Psychosocial and environmental correlates of dog walking

Dog ownership and dog walking are associated with higher levels of physical activity. Identifying key correlates of dog walking is crucial to designing interventions to promote this behavior. The purpose of this study was to examine psychosocial and environmental correlates of dog walking.

In 2010, 429 dog owners completed a survey on dog walking. Among those reporting dog walking (n=312; mean age 42.4±12.4), structural equation modeling was used to examine correlates of weekly minutes of dog walking. Goodness-of-fit indices (RMSEA ≤ .08, CFI ≥ .90) and squared multiple correlation (R2) were used to examine the fit and effectiveness of the model in explaining the observed variance in dog walking.

Results indicated a good fit of the hypothesized constructs with the data. The model explained 39% of the variance of dog walking. Dog walking self-efficacy had the strongest relationship with dog walking. Self-efficacy mediated the relationships between family, friend, and dog social support with dog walking. Dog and friend support were also directly related to dog walking. Neighborhood environment, such as greenery, trails, and sidewalks, were positively associated with dog walking. Perceived night-time crime had a negative association. Overweight/obesity was negatively associated with dog walking and self-efficacy. All relationships were significant at p<0.05.

The results of this study suggest that social support is associated with dog walking and is mediated by dog walking self-efficacy. Dog walking interventions should include strategies that target dog walking self-efficacy, social support, and the neighborhood environment. Interventions should also address unique needs of overweight dog owners.