title: Pet dogs and child physical activity: the role of child-dog attachment.
abstract: Dog ownership has been associated with increased physical activity in children which in turn may mitigate childhood obesity.
  
  
  
  To measure the association between child-dog attachment and child physical activity and screen time.
  
  
  
  Cross-sectional study including 370 children (ages 4-10) who had pet dogs in the home. Parents completed the DartScreen, a web-based screener, before a well-child visit. Screener domains included child body mass index (BMI), physical activity, screen time and dog-related questions. The Companion Animal Bonding Scale (CABS) was used to measure child attachment to the dog. Clinic nurses weighed and measured the children. Associations between CABS, BMI z-score, screen time and physical activity were estimated.
  
  
  
  CABS was strongly associated with time spent being active with the dog (F = 22.81, p < 0.0001), but not with BMI z-score or screen time.
  
  
  
  A higher level of child attachment to a pet dog is associated with increased child physical activity.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute, Bassett Medical Center, Cooperstown, NY, USA.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gadomski
authors.affiliation: Research Institute, Bassett Medical Center, Cooperstown, NY, USA.
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Scribani
authors.affiliation: Research Institute, Bassett Medical Center, Cooperstown, NY, USA.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Krupa
authors.affiliation: Research Institute, Bassett Medical Center, Cooperstown, NY, USA.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jenkins
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004285:Dogs; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009769:Object Attachment; D010067:Ownership; D010290:Parents; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*
keywords: Attachment; children; companion animal bonding scale; dog; human-animal interaction; physical activity