Just how smart is your favorite canine? This month's feature will give you a clue....

Doggie IQ Quiz

1. With your dog watching, pretend to reach for a snack and eat it. Your dog:

a. watches intently as if you really are eating
b. Investigates the spot from which you took the ëfoodí for leftovers
c. Couldn't be less interested
d. seems to realize youíre just pretending


2. Your dogís way is blocked by a fence too high for it to jump over. What does he/she do?

a. runs alongside the fence and looks for a way around it
b. forgets it and runs off in a different direction
c. tries to burrow under the fence
d. waits for you to pick him up and lift him over


3. Does your dog seem to recognize any of these words: supper, the vet, bed, good-bye (or similar variations)? If so how many?

a. yes, 3 or 4
b. yes, 2
c. yes, 1
d. none


4. If you were in the kitchen and began to unwrap food within earshot of your dog--what would he do?

a. come into the kitchen post-haste
b. come in only if he was hungry
c. not realize you were unwrapping food unless you do it in front of him


5. If your dog is near a door and hears a strange noise outside, itís first reaction would be to:

a. begin to bark and want to go out
b. ignore the noise
c. quietly ëmonitorí the noise


6. When out for a walk, you and your dog come across a much larger dog. What does your dog do?

a. runs up and nips at the animals feet, barking at it and harassing it.
b. growls or barks but from a safe distance
c. stays out of the way
d. approaches the animal cautiously or playfully


7. When walking your dog on lead you come to a busy road. Would your dog:

a. stop on the pavement and assess whether itís safe to cross
b. rely on you to decide when itís safe
c. continue forward and force you to pull back on the lead


8. If you decide to stop playing with your dog but it still wants to play, how will it let you know?

a. by whining softly
b. by trying to start to game with you again
c. by growling


9. Does your dog appear to remember people, such as relatives who come to visit only occasionally?

a. no b. yes, especially if they were friendly on the last visit
c. sometimes
d. no...unless food is involved


10.. If your dog needed water but there was none in the bowl would he...

a. wait for you to notice the bowl is empty
b. look for other means of refreshment, such as a puddle or the ëcommodeí
c. find you and begin to whine
d. summon you to the bowl to show you itís empty
e. sit next to the bowl and whine


11. How does your dog behave when it has been caught doing something wrong?

a. slinks away with ears back and tail down
b. dashes off with a worried look in his eyes
c. dashes off with a gleeful look in his eyes
d. cowers in front of you


12. how curious is your dog when it finds itself in new surroundings?

a. very curious, exploring every nook and cranny
b. reasonably curious
c. the only thing heís ever curious about is whatís for dinner


Scoring

1. a=2 b=3 c=1 d=4

2. a=4 b=1 c=2 d=2

3. a=4 b=3 c=2 d=1

4. a=3 b=3 c=1

5. a=2 b=1 c=3

6. a=1 b=3 c=4 d=2

7. a=4 b=3 c=1

8. a=2 b=3 c=1

9. a=1 b=4 c=3 d=2

10.. a=1 b=4 c=3 d=4 e=2

11. a=4 b=2 c=1 d=3

12 a=3 b=2 c-1

14 and below -- blissfully ignorant

15-18 -- somewhat obtuse

19-23 -- occasionally clever

24-27 -- average

28-31 -- brighter than average

32-37 -- very smart

38-41 -- extremely smart

42 and above -- canine