Shelter dogs, university employees, and lunchtime walks: A pilot study.

Background: Workplace walking interventions can lead to positive physical and psychological outcomes for employees. For optimal success, however, innovative approaches that appeal to employees are needed.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the physical activity levels and experiences of university staff members who walked shelter dogs during their lunch breaks.

Method: Participants walked with a dog and a partner for 30 minutes during their lunch break one day a week for four weeks. Accelerometer data was collected during participant walks and interviews conducted post-intervention.

Results: Quantitative results indicated that participants averaged 24.9±7.4 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (range 12- 37 min) during the walk. Qualitative findings suggested that the incorporation of shelter dogs into a walking intervention encouraged participants to take part in the study and continue each week.

Conclusions: Both the quantitative and qualitative data from this pilot study support the notion that including shelter dogs into a university-based walking program encouraged physical activity engagement and adherence.