Force plate analysis assesses gait symmetry and limb loading. However, as previously described, individual and breed variability (body size and conformation) is related to breeding, body conformation, and size. This prospective study aimed to evaluate the influence of morphometric measures on the speed (V), peak of vertical force (PVF), vertical impulse (VI), and stance time (ST) in healthy dolichomorph and mesomorph dogs and their combined effect on and interactions with V, PVF, VI, and ST in the same morphological types. Fifty dogs were enrolled in the current study, and specific morphometric measurements were recorded for each dog. A force platform was used to record the ground reaction forces (GFRs), including PVF and VI. Multiple linear regression models were used for the study purposes. According to our results, GFRs are influenced by morphometric measures (body weight, withers height, and speed) not so much as a single contribution, but by the interaction between them. It is not possible to compare GFRs in dogs that do not belong to the same breed. However, the subjective variabilities make this comparison difficult and poorly reliable. According to the author, the comparison should be made between canine morphological types rather than breeds.
Keywords: GFRS; dog; dolichomorph; mesomorph; peak vertical force; stance time; trunk length; vertical impulse; withers height.