Measuring your dog, the right way

Weight tells you nothing about build. Two 12 kg dogs can differ by ten centimetres in chest girth. That is why our size guides talk in centimetres, never in kilos.

What you need

A soft dressmaker's tape measure. If you don't have one, a piece of string and a ruler work perfectly: wrap, mark, then measure the string laid flat.

Measure your dog standing, calm, on all four paws. A sitting dog skews every measurement.

The three measurements that count

1. Neck circumference

Place the tape at the base of the neck, where a collar naturally sits, just above the shoulders. Not too high, or you will be measuring the throat and the collar will ride up behind the ears.

2. Chest girth

This is the decisive measurement for a harness. Wrap the tape around the chest at its widest point, just behind the front legs. It is often 3 to 4 cm further back than you think.

3. Back length

From the withers (the bump between the shoulder blades) to the base of the tail. Useful for jumpers, puffer jackets and raincoats.

The two-finger rule

Once the accessory is on, you should be able to slide two fingers flat between the strap and the body. If one finger barely fits, it is too tight. If your whole hand fits, your dog will slip out of it.

Between two sizes?

Go for the larger one, unless your dog is a very slim adult whose measurement falls right at the bottom of the range. Our harnesses adjust at several points: better to tighten a size up than force a size down.

For a puppy, don't size up ‘so it can grow into it’ either: a harness that is too big slips, and they will learn to wriggle out of it. Measure again every two months until their first birthday.

Not sure?

E-mail us your three measurements and your dog's breed, and we will tell you the size. And if you are passing through Avignon, bring your dog along: trying it on in the boutique is still the simplest way.

See the essentials