Participation in Breed-Specific Cynological Activities Is Associated with Behavioral Variation in Terrier-Type Dogs: A C-BARQ Study

This exploratory study investigated the relationship between demographic, biological, and management-related factors and behavioral traits in 195 terrier-type dogs using the C-BARQ questionnaire. Participation in breed-specific cynological activities (ENCI working trials and aptitude tests) emerged as the most consistent factor: non-participation was associated with higher scores in owner-directed aggression (β = 0.17, p = 0.007), non-social fear (β = 0.34, p = 0.001), dog-directed fear (β = 0.36, p = 0.015), and attachment/attention-seeking (β = 0.32, p = 0.026), whereas participation was associated with increased chasing behavior (β = −0.60, p < 0.001). Neutered dogs showed higher non-social fear (β = 0.83, p < 0.001), touch sensitivity (β = 0.34, p = 0.012), and aggression toward conspecifics (β = 0.55, p = 0.004) and strangers (β = 0.32, p = 0.034). Age primarily influenced energy level (β = −0.09, p < 0.001) and dog-directed aggression (β = 0.05, p = 0.006) after FDR correction. Sex differences were modest, with males showing higher dog-directed aggression (β = −0.42, p = 0.004). Breed contributed to variability in selected domains, with the strongest effects observed for energy level and fear-related traits. Overall, these findings highlight participation in breed-specific activities and neuter status as key factors associated with behavior in terrier-type dogs. These associations are exploratory and require confirmation in future studies.