I have "borrowed" many dogs through the years .

I do not beleive I could tolerate a "stupid dog."

The most loving and dedicated and strong-willed (it jumped through a glass window - ripped apart one inch plank gates to get back into the yard it escaped and went one-on-one with automobiles more than once - and yet liked the dog-catcher so much it would jump into the truck when they opened the door - maybe it was the air-conditioning) was an American Pit Bull weighing in at a LEAN 88 pounds. VERY Smart - really understood two way communication with humans and invented its own "words" that it taught you....It knew most of the following - but did not play "MoJo Search" or climb ladders....or hang-loose.

But the absolute smartest Dog was a Retreiver/Black Lab/Chow mix....and reading the above list regarding 200 commands - I believe this one came close. I cannot recall them all. If someone said, "That's cool - but I have a friend whose dog can...." then that became the next month's lesson. There were no limits.

Every month I was inventing new stunts and new stories (aka patter) to go along with the performances. Hand-signal commands which the dog can see but someone else cannot are especially good with a twisted story (me? never!!!) and a "hang loose" finish to the story brought roars of laughter.

Of course Bear knew all the plebian routines that any respectable dog knows in their first two years:
Shake (L&R)
Sit
Lay
Speak
Stay (even for 5 minutes with no one visible and with others walking by)
Fetch
Catch
and Frisbee Catch

But also the standard cool ones like:
Get the outside news-paper from the sidewalk and drop it at your feet with you sitting on the sofa inside
Flip the biscut off the nose and into the mouth on command
Open the sliding door
Dance
Annie- Annie - Over Game

And then the unusual:
Climb a 10 foot ladder
Search an entire room/yard/house for a specific hidden object with a specific smell
Hang Loose - roll on the back and spread the legs
Play Dead - when shot with a finger and the word "Bang!"
Retreave an object Under Water 8 feet down

A stupid dog is no pleasure. I have witnessed a smart cat completly flumix and infuriatate a dumb dog for hours until the cat would become bored and finish the torment with a claw across the poor beast's nose.

Dogs share a kinship with man that a cat would never tolerate.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle