Academy · Life stages
Gait analysis for sports and working dogs
Knowing your sports or working dog’s normal gait makes it easier to interpret later changes.
Whether in agility, protection sports, search and rescue or police work, sports and working dogs face particular physical demands. This can lead to changes in movement that are not immediately noticeable during training or deployment. An objective gait analysis records selected movement parameters and makes it possible to compare a dog’s gait over a longer period. A baseline measurement while the dog is healthy is particularly valuable. It creates an individual reference against which later changes can be better interpreted.
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Why is gait analysis useful for sports and working dogs?
Sports and working dogs are physically challenged in particular ways. Repeated jumps, quick changes of direction, acceleration and longer periods of exertion place different demands on the musculoskeletal system. An objective gait analysis documents selected movement parameters and makes it possible to follow changes in gait across several measurements. A measurement taken while the dog is clinically normal is especially helpful. It serves as an individual baseline for later comparisons. This means abnormalities can be documented and, if necessary, investigated by a vet, even if no clear lameness is visible in everyday life yet.
At a glance:
- For whom? Sports dogs in agility, obedience, protection sports or draught dog sports, as well as hunting, rescue and service dogs.
- When? At the start of a training season, when movement behaviour changes, after injuries and as part of regular follow-up checks.
- Benefits: record individual baseline values, document changes in gait and monitor rehabilitation and training progression objectively.
In detail
Why is a baseline so valuable?
Every dog has an individual movement pattern. Differences between the limbs therefore do not necessarily indicate disease or injury. A gait analysis while the dog is clinically normal documents selected movement parameters and creates a personal reference. If further measurements are taken later, changes compared with this baseline can be traced. This is particularly relevant for sports and working dogs, whose physical workload changes over the course of training, the season or their working life. It is important to carry out measurements under conditions that are as comparable as possible, as gait, speed and surface can affect the results.
When is a measurement worthwhile?
An objective gait analysis can be useful at different points in time:
- Before training starts: to document the gait as a baseline while the dog is clinically normal.
- During the training season: to follow changes over longer periods.
- When performance drops: for example, if a dog refuses jumps, moves differently or tires unusually quickly.
- After injuries or surgery: to monitor how the gait develops during rehabilitation.
- Before returning to sport or duty: as a complementary examination as part of the veterinary assessment of fitness for work.
- During regular health checks: especially for dogs with high physical demands.
What changes can gait analysis reveal?
During training or deployment, sports and working dogs are often highly motivated, which can make minor changes in their movement hard to spot. In a standardised gait analysis with LupoGait, sensors are attached to the dog’s body. While the dog covers a defined distance, they record movement data from which various kinematic parameters are calculated. These include, for example, timing differences between the limbs, changes in stride frequency and (depending on the sensor configuration) certain joint angles. If measurements are taken at different times under comparable conditions, changes in gait can be documented objectively. The measurement can indicate functional abnormalities. However, it does not directly show pain or the actual ground reaction forces, and it does not replace an orthopaedic examination.
Even a dog that performs well in sport can have movement abnormalities that call for a closer examination.
Examples from practice
- Pico, a working dog in action: How can changes in gait be documented in a physically demanding working dog? The case study of Malinois Pico shows what information an objective movement analysis can provide in addition to the clinical examination.
- Dante, functional orthopaedics in a husky: Movement abnormalities are not always immediately recognisable as obvious lameness. The example of husky Dante shows why looking at functional movement patterns can be an important part of the orthopaedic examination.
Sources
Duerr FM, Pauls A, Kawcak C et al. (2017). Evaluation of inertial measurement units as a novel method for kinematic gait evaluation in dogs. Veterinary and Comparative Orthopaedics and Traumatology. DOI: 10.3415/VCOT-16-01-0012.
Altermatt M, Kalt J, Blättler P et al. (2023). Extraction of canine gait characteristics using a mobile gait analysis system based on inertial measurement units. Veterinary and Animal Science, 21, 100301.
Zink MC, Van Dyke JB (2018). Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation. 2nd edition. Wiley-Blackwell.
Millis DL, Levine D (2014). Canine Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy. 2nd edition. Elsevier.
Frequently asked questions
No. An objective gait analysis complements the sports medicine and orthopaedic examination with measurable movement parameters. It can document changes in gait, but does not provide a definitive diagnosis on its own. The results must always be assessed together with the clinical examination and, where necessary, further diagnostic procedures.
There is no universal measurement interval. A baseline measurement at the start of the training season, followed by regular follow-up checks, can be useful. Additional measurements can help when movement behaviour changes, after injuries or during rehabilitation. The frequency should depend on the dog’s individual demands and state of health.
Gait analysis cannot reliably predict or prevent injuries. However, it does make it possible to record selected movement parameters objectively and document changes across several measurements. Abnormalities can prompt a further veterinary examination and thus contribute to early investigation.
Returning to sport depends on the type of injury, the healing process and the dog’s individual capacity for exertion. Gait analysis can complement rehabilitation with objective progress data. However, the decision to return to training or competition should be based on a comprehensive veterinary assessment.
Support performance. Record changes in movement objectively.
Sports and working dogs place high demands on their musculoskeletal system. An objective gait analysis with LupoGait can help to document individual baseline values and follow changes in gait over longer periods. Whether in training, during rehabilitation or as part of regular health checks, repeated measurements provide additional information for a better assessment of movement development and functional changes.