How to Measure a Dog’s Clothes

You must have seen a shirt for your dog and wondered what that shirt would do for it. In addition to helping the dog to dress, the shirt also works against wind, cold air and water, especially for short-haired dogs that do not have a lot of body fat. In addition, the shirt also keeps the dog safe, helps reflect so you can more easily see it at night, or helps protect the incision on the dog’s body after surgery. Because there are now all kinds of shirt sizes and different dog breeds, you need to know how to measure your shirt correctly and choose the right shirt so that it doesn’t tighten your dog.

Table of Contents

Take the dog’s measurements

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Prepare the necessary things. Since you have to measure your dog’s chest and length, you’ll need a tape measure, pencil, and notepad. It will be easier to take measurements when you ask someone to hold the dog.

You can reward your dog with treats to encourage him to stay still.

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Locate your dog’s chest measurement. Help the dog stand up to measure the rib cage (chest measurement). The widest part of the chest should be measured just behind the dog’s elbow.

Have a friend hold the food directly above the dog’s nose. Here’s how to get your dog to stand as tall as possible.

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Measure your dog’s chest. Place one end of the tape measure on the dog’s spine just behind the shoulder. Pull the other end of the tape measure down until the bottom of the ribcage. Pull the tape measure one round and then bring it up to the correct starting position. Make sure the tape measure is snug but not tight against the dog’s skin. ^{[1] X Research Source}

The widest position of the ribcage is located just behind the front legs and behind the elbows. This part is similar to the elbow that is resting on a person’s desk.

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Record measurements. After using the tape measure around your dog’s chest, you need to record the measurements. This is the measurement that is visible when the two ends of the tape measure touch each other.

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Locate your dog’s length measurement. Help the dog to stand upright to measure the length of the dog’s body from the back of the neck to the tip of the tail.

You may need to have a dog feeder to encourage him to stay upright.

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Measure the length of the dog. Place one end of the tape measure at the back of your neck close to your shoulder (neck). Extend the other end the length of the spine to the tip of the tail. ^{[2] X Research Source}

If you don’t know the exact position above, you need to figure out where the dog’s collar will be and measure from there to the tip of the tail. This will be the length of the shirt you want to buy.

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Record measurements. After you have stretched the ruler along the dog’s spine, you need to record the number you see at the part of the ruler that touches the top of the dog’s tail. This is the dog’s length measurement.

Choose the right shirt size

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Choose the right material. You should know the reason for buying a shirt: to help your dog feel warm, dry, or dress up. Example: If you’re looking for a shirt that keeps your dog warm, you should buy a sweater, cotton, or acrylic. If you want your dog to stay dry at all times, you should choose a shirt made of water-resistant material that prevents moisture from clinging to the dog’s skin. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

If you’re buying a dog coat just for the sake of showing off, you should double-check the location of any zippers, buttons, or laces that could come off or injure your dog. Don’t jeopardize your dog’s safety just because of trendy clothes.

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Compare measurements and shirt sizes. Once you’ve found a shirt you like, look at the appropriate size section on the shirt’s packaging. You will see a series of measurements corresponding to the appropriate size. Check that the size is right for your dog’s bust and length measurements. Some shirts even have a size chart that is suitable for each breed of dog. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Since each dog has unique characteristics, the actual measurement will be much more accurate than the general measurement for each dog breed. Example: If you have an unusually large Border Cplie, you should choose a small Labrador coat instead of the standard Border Cplie size.

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Think about how well you want the shirt to fit. If your dog’s size falls between the standard sizes, you’ll need to choose a smaller or larger size. If you’re just buying a nice shirt, you should choose a small size and loosen the laces. If you want to protect your dog from inclement weather, choose a larger size so that the leash can be tightened. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

As a rule of thumb, if the dog is large, short, and stout, like a Staffie, choose a large size. If the dog is slim like a Whippet dog, it is advisable to choose a small size.
If your dog has short legs, you may need to choose a smaller size so that the shirt doesn’t drag on the floor. You may even have to find a shirt designed specifically for short dogs with a long torso so that the shirt does not touch the floor.

Advice

When measuring dog clothes, a fabric tape measure is the easiest to use because it is easy to stretch to the desired size and can be wrapped around the dog’s body.

Steps

Take the dog’s measurements

Choose the right shirt size

Advice

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