shetland sheepdog.

Corbis Dog Breed: Shetland Sheepdog Personality: Praise is heaped upon this herding breed, which the American Kennel Club describes on its website as "a working collie in miniature." The site also notes that the Shetland sheepdog "is alert, intensely loyal... known as a devoted, docile dog with a keen sense of intelligence and understanding." The second edition of the Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds, by D. Caroline Doile, Ph.D., says, "The Shetland sheepdog is extremely bright, extremely sensitive, and extremely willing to please." Meanwhile, Karen Peak, member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, affiliate member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants and ...

Which dog breeds are the most intelligent? And just what makes them so smart? We took the list of the top ten brainiest breeds and asked dog guru Billy Rafferty, author of "Happy Dog: Caring for Your Dog's Body, Mind and Spirit" to give his perspective. "While most smart dogs have certain traits in common -- loyalty, vigilance, perceptiveness, a caring nature -- "there are many different kinds of intelligence," says Rafferty. "Canine intelligence is more nuanced than people think." In the photo gallery below, Rafferty explains the pros and cons of owning these clever (but sometimes high maintenance) canines. And to learn more about how the original list was created, check out "The ...

Getty In response to the American Kennel Club's recent announcement of the Top 10 Most Popular Dogs of 2009 (based on registration statistics), we decided to unleash our own list (based on pure, unadulterated puppy love). And since we go nuts for just about every type of pooch at Paw Nation, it wasn't easy to narrow it down to ten. But thanks to your comments and our Facebook fans' input, we've come up with ten dogs who didn't make it on to AKC's list but are nonetheless tops with pet lovers across the country. Pembroke Welsh Corgi With its bat ears and stub tail, the Pembroke Welsh Corgi stands out from the crowd. More sociable than the Cardigan Welsh Corgi (which we also love!), the ...