How to measure your dog

Three measurements decide whether dog clothing fits: neck, chest and back length. You need a soft tape measure (or a piece of string and a ruler), a few treats, and a dog who is standing up.

Before you start

Measure with your dog standing square on all four legs. Sitting or lying down changes every number. If they wriggle, ask someone to hold a treat at nose height.

Keep the tape snug against the body without pulling it tight. You should be able to slide two fingers underneath.

Neck

Measure around the base of the neck, where a collar naturally rests. This is lower and wider than just behind the ears.

Chest

Measure around the widest part of the ribcage, which is usually just behind the front legs. This is the most important measurement: a garment that is too small here will not fasten, and one that is too big will twist.

Back length

Measure along the spine from the base of the neck (where the collar sits) to the base of the tail (where the tail joins the body). Do not include the tail.

Choosing a size

1. Start with chest. Find the size whose chest range includes your dog's measurement.
2. Check neck and back length against the same size.
3. If the chest is between two sizes, choose the larger one.
4. If back length runs out before chest fits, the garment will sit short. That is usually fine for jumpers and less so for raincoats.

Long-coated dogs carry extra volume. Measure over the coat without flattening it.

Write it down

Keep the three numbers on your phone. They are all you need for any product on the site, and our size guide will compare them against a chart for you.