Effects of a 6-week home-based fitness exercise program on brachial and thigh circumferences and body weight in dogs: a pilot study

Recently, dog owners have shown increasing interest in canine health and physical conditioning. However, studies on the effects of indoor physical activity using exercise rolls are limited. The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate the effects of a 6-week home-based fitness exercise (HFE) program on brachial and thigh circumferences and body weight in companion dogs. Although initially designed as a randomized trial, nonrandom attrition in the control group compromised the original allocation structure. Therefore, this study was conducted as a pilot prospective exploratory study, and the results should be interpreted with caution. Fourteen dogs were initially enrolled, of which 12 completed the study (exercise group, n = 7; non-exercise group, n = 5). Dogs in the exercise group participated in the HFE program 4 times per week, focusing on strength, stability, and balance through exercises such as hindlimb/forelimb planks, super stands, and squats using an exercise roll. In the exercise group, brachial and thigh circumferences significantly increased (brachial: from 9.2 ± 0.7 to 9.9 ± 1.2 cm, p < 0.05; thigh: from 14.2 ± 2.1 to 15.3 ± 2.7 cm, p < 0.05), whereas body weights remained stable. These findings suggest that a structured HFE program may contribute to increased limb circumference, potentially reflecting improvement in muscle-related parameters without altering body weight. HFE programs have the potential to improve canine musculoskeletal health, though adequately powered randomized controlled trials are essential to confirm these effects.