3. Border Collie

When we write about working dogs, we simply must not forget about arguably the most hardworking of them all – the herding dogs which spend their lives rounding up livestock and dealing with animals that are, let’s be brutally honest here, not on their intellectual level. One of the legendary herding dogs is definitely the border collie.

Border collies are widely recognized as one of the most intelligent breeds of dog and most experts now actually agree that they are THE smartest dogs around. In addition to being extremely intelligent, they are also very athletic and energetic, making them perfect for working with livestock.

Many border collies are still used for farm work, although they are also becoming more and more popular as pet dogs. If you do decide to have a pet collie, make sure to exercise them regularly and train them to mitigate their herding instincts, which are extremely strong.