Celebrating the Breakthroughs Shaping the Future of Canine Health. Meet the 2025 Canine Health Discovery Award Finalists.

1 min read Grant Period: February 1, 2026 - January 31, 2028 Active Grant

03539: AGILE (AGility Innovations Leveraging Electronics) – Development of a Wearable System for Monitoring Workload and Early Injury Detection in Canine Agility Athletes

Canine agility is a fast and physically demanding sport, and injuries affect up to 42% of participating dogs. These injuries can lead to long recovery periods, early retirement, and lasting health consequences. Currently, there is no technology to measure the physical demands on agility dogs or to detect early warning signs before injury occurs. This project addresses that gap by developing AGILE, a wearable sensor system paired with a smartphone app, to track training activity, measure workload, and identify abnormal movement patterns or performance changes. Handlers and veterinarians will receive easy-to-use reports and alerts, helping them recognize potential injury risks earlier and adjust training accordingly. Although focused on agility dogs, this technology has the potential to benefit all sporting, working, and even companion dogs by supporting better health, preventing injuries, and extending their active, healthy years.