World’s smartest dog: When Neil deGrasse Tyson put a genius pup to the test

What happens when a world-renowned astrophysicist meets the world’s smartest dog? A mind-blowing experiment that proves intelligence comes in all forms. A resurfaced video by NOVA PBS of Neil deGrasse Tyson testing the cognitive skills of Chaser, a border collie with a staggering memory, has left viewers in awe. Trained by psychology professor John Pilley, Chaser wasn’t just any ordinary pet—she was capable of recognizing over 1,000 different toys by name and even learning new ones through inference.

A Herd of Toys, Not Sheep

Border collies are known for their exceptional herding instincts, but Chaser wasn’t rounding up sheep in the Scottish Highlands. Instead, she had a vast “herd” of stuffed animals, balls, and even household objects—each with a unique name that she remembered flawlessly.

To test her intelligence, Tyson randomly selected toys from the massive pile and hid them behind a couch. When asked to fetch them by name, Chaser retrieved each one with incredible accuracy.

The Ultimate Intelligence Test

But Tyson wasn’t done. To push the limits of Chaser’s intellect, he introduced a completely new toy—a Charles Darwin doll—without telling her its name. Then, he asked her to fetch “Darwin.”

With no prior knowledge of the toy, Chaser hesitated, scanning the selection. Then, after a moment of deep thought, she correctly picked up the Darwin doll—proving she could use deduction to identify unknown objects.

Smarter Than We Thought?

Tyson was stunned. “People thought this was something only humans could do,” he remarked. But Chaser’s ability to connect new words with unfamiliar objects showed that dogs, much like young children, can make inferences and retain new knowledge over time.

Her intelligence wasn’t just about memory—it was about learning, reasoning, and adapting.

Chaser’s story challenges the boundaries of what we think dogs—and animals in general—are capable of. If a border collie can learn over a thousand words and use logic to deduce new ones, what else might our furry companions be capable of?

Tyson’s conclusion? “This is no ordinary game of fetch.”