to train!!! FAR FROM IT!! This is a wonderful, smart breed, which I love, but I don't think people should get the misconception that they are the easiest breed to train as this is why so many of them end up in shelters!!!! Please don't send out the wrong message! I can think of so many OTHER breeds that are easier to train and would be more appropriate for someone looking for an easy keeper. Pitbulls are GREAT dogs, but when people think they're getting a dog that will be easy to work with then find out differently, the dog is the one who is punnished! Most of them end up in the shelter, with a high percentage never making it out!

I have always wanted a border collie, but my backyard is not that spacious so that would be unfair to it..

HA!!!!! YEA RIGHT ABOUT the German shepherd!!! That's all I have ever owned and they're NOT EASY to train @ ALL!!!!!!

I love all kind of dogs and in my opinion all dogs are difficult to train, but with love and patience all dogs can prove they know how to learn and can listen and do all you tell them. Pugs are one of the most difficult breeds I found to teach but with time our little pug learned everything I wanted her to!! :) In the future I wish to own a Border Collie or a German Shepard! :)

Next up Melanie, you should write abt the top worst breeds to train. I can suggest you which breed gives tough competition for the top spot - Fox Terriers! They're headstrong, hyperactive and have a mind of their own !

Bloodhounds aren't the easiest dogs to train. They have the best nose of the dog world, but this gets them into a lot of trouble. They would rather follow some delicious scent instead of listening to their owners. Once you get their attention, they are trainable, but I would not recommend this dog for beginners. They are sweet though. (BTW... I'm not trying to sound snarky...just making a point. I've raised them for years.)

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