Vox:
This chart, from David McCandless’ fascinating new book Knowledge is Beautiful, ranks 87 dog breeds and compares those rankings to the actual popularity of those breeds in the US.
The ranking is based on a number of factors: trainability, life expectancy, lifetime cost (including the price of food and grooming), and suitability for children, among others.
The result: Border Collies, according to McCandless, are the finest dog breed in existence. Labs, Beagles, and Golden Retrievers, while not at the very top, are other popular dogs (at the top right of the chart) that he rates highly.
Where does your dog fit into this chart? If I had a dog, it would likely be a Labrador. Happily, they score highly on this chart.
I have a Morkie…and both Maltese and Yorkshire Terrier rank in that upper right quadrant (popular, and rightfully so). When we were deciding on what kind of dog to get, I was actually interested in an Australian Terrier…which is in that lower right quadrant (inexplicably unpopular). That highlights that sometimes, popularity is just going to build on itself. If I wanted an Aussie Terrier, it was going to cost a fortune, because you can’t find them just anywhere, because they’re not popular. And because of that they are unlikely to GET popular, which will mean they will cost a fortune, which will mean…etc.
Other dogs I’ve had…Labrador Retreiver-Irish Setter mix (both on the right side), a Dalmatian (right in the middle), and a Scottish Bearded Collie (nowhere on the chart…in fact I don’t see any kind of Collie at all on it).
I do see a cat! Get him, fellas!
Assuming trainability, life expectancy, lifetime cost (including the price of food and grooming), and suitability for children valid criteria, most people I work with would not even be on the chart 🙂 Seriously, rate lovely animals based on cost and value? Bah.
We have 2 dachshunds and some street dog I brought home from working in India for a few years. None of them is trainable, and that’s the way I like it.
Couldn’t find my current dog in the list despite the breed’s immense popularity: Jack Russell Terrier. He’s 15 years old and has been a constant companion since I got him while in high school. He’s blind and nearly deaf and has occasional stomach problems, but other than that he’s pretty healthy for his age. He’s quite intelligent. I suppose the only drawback is that he’s a shorthaired variety and little hairs get everywhere!
The breed I had before him, West Highland White Terrier, was among the smartest dogs I’ve ever seen. It’s among the few terrier breeds on that chart which are deemed “dumb”. I find this astounding. They’re actually bred for their intelligence. They are difficult to train like most terriers are because of their innate stubbornness. A personality is what you look for out of an intelligent dog.
The last thing I want out of a companion is a personality-less slave… which is what a “properly-trained” border collie is.
Oh, wait, I do see a border collie…allllll the way over on the right. I have heard they are tremendous dogs.
Well, gotta rate them on something objectively measurable, if you’re interested in such a chart. What’s interesting is that everyone, of course, has their own criteria and priorities (and some won’t have either, which is cool)…so while the chart is an interesting aggregate, it’s not going to be a useful “guide” for many people.
Is the chart broken down somewhere by each of the individual criteria? I don’t think it’s just “dumb” vs. “smart” but a combination of all of them…beagles have a reputation for not being too bright, but I see them over on the right-hand side.
although my two dogs are in the top right (Brittany and Border Collie), I am dubious about how accurate all this is. For example, by the key, my Brittany is categorized as a herding dog? Nope.
The very best dog is the dog you own. Although “owning” a dog may be the best legal term but it’s not quite right.
Not happy about lists or comparisons like that. The quick takeaway from this piece is that “Border Collies […] are the finest dog breed in existence”. While I absolutely agree with that, I hope it doesn’t lead to another wave of people wanting to get a Border Collie. Very few who want a Border Collie know how much you need to keep them stimulated and challenged, if you don’t happen to have a herd of sheep or at least some ducks in your back yard. I’ve seen many Border Collies bored out of their minds.
Responsible breeders won’t give you a Border Collie unless they are convinced you’ll respect the dog’s working traits. That doesn’t mean you’ll have buy a bunch of farm animals for herding, but that you’ll respect the demanding nature of this fantastic dog and provide plenty of play and exercise.
All aside – any list that claims to be “definitive” should not be taken serious in the first place.
The problem is deciding to use that chart when the underlying decision matrix is not amenable to it…
Aww, nobody likes my poor old one-eyed (he met a porcupine when he was 2) retired greyhound. Don’t worry Nick, you may be dumb and unpopular but we still love you.
lol
Well…it is definitive for people that agree with the definition, I guess. Which definition doesn’t account for context, as you say. I live in a townhouse, with no private yard. A large dog that needs a lot of exercise wasn’t really feasible.
But I think there’s a merit at some level to having a guide, if you don’t know what you’re doing. I think there should be more subdivisions in the data. I like how though the position of the dog on the chart communicates its popularity and score, that there are other visual tells that are there. Size, “genre”, intelligence are communicated individually if not precisely. Would love to see more identifiers like that. This would be the start of a useful interactive infographic.
It’s a starting point.
I love greyhounds! I didn’t before my roommate in Portland introduced me to her two. Great dogs. Basically, giant cats. 🙂
So, who noticed the cat? Right among the “hot dogs”! 😉
Megan McArdle has a great takedown of this infographic at her blog: http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-11-12/big-data-goes-to-the-dogs
My 16 year old avatar “Zoe” totally agrees. Sorry to hear yours has lost his sight. Zoe can still see and hear although diminshedly so. Oh, I agree with you as well. ; )