36th Annual Student Research Conference
Impact of Leash Attachment on Dog Activity Monitor Accuracy
Sydney J. Donath* and Olivia R. Noack
Dr. Jessica Colpoys, Faculty Mentor
Exercise is essential for maintaining good dog health and welfare; however, many dogs do not receive adequate physical activity. Decreased activity can result in conditions such as canine obesity, diabetes mellitus, and fear-related behavior problems. The objective of this study was to test the accuracy of the Fitbark activity monitor in measuring activity in dogs walked on a leash. Four treatments were evaluated: 1) one collar with a FitBark and leash attached, 2) two collars, one with a leash attached and the other with the FitBark attached, 3) harness with both the FitBark and leash attached, and 4) harness with leash attached and a collar with the FitBark attached. Eight shelter dogs were observed during an on-leash walk (5 minutes/treatment). Step count was evaluated live and correlated with FitBark activity per minute. No significant correlations were found between the different collar and leash attachment methods (P > 0.30).
Keywords: Dog, Canine, Leash, Collar, Activity monitor, FitBark
Topic(s):Agricultural Science
Presentation Type: Asynchronous Virtual Presentation
Session: 1-3
Location: https://flip.com/a605633a
Time: 0:00