Physical activity behavior of dog owners: development and reliability of the Dogs and Physical Activity (DAPA) tool.

Background: This study aimed to develop a reliable instrument, the Dogs and Physical Activity (DAPA) tool, for measuring important attributes and scales relating to the dog-walking behavior of dog owners.

Methods: Items measuring dog-specific individual, social environmental, physical environmental, and policy-related factors that affect dog owners' walking with their dogs were assessed for test-retest reliability. Factor analysis was undertaken to demonstrate that the collection of test items had underlying constructs consistent with the theoretical framework.

Results: DAPA-tool items had test-retest reliability scores >.7, indicating a high level of stability. Distinct general and dog-specific constructs of subscales measuring dog-supportive features of parks, barriers to dog walking, and behavioral beliefs about the outcomes of regular dog walking were demonstrated through factor analysis.

Conclusions: The DAPA tool is the first comprehensive, reliable tool for measuring important attributes and scales relating to dog owners' physical activity and the context-specific factors that affect owners' walking with their dogs.