摘要：Population-level approaches to increase physical activity are necessary to promote overall health while combatting current trends in chronic disease incidence. (1) Similar to the case in other countries where dog-ownership is popular, such as Australia and the United States, (2,3) approximately one third of Canadian households include a pet dog. (4) Dog-ownership is often associated with better health for owners, likely as a result of the physical activity involved in dog-walking. (5) Interventions that encourage dog-walking offer a potential strategy for increasing physical activity at the population level. Yet not all dog-owners regularly walk their dog. (5,6) Findings from a recent systematic review suggest that fewer than two thirds of dog-owners regularly walk with their dogs and only about one half of dog-owners walk their dogs at least four times per week. (7) The reasons why dogs may not be walked are multi-faceted, with studies identifying owner (e.g., sense of responsibility), dog (e.g., health status, behaviour), social environment (e.g., sense of community) and physical environment (e.g., walkability, access to off-leash areas) factors as important barriers or facilitators of dog-walking. (8)
Public spaces such as streets, sidewalks, parks, ovals and natural areas are important destinations for dog-walkers. (9) Despite some mixed evidence, levels of dog-walking appear to be higher among owners who reside in walkable neighbourhoods (e.g., high residential density, mix of destinations and land uses, connected streets). (10,11) Dog-owners, like non-dog-owners, identify several built environment characteristics as important for influencing their walking behaviour (i.e., sidewalk quality and availability, traffic safety, and attractive public open space). (12,13) Dog-owners also report that their dog-walking behaviour is influenced by dog-specific built environment characteristics, including: the availability of waste bags, trash bins, presence of dog waste, dog-related signage, presence of natural wildlife, and availability of dog-friendly destinations. (12,13) The proximity of parks - including parks designed to support dog-specific activities, such as off-leash areas is also associated with dog-walking. (9,11,14,15) Some researchers have observed that the level of general walkability, typically found to be associated with walking for transportation and recreation, (16) is also important for dog-walking. (17) While these findings are promising, more evidence on the built environment determinants of dog-walking is needed to inform urban planning and municipal policy (including bylaws) in the Canadian context. Given that a large proportion of the population comprises dog-owners, modifying the built environment to make it more supportive of dog-walking could have a significant impact on walking and physical activity among Canadians.
