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Dogs come in all shapes and sizes - the UK Kennel Club recognises 221 different pedigree dogs, from Affenpinscher to Yorkshire Terrier (there are sadly no dog breeds starting with the letter ‘z’!).
Then there are all manner of crossbreeds, from so-called ‘designer dogs’ to lovable mongrels.
Each has its own list of positive and negative attributes, and it’s important to take plenty of time to think about what breed will fit into your lifestyle the best - for instance a smaller dog if you live in a flat, or a hypoallergenic dog if the mere mention of dog hair makes you think about sneezing.
There is even scientific research to guide you, in particular psychologist Stanley Coren’s groundbreaking book The Intelligence of Dogs.
In the book Coren ranked 130 breeds of dog in order of intelligence using three categories of canine cleverness, namely: the instinctive intelligence of the ability to perform the tasks it was bred for, the adaptive intelligence of solving problems on its own, and the obedience intelligence of learning from humans.
Here are the 12 that came top of the brains league.
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1. Border Collie
Of the canine masterminds, the Border Collie is the undisputed top dog when it comes to intelligence. Commonly utilised to herd sheep, that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to their sky-high doggy IQ. They can learn a huge number of words and commands, and can turn their paws to an impressive range of jobs and tasks. | AFP via Getty Images
2. Poodle
Don't let their curly hair, high-fashion looks and cute demeanor fool you - Poodles have a razor-sharp brain second only to the Border Collie. Whatever size you choose - Standard, Miniature and Toy - these furballs are hugely smart, making great service and therapy dogs. | AFP via Getty Images
3. German Shepherd
Used for everything from drug detection to sniffing out explosives - by everybody from the army to the police - the German Shepherd is another breed in the top tier of canine intelligence. These bright sparks can understanding a new command after only five repetitions and following the command at least 95 per cent of the time. The other five per cent of the time? The command is probably the wrong one. | Getty Images for Westminster Ken
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4. Golden Retriever
As intelligent as they are friendly (very!), Golden Retrievers are perfect as seeing dogs and search-and-rescue dogs due to their obedience, big brains and dedication to tasks. | Getty Images