FitBark for research
We make clinical studies cloud-based, affordable and easy to manage.
🐱💻 Summary
FitBark has been adopted by over 150 research institutions and vet schools in all continents to validate new drugs, products, surgeries and treatments related to mobility, anxious behaviors and skin conditions. Common applications include osteoarthritis, nutrition, weight management, pain management, ACL and other orthopedic surgeries, rehabilitation, sleep disorders, skin disorders, circadian rhythmicity etc.
Background
Many validation studies for new pet treatment plans do not include accelerometer-based measurements. Rather, they are based on subjective activity metrics, or otherwise lab-based activity measurement (rather than in free-living conditions). For example, a new stem cell orthopedic treatment might include a survey where a pet owner is asked “from a scale of 1 to 5, how did the activity of your pet change 1, 4 or 8 weeks after starting the treatment”? The main reason why we do things this way is that accelerometer-based studies have been historically expensive and difficult to manage.
We have been using FitBark to to manage dogs with generalized anxiety along with a nutraceutical diet (Forza10 Behavioral or Armonia) and a correct therapy. We are delighted with the quality of FitBark's data and how easy it is to access the information we need to run our studies.
FitBark benefits
Here’s how our cloud-based platform compares with state-of-the-art technology.
State-of-the-art
FitBark
Activity monitor designed for
Humans
Companion animals
Cost of each monitor
100's of $
< $70
Cost of desktop-based software
1,000's of $
Free mobile, web and data storage
Cost of inventory management
Meaningful
Device may be gifted or drop shipped
Cost to setup the device
Meaningful
User sets up the device
Cost to create a study-specific control group
Meaningful
Might not be necessary if similar pets exist
Data visibility during collection process
None
Data is remotely pushed to the server
Data consolidation across study locations
Challenging
Data is immediately consolidated online
Potential loss of data offline
Meaningful
AWS 24/7 backup
Data export for advanced analysis
Manual
Cloud API, .csv export
Data integration with 3rd party software
Manual
Cloud API feeds directly 3rd-party apps
The study shows that “healthier together” is more than just a slogan, as dog and human activity go hand in hand. Activity trackers such as FitBark may increase the depth of our understanding of what motivates people to increase their activity not only for their own good, but for that of their pets as well.
Case Studies & Select News
How FitBark is Helping Canadian Vets Improve Quality of Life for Pugs and Bulldogs
Read how Canadian researchers are using FitBark to transform care and give pets a better quality of life.
Nov 15, 2025
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2min read
What Tunes Relax Your Pup the Most?
When you think of relaxing music, what's the first thing that comes to mind? Is it classical? We've been told time and time again, that classical...
Mar 14, 2023
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2min read
How Different are Fido and Rover's Learning abilities?
The study investigated cognitive differences between different dog breeds, including learning ability, memory, problem-solving, social cognition, and...
Dec 30, 2022
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3min read
Researchers Have Discovered Exactly How Your Cat Likes To Be Fed
Do you have a puzzle feeder or another reward based feeding system for your dog and have wondered if your cat may like the same set up? Well, think...
Jul 27, 2021
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3min read
Evaluation of the FitBark Activity Monitor for Measuring Physical Activity in Dogs
Accelerometers track changes in physical activity which can indicate health and welfare concerns in dogs. The FitBark 2 (FitBark) is an accelerometer...
Mar 11, 2021
·
2min read
FitBark and Elanco team up to promote pet health and well-being
We are thrilled to announce our collaboration with Elanco, a global leader focused on developing and marketing innovative solutions that enhance...
Oct 24, 2019
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4min read
University of Haifa taps FitBark to show that dog health monitors motivate humans to be more active
LOG MY DOG: PERCEIVED IMPACT OF DOG ACTIVITY TRACKING Abstract: The pet industry is catching up in the wearables market, and pet activity and...
Sep 26, 2019
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3min read
FitBark and Fitbit team up to get dogs and their humans healthy together
We’re thrilled to announce our partnership with Fitbit. Together, we aim to inspire humans to be more active with their pets, generating better...
Dec 17, 2018
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3min read
University of Cambridge pioneers telemetry in orthopedic research with FitBark's activity monitor
Researchers at the University of Cambridge completed a One Healthy study that has the potential to improve outcomes in treatment of a wide range of...
Oct 31, 2017
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3min read
Mayo Clinic uses FitBark's activity monitors to show that dogs are good sleep companions
Great news for those who can’t bear to be apart from their pooches: allowing Fido to sleep in your room can actually give you a better night’s sleep!...
Sep 11, 2017
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3min read
University of Sassari taps FitBark to validate a nutraceutical diet that improves dog behavior
A recent study completed by five Italian researchers confirms that a diet with a high nutraceutical value, developed and marketed by Forza10, may...
Mar 1, 2017
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3min read
Mayo Clinic studies powered by FitBark data reveal the effect of dogs on human sleep
The background is a series of popular sleep studies A while back Dr. Lois Krahn, a sleep medicine specialist at the Mayo Clinic Center for Sleep...
Oct 24, 2016
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5min read
Q&A with Dr. Rebecca Johnson, Director of the Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction at Missouri University
The FitBark team recently got a chance to chat with Dr. Rebecca Johnson. Dr. Johnson is a founder and director of the Research Center for...
Sep 28, 2014
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6min read
Who's The Top Dog In Your Country?
Brought to you from our furry friends at at Klooff.
May 21, 2014
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2min read
