Walking the dog: Independent mobility's best friend?

Background: Children's independent mobility (CIM) may facilitate physical activity participation. It is important to examine the correlates of CIM to inform future research and interventions. Dog ownership is positively associated with children's physical activity, but few studies have examined the association between dog ownership and CIM. This study examined this relationship in grade 4,5,6 children in Vancouver, BC. Methods: Data came from the Active Transportation and Independent Mobility (ATIM) study. Parents (N = 751) reported their children's CIM, dog ownership, demographics, and their perceptions of the social environment. Linear mixed effects models were conducted assigning school as a random effect. Results: Child mean age was 10.1±0.9 years, 55% were girls, and 23.3% of families reported having a dog. Below child grade in school (?=.682, p