There's now such a thing as IQ tests for dogs

A dog IQ test has been developed by scientists who say it could pave the way for breakthroughs in our understanding of the link between intelligence and health.

Experts have discovered that dog intelligence works the same way as human intelligence, so clever canines who perform well in one task tend also to do well in others - just like humans.

Recent studies have shown that brighter people tend to live longer, and so scientists believe if they can prove the same is true in dogs they can use them to study long-term health problems such as dementia.

Dr Rosalind Arden, a research associate at the London School of Economics, which carried out the study with Edinburgh University, said the discovery could have "far-reaching implications for understanding human health and disease and canine health and disease".

The research, which is published in the journal Intelligence, said that studies on dogs offer a good insight because findings are not complicated by alcohol, smoking or drugs, which all affect the brain.