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Objectives: An association between heart rate (HR) and bodyweight has been reported in dogs and it is common belief that small breeds of dog exhibit higher HR than large breeds. The first aim of this study was to test the null hypothesis that, in veterinary clinical practice, bodyweight does not affect HR measured in healthy dogs. A second objective of this investigation was to assess whether other variables, such as gender, breed morphology, age and demeanour, may have a significant effect on dog’s HR measured in a clinical setting.

Methods: The investigation was performed via two different studies: a retrospective analysis performed on 243 electrocardiogram recordings and a prospective study based on 153 standardised clinical examinations.

Results: The two separate studies did not show any significant correlation between HR and bodyweight (P=0·5705 and P=0·4682, respectively). Subject’s breed …