Are Grumpy Dogs Smarter
Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2025 4:25 am
2021 Hungarian study led by Péter Pongrácz, Gabriella Rieger, and Kata Vékony at Eötvös Loránd University (Budapest) found that so‑called "grumpy" dogs—those rated higher on irritation/aggression in owner questionnaires—outperformed their more agreeable peers in a social learning task involving a stranger demonstrator .
What the study did:
Questionnaires gauged each dog’s temperament, creating "irritable" and "overactive" personality scores.
Dogs faced a detour test: retrieve a treat or toy behind a V-shaped fence. They were split into:
Key findings:
All dogs learned faster after seeing a demonstration, compared to no help
But dogs labeled "irritable" excelled most when the demonstration came from an unfamiliar person
These grumpy dogs also looked back at their owners less, signaling a strong goal-driven focus .
Note: The advantage was specific to social learning, not general problem-solving; no difference emerged in the no-demonstration group
Interpretation:
The researchers suggest that "grumpy" dogs pay more attention to strangers—perhaps because they're less socially tolerant and more alert—making them more effective at learning from them .
🗞 Additional context:
Media outlets like The Guardian reported on the findings as suggesting grumpy dogs are "clever clogs"
But this isn’t a blanket statement about superior intelligence—it’s about social attentiveness and learning from others, especially unfamiliar humans.
In short: Yes—grumpy dogs can be smarter, in the specific sense.
Think the friendliest dogs are always the smartest? Think again.
Grumpiness = Braininess? Maybe. 
Would you rethink what makes a “smart dog”? Let us know your thoughts below.
What the study did:Questionnaires gauged each dog’s temperament, creating "irritable" and "overactive" personality scores.
Dogs faced a detour test: retrieve a treat or toy behind a V-shaped fence. They were split into:
Key findings:All dogs learned faster after seeing a demonstration, compared to no help
But dogs labeled "irritable" excelled most when the demonstration came from an unfamiliar person
These grumpy dogs also looked back at their owners less, signaling a strong goal-driven focus .
Note: The advantage was specific to social learning, not general problem-solving; no difference emerged in the no-demonstration group
Interpretation:The researchers suggest that "grumpy" dogs pay more attention to strangers—perhaps because they're less socially tolerant and more alert—making them more effective at learning from them .
🗞 Additional context:
Media outlets like The Guardian reported on the findings as suggesting grumpy dogs are "clever clogs"
But this isn’t a blanket statement about superior intelligence—it’s about social attentiveness and learning from others, especially unfamiliar humans.
In short: Yes—grumpy dogs can be smarter, in the specific sense.
Think the friendliest dogs are always the smartest? Think again.
- grumpydog.jpg (55.5 KiB) Viewed 12 times
Would you rethink what makes a “smart dog”? Let us know your thoughts below.