A standardised approach to quantifying activity in domestic dogs

Area of Science:

• Veterinary science
• Animal welfare
• Biomedical engineering

Background:

• Objective assessment of dog activity using accelerometry is crucial for health and welfare.
• Current activity metrics rely on inconsistent acceleration cut-points, hindering cross-study comparisons.
• A standardized, transparent metric is needed for canine activity research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and validate a novel metric, the acceleration threshold (MX_ACC), for quantifying canine activity.
• To establish reference values for MX_ACC metrics (M2_ACC, M30_ACC, M60_ACC) in a diverse dog population.
• To promote standardization in measuring canine activity for veterinary and translational research.

Main Methods:

• Utilized collar-based Axivity-AX3 accelerometers to record dog activity at 200 Hz for 24 hours.
• Calculated acceleration vector magnitude and the novel MX_ACC metrics.
• Incorporated labelled data from beagles and pet dogs of various ages and breeds for broader applicability.

Main Results:

• Reported M2_ACC, M30_ACC, and M60_ACC data from a colony of young beagles.
• Characterized the range of acceleration outputs using combined beagle and pet dog data.
• Provided a basis for meaningful interpretation of MX_ACC in different canine populations.

Conclusions:

• The MX_ACC metric offers a standardized and transparent approach to canine activity assessment.
• This metric facilitates consistent comparison of findings across studies in canine health and welfare research.
• MX_ACC serves as a valuable outcome measure for veterinary and translational studies involving dogs.