Studies suggest that behavior problems are one of the most important reasons why people abuse, abandon, disown or euthanize companion dogs. Improved knowledge of the distribution and causes of behavior problems in the pet dog population could therefore contribute greatly to the welfare of dogs worldwide. Unfortunately, because most dogs live inside people’s homes, they are difficult and sometimes impossible to observe for the extended periods of time needed to properly evaluate their behavior or temperament. It is therefore necessary to develop different kinds of measurement techniques for this purpose. The Canine Behavioral Assessment & Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ; http://www.cbarq.org) is one such technique that relies on measurement by proxy. Instead of observing and measuring the animal’s behavior directly, the C-BARQ collects indirect behavioral information provided by the dog’s owner, guardian or handler. This presentation will outline how and why the C-BARQ was originally developed and validated, and will describe some of the intriguing ways it is currently being used to improve our understanding of canine behavior and behavior problems.

Sponsor: Etraining for Dogs

Speaker(s): Dr. James Serpell & Dr. Monique Udell (moderator)

Contact: Cheryl Asmus
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 Phone: 970-231-9965
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