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How do I film a gait analysis?
The end goal is to have a view with the dog's right side facing the camera, left side facing the camera, the dog moving towards the camera and away from the camera. You'll need to record a walk and trot.
Sample walk gait analysis video with Echo: https://youtu.be/P9Pg6sqYdZA
Sample trot gait analysis video with Echo: https://youtu.be/eiCXk_kI2YI
Let's break it down!
Where's the best place to video?
You want to use a large open space to film gait videos. Using a confined space or moving your dog towards a wall will shorten their stride. We want the dog moving as natural as possible.
Make sure you have a flat, non-slip surface. Empty tennis courts are great places to record, if you don't have access to a training building. (Pro tip: Use the painted lines on tennis courts as a guide to walk in a straight line.)
Be mindful of pavement temps on hot days.
Grass is not an ideal surface. It's distracting to the dog and it's difficult to see foot placement, especially in smaller breeds. We also want the dog's head neutral, not sniffing.
Hardwood floors or other slick surfaces are not ideal. The dog will adjust their gait to avoid slipping.
What to wear?
Human: Make sure your clothing is not flowy or interfering with your dog's movement. A comfy T-shirt and jeans or leggings are perfect. Avoid flowy and billowing clothing and jackets if possible.
If you can video safely, such as indoors or in a fenced area, you can video your dog off leash. If you need to use a leash, it must be LOOSE. Tight leashes interfere with movement.
You can use a treat for your dress rehearsal, to show the dog they should be next to you. You CAN'T use a treat for the final take. We want the dog looking forward as they walk and trot, not at your hand.
Pup: If you can't video off leash, your pup needs a collar that does not interfere with their movement. A flat buckle or martingale collar is best. Your dog should NOT have a self-correcting collar, such as a pinch/prong collar, harness, bandana, slip leash, show lead or e-collar when recording. Harnesses and bandanas can restrict movement and make it difficult to view the dog's shoulder. Slip leashes and show leads are too tight for analysis videos because they interfere with the dog's natural head and neck movement. E-collars are poor choices because we can't tell if your dog is responding to a correction or something else. All this equipment has a place and a use, but may affect the dog's movement or body language, so we want to avoid it when looking at how the dog moves naturally.
In short, if it restricts or interferes with movement, don't record the video when wearing it.
What camera angle do I use?
The camera needs to be at the level of the dog's withers, or the top of your dog's shoulder. For a 12" dog, your camera will need to be approximately 12" off the ground. The camera should be as level as possible. Tripods and friends with steady hands are really helpful.
Set up the camera far enough away from the dog to see 8-12 strides. Larger dogs will need more distance from the camera. Smaller dogs you can set the camera closer. If your camera is too close, there's not enough strides to see how your pup moves. Too far away and we can't see how or where your pup's paws are landing.
We need to see the whole dog. Toes to nose and head to tail. Be aware of your field of view when you set up or crop your video.
You've found the perfect venue and wardrobe for you and your pup. Now what?
ACTION!
Record your dog walking with one side facing the camera, then the other side. Try to move at a consistent walk speed. Use a metronome or play a song to help you stay at the same pace. Your dog's head should be neutral and facing forward, not looking up at you (remember the treats and collars section above). If you are using a leash, your leash needs to be loose. This may take several tries for you and your dog to figure out the correct speed.
When you have your side views, record your dog walking towards the camera, then away from it.
Take Two!
Did you get your walk video? Great!!
Record the same views with your dog in a trot! Try to move at a consistent trot speed, with the dog's head neutral, facing forward, and the leash loose.
One side facing the camera, the other side facing the camera, towards and away from the camera.
Now what?
Keep the parts of the video where your dog was walking at the most consistent speed, the most time looking forward and the leash loose. Combine all your clips and upload them to a video storage platform. How to do this will depend on your video editing software and what video library you use. It doesn't need to be perfect.
If you don't want me to analyze your pup's gaits, I strongly recommend recording a gait analysis video anyway, just for you to have. Label it with the date and the dog's name, especially if you have multiple dogs of the same breed.
*Freeze frame capability is really helpful. Double check the video storage library (Dropbox, Google Videos, YouTube) to make sure you can freeze frame your videos before you upload them. Some platforms will reformat your video for faster upload speeds and remove freeze frame capability.
Recording a gait analysis video is free.
Why record a gait analysis?
Baseline gait analysis videos are great things to have, even if you don't send them in for evaluation.
If your pup is ever injured, your vet or rehab vet can use your video as a baseline before the injury. This is really helpful information for them, you, and your dog, because it helps them see normal movement prior to injury.
It also helps you train your eye and look for subtle signs of injury in your dog. If you know what is normal for your dog, you will know what is not normal for your dog. If you think your dog is "off" record a gait analysis video and compare it to your baseline. You know your dog better than anyone and you may be on to something. Telling your vet "My dog has a decreased stride in the right front leg, and it wasn't there 6 months ago" is much better than "My dog is walking funny."
Gait videos are a great tool to measure your progress in a conditioning program too. You can record before and after videos and see how much your Paragon Pup improves!
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