Is My Doberman Smarter Than Your Honor Student?

I confess, I have one of those magnets on my car. They have them for a variety of breeds, which doesn't seem fair, but that's the way it goes. It reads "My Doberman is smarter than your honor student!" and has a head shot of a red Doberman on it. I couldn't not get it, really.

In Why a Doberman? and Why a Doberman? Redux, I talk about how very smart Dobermans are supposed to be, and how smart I think Elka is. I know it must sound like "mommy pride"; we've all encountered the parent who regaled you with tales of their tot's deeds of derring-do until you could have cheerfully stabbed them, or at least shouted. Part of the reason I started this blog was so I could be dog-proud on the Internet instead of alienating friends, family, and coworkers, who are stuck with me and so I'd prefer they not want to stab me.

I do try to keep it in check, but it is hard not to brag sometimes. But nobody likes a showoff, right?

So, what am I talking about when I talk about canine intelligence? And Doberman intelligence?