Behavior in Australian Shepherd Dogs Assessed Using the C-BARQ: A Preliminary Study of Associations with Coat Color, Sex, and Neutering Status

Simple SummaryDogs of the same breed can vary widely in behavior, and such variation may be influenced by biological factors including sex, reproductive status, and coat color. This study investigated everyday behavior in Australian Shepherds using a standardized owner questionnaire. Data were collected from 215 dogs and covered common situations such as interactions with people and other dogs, responses to noises and novel environments, and behavior when left alone. Overall, the breed was described as highly trainable and showed low levels of aggression toward people. Clear differences emerged between males and females, particularly in behaviors related to excitement, attachment to owners, and social engagement. Reproductive status was also relevant: neutered dogs displayed some differences in fear-related behaviors, most notably stronger reactions to loud noises. Coat color was not associated with general temperament or overall behavioral profiles. Exploratory analyses identified a limited number of context-specific associations in merle-coated dogs, particularly in response to unfamiliar situations and during veterinary examinations, although the biological significance of these findings remains unclear. These results suggest that biological factors such as sex and neuter status show more consistent associations with behavior than coat color and highlight the need for confirmatory studies with larger samples.Domestic dogs show substantial behavioral variability shaped by genetic, biological, and environmental factors. Although breed-specific behavioral profiles are documented, associations between coat color and behavior within individual breeds remain poorly understood. This preliminary study characterized the behavioral profile of Australian Shepherd dogs and exploratorily investigated associations between behavior, coat color, sex, and neuter status using the validated Italian C-BARQ. A total of 215 Australian Shepherds aged 1-8.5 years were included; behavioral responses were analyzed using ordinal logistic regression with sex, neuter status, and coat color as predictors. Overall, Australian Shepherds showed high trainability and low aggression and fear toward humans. Sex emerged as the most consistent predictor: females showed lower odds of high-intensity responses in attachment- and excitability-related behaviors (OR similar to 0.44-0.56), with context-dependent differences in dog-directed and environmental responses. Neuter status was selectively associated with increased fear-related reactions to noise and stranger approaches (OR similar to 1.9-2.2) and reduced restlessness during separation (OR similar to 0.45). Coat color was not associated with generalized behavioral tendencies; item-level exploratory analyses revealed only a limited number of suggestive, context-specific associations in merle-coated dogs, and most analyses did not yield significant effects. All coat-color findings should be regarded as preliminary and hypothesis-generating. These results underscore the context-dependent nature of behavioral variation in Australian Shepherds and highlight the need for confirmatory studies with larger, coat-color-stratified samples.