A collaborative study conducted by the University of Portsmouth's Dog Cognition Centre in England and Friedrich Schiller University of Jena's DogStudies Unit in Germany has revealed that curiosity plays a crucial role in canine intelligence. Researchers selected 11 'label-learning dogs' from countries including the UK, US, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Germany. These dogs demonstrated the ability to recognize hundreds of objects by name.
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The analysis of their test results indicated that the key traits associated with label-learning dogs are curiosity, focus, and inhibition—the ability to manage their impulses. The dogs needed to be curious enough to engage with the objects, but also self-disciplined not to disregard commands and run off with the toys.