Behavioral and Cortisol-Based Evaluation of Stress in Dogs During Agility Training

Agility training promotes canine well-being but may also induce physiological arousal. Training sessions, not just competitions, can impose significant physical and emotional demands on dogs. This study evaluated behavioral and physiological arousal responses during agility training, focusing on associations with training experience and breed function. Nineteen owned dogs were assessed using salivary cortisol sampling and a species-specific ethogram. Behavioral data were recorded during training, and cortisol levels were measured at baseline (T0), before (T1), and after training (T2). Baseline cortisol was significantly lower than T1 and T2, with no differences between T1 and T2, suggesting sustained physiological activation from anticipation through the post-training phase. Beginner dogs showed higher frequencies of stress-related behaviors (e.g., licking, panting), while Juniors displayed more arousal-related behaviors (e.g., jumping, vocalizing). Herding dogs exhibited consistently higher cortisol levels across all time points without a corresponding increase in stress-related behaviors, suggesting a breed-related coping tendency. A PCA revealed distinct clustering for Beginners, while herding dogs showed a homogeneous pattern driven by cortisol variables. These findings highlight the value of combining behavioral and physiological measures to describe arousal patterns during agility training.