Allie's dog makes mine look like a super genuis (sort of)

After reading Allie's post I decided to retest Indy.  I'd tested him a year ago after we had had him for just 6-7 months.  He had barely managed to place just above the bottom rank due to generous scoring.

Hyperbole and a Half: Dog


Now I know Indy has made major improvements so I did this test to check his progress.
 http://www.abc.net.au/animals/dog_test/default.htm

Indy scored dead in the middle.  Acing some tests, but completely failing the towel, and smile tests.  Then I got to thinking how fair were these tests.  I don't smile a lot, and why should Indy decide to come to me just because I smiled.  Also some of the tests seem to favor a dog with persistence, and drive rather than intelligence.  Lastly some are subjective.  Calling out refrigerator in the same voice you call the dog might result in the dog coming if you use a variety of names to call them.  Like wise with Indy you call his name he won't come.  He'll look  at you to see what you want, but unless you say come, slap your side, or look like you have food he won't come.  Why?  We call his name to get his attention.  It's not a command.

So I tried another set of tests, but with one major difference.  I went out of my way to make it a game, and cheer him on.  I was careful to not give him clues.
http://pets1st.ca/articles/00025adoggieiqtest.asp

The results were very different.  For example in the 1st towel test I simply placed a towel on Indy's head.  He never tried to get out of it.  It was as if he decided that if I wanted him to have a towel on his head that was his lot in life.  On the other hand in the second test I started playing with him, threw a towel over his head, and then verbally encouraged him to escape.  He had the towel off in under 5 seconds every time.  Like wise with a little encouragement he knocked the cup right over and got the treat.

It's obvious that used dogs like Allie and mine are at a great disadvantage in these tests.  Their shy personalities, and long periods of time in kernel with little interaction with their environment don't equip them well for these IQ tests.  Also if your dog is use to getting treats for tricks, playing with treat balls or the like then these are easier tests.  As a dog who isn't use to having to puzzle out how to get a treat may not even try.

Of course being me I've added Indy's 3 worst tests to his play routine.  So if anyone test him they'll think he is a genius.  He really loves the treat under a cup test.  At this point he is simply picking up the cup, running around happily, and then dropping it to get the treat.  Of course being Indy he'll be so excited he'll run off with the cup, and forget the treats. The multiple cup test is currently a wash.  He tends to go after the one he saw the treat put in, but always knocks all of them over just to be sure.