How to Measure Your Dog

Almost every fit complaint in dog apparel traces back to a tape measure that was never picked up. Three measurements, taken once and taken properly, will outlast any size chart.

Chest girth

The number that matters most. Measure all the way around the widest part of the ribcage, just behind the front legs, with your dog standing rather than sitting. Keep the tape snug against the coat but not compressing it.

Back length

From the base of the collar, where the neck meets the shoulders, to the base of the tail. This decides whether a coat sits correctly or bunches at the hips.

Neck

Around the base of the neck, where a collar naturally sits. Two fingers should slide comfortably between the tape and the coat. That is the same two-finger rule you use to check a collar is neither loose nor tight.

When you are between sizes

Take the larger one. A garment that is marginally generous can be worn; one that is marginally tight cannot, and a dog that dislikes the first coat it wears will resist the next one.