{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,16]],"date-time":"2026-01-16T11:56:48Z","timestamp":1768564608589,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":24,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,24]],"date-time":"2025-02-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1740355200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Vet. Sci."],"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Background<\/jats:title><jats:p>Flexible tunnels are the second most common obstacle on all dog agility courses, surpassed only by jumps. There has been a lot of debate and concern regarding risk factors associated with slips, falls and delayed exits (unseen slips, missteps, trips, falls). However, only one study was found which focused on the tunnel-related injuries, and it relied on handler reporting and did not consider base rates of the risk factors. As such, it is currently unknown which risk factors are statistically predictive of incidents. This study addresses this gap.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>Observational data from local, regional, national and international agility competitions (between June 30, 2023, to September 22, 2024) were collected from various agility organizations and countries by a team of researchers who are also judges and\/or coaches within the sport. Tunnel, equipment, competition and course attributes, ground type and conditions along with tunnel incidents (slips, falls, and delayed exits) were recorded. Correlation, regression analyses, and chi-squared tests of independence were conducted to identify the relevant factors associated with incident rates.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>The data included 563 tunnels (75.0% were incident free), with 30,418 tunnel performance observations (1.552% were incidents). The identified factors associated with incidents include tunnel characteristics (equipment specifications, shape on course), type and density of fixtures, course design (shape in design, angle of approach), ground and conditions. Their association with incident occurrence will be further detailed below.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title><jats:p>Several previously assumed risk factors were relevant; however, some were not supported, and additional new factors were identified. Implications for future research and for organizations, judges, trial hosts, and competitors are discussed.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2025.1547824","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,24]],"date-time":"2025-02-24T14:35:46Z","timestamp":1740407746000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Dog agility tunnel risks for incidents"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"Dianne P.","family":"Ford","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Kimberley L.","family":"Cullen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Kathryn","family":"Stickney","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Murray","family":"Sharman","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"John D.","family":"Cullen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,24]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1010","DOI":"10.2460\/javma.243.7.1010","article-title":"Internet-based survey of the nature and perceived causes of injury to dogs participating in agility training and competition events","volume":"243","author":"Cullen","year":"2013","journal-title":"J Am Vet Med Assoc"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1019","DOI":"10.2460\/javma.243.7.1019","article-title":"Survey-based analysis of risk factors for injury among dogs participating in agility training and competition events","volume":"243","author":"Cullen","year":"2013","journal-title":"J Am Vet Med Assoc"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e92","DOI":"10.1055\/s-0041-1735843","article-title":"Internet survey of participant demographics and risk factors for injury in competitive agility dogs","volume":"4","author":"Evanow","year":"2021","journal-title":"VCOT Open"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"227","DOI":"10.3390\/ani12030227","article-title":"Part II of finnish agility dog survey: agility-related injuries and risk factors for injury in competition-level agility dogs","volume":"12","author":"Inkil\u00e4","year":"2022","journal-title":"Animals"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"321","DOI":"10.3415\/VCOT-08-09-0089","article-title":"A preliminary retrospective survey of injuries occurring in dogs participating in canine agility","volume":"22","author":"Levy","year":"2009","journal-title":"Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1001","DOI":"10.2460\/javma.259.9.1001","article-title":"Internet-based survey of the frequency and types of orthopedic conditions and injuries experienced by dogs competing in agility","volume":"259","author":"Markley","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Am Vet Med Assoc"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1127632","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2023.1127632","article-title":"Adverse health events and recommended health research priorities in agility dogs as reported by dog owners","volume":"10","author":"Sellon","year":"2023","journal-title":"Front Vet Sci"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"75","DOI":"10.2460\/javma.252.1.75","article-title":"A survey of risk factors for digit injuries among dogs training and competing in agility events","volume":"252","author":"Sellon","year":"2018","journal-title":"J Am Vet Med Assoc"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"097","DOI":"10.1055\/s-0038-1677492","article-title":"Kinetic gait analysis of agility dogs entering the A-frame","volume":"32","author":"Appelgrein","year":"2019","journal-title":"Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"174","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tvjl.2015.02.019","article-title":"The effects of altered distances between obstacles on the jump kinematics and apparent joint angulations of large agility dogs","volume":"204","author":"Birch","year":"2015","journal-title":"Vet J"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e99","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tvjl.2013.09.041","article-title":"Effect of fence height on joint angles of agility dogs","volume":"198","author":"Birch","year":"2013","journal-title":"Vet J"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"351","DOI":"10.3920\/CEP200067","article-title":"Kinematics and kinetics of dogs completing jump and A-frame exercises","volume":"17","author":"Blake","year":"2021","journal-title":"Compar Exerc Physiol"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"142","DOI":"10.1055\/s-0039-3400484","article-title":"Carpal extension angles in agility dogs exiting the A-frame and hurdle jumps","volume":"33","author":"Castilla","year":"2020","journal-title":"Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1186\/s12917-017-0985-8","article-title":"The magnitude of muscular activation of four canine forelimb muscles in dogs performing two agility-specific tasks","volume":"13","author":"Cullen","year":"2016","journal-title":"BMC Vet Res"},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2081","DOI":"10.3390\/ani14142081","article-title":"Risk factors for injury in border collies competing in agility competitions","volume":"14","author":"Pechette Markley","year":"2024","journal-title":"Animals"},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"278","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tvjl.2010.10.008","article-title":"Kinetics of jump landing in agility dogs","volume":"190","author":"Pfau","year":"2011","journal-title":"Vet J"},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1590\/SciELOPreprints.5933","article-title":"Kinetics and kinematics of dogwalk exercise in agility dogs of different experiences","author":"de Godoy","year":"2023","journal-title":"SciELO"},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1308","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2021.761493","article-title":"Evaluation of variability in gait styles used by dogs completing weave poles in agility competition and its effect on completion of the obstacle","volume":"8","author":"Eicher","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front Vet Sci"},{"key":"ref19","volume-title":"Carpus and elbow angles of agility dogs alighting the dog walk: A comparison of any differences in the joint angles between running and stopping contact Behaviours of Agility Cocker Spaniels","author":"Stickney","year":"2023"},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1032","DOI":"10.1123\/jpah.2012-0236","article-title":"Epidemiology of injury among handlers and dogs competing in the sport of agility","volume":"11","author":"Kerr","year":"2014","journal-title":"J Phys Act Health"},{"key":"ref21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"791617","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2021.791617","article-title":"Internet survey of risk factors associated with training and competition in dogs competing in agility competitions","volume":"8","author":"Pechette Markley","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front Vet Sci"},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"869702","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2022.869702","article-title":"Internet survey evaluation of demographic risk factors for injury in canine agility athletes","volume":"9","author":"Sundby","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front Vet Sci"},{"key":"ref23","author":"Lott","year":"2023"},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"159","DOI":"10.2307\/2529310","article-title":"The measurement of observer agreement for categorical data","volume":"33","author":"Landis","year":"1977","journal-title":"Biometrics"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Veterinary Science"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fvets.2025.1547824\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,24]],"date-time":"2025-02-24T14:35:48Z","timestamp":1740407748000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fvets.2025.1547824\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,24]]},"references-count":24,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fvets.2025.1547824"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fvets.2025.1547824","relation":{},"ISSN":["2297-1769"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2297-1769","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,24]]},"article-number":"1547824"}}