Cartoon Nova, a black and tan German Shepherd in a blue and red cape and a little orange backpack, hiking up a mountain trail

Nova the German Shepherd

Meet Nova, Smart Dog Explorer

Join Nova, a black and tan German Shepherd, as she runs, hikes and plays her way through the science of how clever dogs really are.

Meet Nova Explore smart dogs

The real Nova, a long-coated black and tan German Shepherd, sitting with her tongue out — The real Nova

Cartoon Nova, the NovaHova mascot — Cartoon Nova

The dog behind the cape

Meet the real Nova

Nova is a long-coat German Shepherd, about 1 year and 9 months old, mostly black with rich tan legs and big fluffy ears. She loves to play, run and hike, and she is the reason this site exists.

Meet Nova

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Guides, tools and more

Free, original and fact-checked, with sources on every page.

The dog behind NovaHovaMeet NovaMeet Nova, a playful black and tan German Shepherd who loves running and hiking, and find out what this smart dog science site is all about.Coming soonNova's VideosVideos of Nova playing, running and hiking are on the way. Here is what to expect from Nova's clips and the smart dog moments we hope to share.Test yourselfThe Dog IQ QuizHow much do you know about smart dogs and German Shepherds? Take Nova's 10-question quiz on dog intelligence, senses and shepherd history.Enrichment at homeBrain Games for Smart DogsEasy brain games to play with your dog at home: scent hunts, which hand, cup shuffle, toy names and more. Tick them off as you and your dog try them.

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12 deep dives

NovaHova is home to Nova, a playful black and tan German Shepherd, and to the science of smart dogs. We explore German Shepherd facts, dog cognition research, canine senses, kind training and safe adventures, all checked against vets, welfare groups and published studies.