College
Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences
Date of Last Revision
2026-01-06 09:32:49
Major
Biomedical Science
Honors Course
BIOL 499-001
Number of Credits
2
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science
Date of Expected Graduation
Winter 2025
Abstract
Agility dogs rely on speed, strength, and precision to safely complete obstacles, such as the A-frame. These athletes can experience injuries in training or competition and the variability in multiple repetitions is undocumented. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether canine mass and trained contact behavior affected performance variables, including number of footfalls, obstacle completion time, and velocity between repetitions. Twenty-one actively competing dogs, at the masters level in American Kennel Club agility, were recorded completing two repetitions of the A-frame under standardized conditions. Paw placements were tracked manually frame by frame in XMALab and statistical analyses including mixed effect models and linear mixed models were performed in RStudio. Tukey post hoc tests from mixed effects models revealed no significant difference in the total number of footfalls (p = 0.8517), obstacle time (p = 0.0824), or velocity (p = 0.1064) between repetitions. Linear models demonstrated weak associations between mass and each performance variable across repetitions. Qualitative analysis of paw placement patterns were visualized through positional and duty factor (e.g., contact durations) graphs and demonstrated behavioral distinctions in dog performance including contact behavior. These findings suggest that A-frame performance may be more influenced by individual training, consistency, and coordination between dogs and handlers than by mass or contact strategy, as individuals showed stereotyped repetitions of the same obstacle. This research contributes to a growing understanding of canine biomechanics and highlights the importance of factors that are based in training to promote safety and reduce injury in canine athletes.
Research Sponsor
Dr. Rachel Olson
First Reader
Dr. Richard Londraville
Second Reader
Dr. Brian Bagatto
Honors Faculty Advisor
Dr. Brian Bagatto
Proprietary and/or Confidential Information
No
Recommended Citation
Wheeler, Derek, "Canine Agility on the A-Frame Obstacle" (2025). Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects. 2087.
https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/honors_research_projects/2087
Included in
Animal Studies Commons, Biomechanics Commons, Exercise Physiology Commons, Exercise Science Commons