title: Determination and application of cut points for accelerometer-based activity counts of activities with differing intensity in pet dogs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether an accelerometer-based activity monitor could be used in pet dogs to differentiate among and delineate the amount of time spent in activities of differing intensity.
  
  
  METHODS
  104 dogs.
  
  
  METHODS
  For the first phase of the study, each dog (n = 104) wore an accelerometer-based activity monitor and was led through a series of standard activities (recumbency [sedentary], walking, and trotting). Receiver operating characteristic curves were generated to determine the optimal activity counts for predicting whether a dog was sedentary, walking, or trotting. For the second phase of the study, dogs (n = 99) wore an activity monitor on their collars continuously for 14 days at home; intensity of activity for each dog was classified by use of cut points determined on the basis of results obtained during the first phase of the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis of receiver operating characteristic curves indicated that there was 100% specificity and 100% sensitivity in distinguishing sedentary activity from walking activity and 92% specificity and 92% sensitivity in distinguishing trotting activity from walking activity. Analysis of data collected during the 14-day period at home indicated that dogs were sedentary most of the time (median, 87%; range, 65% to 95%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Counts recorded by an accelerometer-based activity monitor could be used to discriminate effectively among standardized activities in pet dogs. There is potential for use of the method to improve the ability of clinicians and researchers to accurately estimate a pet dog's daily energy requirement.
authors: Department of Clinical Studies-Philadelphia, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. michel@vet.upenn.edu
authors: Kathryn E
authors: KE
authors: Michel
authors: Dorothy Cimino
authors: DC
authors: Brown
mesh_terms: D000054:Acceleration; D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs / Q000502:physiology*; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000295:instrumentation*; D009043:Motor Activity; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity