1. Border collie: Because of their extraordinary intelligence and high energy, it is essential to give border collies an occupation or purpose, or you may well find your home wrecked upon your return from a long day at work. They have an intense connection with humans, making border collies ideal work and home companions. However, keep this in mind: Border collies invariably will not do well unless they are with people who are as high-energy as they are. They do best with humans who can participate in dog sports with them. Also, because of their background as herding dogs, they may be frustrated by small children as their inability to herd the children as they deem fit is confounding for them. For the right human, the border collie is well-behaved, exceptionally good at learning and a true- blue companion.
2. Poodle: Easily trainable, steadfast and sharp- minded, poodles flourish in human company. Even with the froufrou hairdos, poodles are made to endure and can be quite effective as guard dogs, especially the standard-size poodles. In fact, the "poodle clip" was created specifically for the working poodle, so it could swim more effectively while still having fur to protect its organs as it went about the business of hunting and retrieving.
3. German shepherd: The shepherd was originally bred specifically for intelligence. Smart, courageous and protective, the German shepherd is one of the most dependable of companions. They learn tasks after only a few repetitions and obey commands nearly always the first time they are given. They are eager to learn new tasks as this gives them direction and purpose — very important for a shepherd. Besides being used for herding animals, they are often used as guard dogs, police dogs and search- and-rescue dogs and have even been trained by the military for parachute jumps.
