Ergonomic measurements of dogs with different positions

Objective: All dog breeds possess distinct morphological traits regarding body measurements. This study was aimed to share the morphometric data of dogs in different positions and stances which could be used by the pet practitioners and trainers. This could also help in the development of dog-specific ergonomic objects in the pet care industry and veterinary medicine. Material and Methods: In this study, dogs of 37 different breeds were taken. A dog was photographed nine times. The photographs were taken in the standing, sitting, lying down postures, from the sidewise, frontside and backside. In addition, direct descriptive measurements and body weights of the dogs were taken. Morphometric measurements were taken on the photographs with ImageJ program. Results: The morphometric measurements taken from the animals were categorized into two groups. Firstly, they were presented according to the breed and, secondly, according to the body sizes (small, medium, and large). It has been determined that the same morphometric measurements in general show differences in different positions of the animals. Conclusions: In conclusion, as special equipment designs for dogs (like enclosures, portable boxes, beds, medical equipment, etc.) are directly related not only to live weight and breed characteristics but also to body size and shape. Therefore, for their design, the postures of the animals and the conformational features to be obtained by morphometric evaluations from different parts of the body should be considered.