This study provides a rare observation of the relationship between
dog walking and children's independent mobility in an otherwise
scant empirical literature. Children who walked their dog had greater
independent mobility compared with non-dog walkers. The mean difference
in the Independent Mobility Index score (Villanueva et al.,
2012b, 2013) between dog walkers and non-dog walkers appeared
small (0.5), however this is a significant effect when we consider that
for all children in the TREK study (regardless of dog ownership status),
the mean score was 1.57. Thus a mean difference in the Independent
Mobility Index score of approximately 0.5 represents 30% more independent
mobility in dog walkers compared with non-dog walkers.
These findings suggest that dog walking provides children with opportunities
to develop or increase their independentmobility. Parents may
be more likely to allow their child to walk on their own if they are accompanied
by the family dog. Thus, independent walking with a dog
may be a mechanism through which children can develop a greater