The most common reason for returns of dog clothing is not the colour and not the quality. It is the size. And measuring properly takes two minutes. Here is how.
You need two measurements
1. The back length. From the base of the neck (where the collar sits) to the base of the tail. Your dog should be standing, as well as that works out. This is the most important measurement and the one almost all size charts are sorted by.
2. The chest girth. All the way around at the widest point behind the front legs; with long-haired dogs press the coat down slightly. Two fingers should fit under the tape measure.
The three rules
- Between two sizes? Take the larger one. Too tight chafes and gets refused; a little too roomy rarely bothers anyone.
- Chest girth beats back length. If only one of the two fits the chart, go by the chest. A coat may be shorter, but it must never constrict.
- Special case, dachshunds and friends: long dogs with short legs do not need a “bigger size”, they need a different cut. That is why we list dachshund models separately — a normal coat in “long” just slips.
One honest note
For each of our items the size chart in centimetres is shown right with the product, as soon as we have measured that model ourselves. If it is not there yet, the model is currently being sample-checked. We only put up measurements we have taken ourselves.
And then: have a look at the coats and jackets, put your measurements next to them, done.