To measure your dog for a dress, take three numbers: the chest at its deepest point, the neck where it meets the shoulders, and the back length from the base of the neck to the base of the tail. The chest matters most, so if you only get one good measurement, make it that one.
It takes five minutes and a dog who'll stand still for a treat. Here's how to do each one, and how to use the numbers once you have them. You'll need:
- A soft tailor's tape. A phone charger cable or a piece of string and a ruler works too.
- A handful of small treats.
- Somewhere to write the numbers down.
- A second person, if your dog is a wriggler.
Measure your dog standing up on all four feet, head level. A sitting or lying dog bunches up, and you'll get a chest number that's too big and a back number that's too short.
If your dog has a thick coat, keep the tape snug enough to press into the fur. A dress sits on the coat, but a tape that floats on top of it will make your dog look a size bigger than they are.
How do you measure your dog's chest for a dress?
The chest is the number that decides whether a dress fits at all. Too tight and it pulls across the ribs. Too loose and it twists and slides off one shoulder.
- Find the deepest part of the chest. That's usually just behind the front legs, where the ribcage is widest.
- Wrap the tape all the way around, over the back and under the belly.
- Keep it level, not angled toward the front legs.
- Read the number where the tape meets itself.
Do it twice. If the two readings disagree by more than half an inch, do a third and use the middle one.
Deep-chested dogs, like greyhounds, boxers and many shepherd mixes, often have a chest that's much bigger than their size suggests. Trust the tape over the breed.
How do you measure your dog's neck for a dress?
Not where the collar goes. A collar sits high, just behind the ears. A dress neckline sits lower, at the base of the neck where it widens into the shoulders.
Wrap the tape around that lower spot and read it. It will be bigger than your dog's collar measurement, sometimes by a couple of inches on a stocky dog. That's normal.
The neck number mostly tells you whether the dress will go over your dog's head comfortably and sit flat once it's on. A dog with a big chest and a slim neck needs the chest to lead the size. A dog with a thick neck and shoulders, like a bulldog, needs the neck checked just as carefully.
How do you measure your dog's length for a dress?
Back length is the measurement most people skip, and it's the one that decides how the dress looks.
- Find the base of the neck, the same spot you measured the neck.
- Run the tape along the spine to the base of the tail, where the tail meets the body.
- Keep the tape flat along the back, not draped down the side.
A dress that's too long rides up over the tail and gets in the way when your dog squats. One that's too short looks like a crop top, which is a look, but not usually the one you were after.
A quick note for boy dogs: check where the belly edge of the dress falls once it's on, and make sure it stays clear when he lifts a leg. If you're not sure, send us the numbers and say so.
When should you size up on a dog dress?
Size by the chest first. Then use the neck and length to break a tie.
Size up when:
- The chest lands between two sizes. A slightly roomy dress is comfortable. A tight one isn't.
- Your dog has a thick or double coat. The coat takes up room under the fabric, especially in winter.
- Your dog is still growing. A puppy will fill out the chest before anything else.
- Your dog has a deep chest. That chest number usually needs the bigger size even when the length says smaller.
Stay with the smaller size when the chest fits comfortably and the bigger size would leave the back length well past the tail.
Our dresses come in XS through XL. We don't publish a separate dress chart on the site yet, so the easiest thing is to send us your dog's chest, neck and length along with their breed and weight, and we'll help you pick a size. If none of them fit, the custom order form is there for a made-to-measure dress.
How should a dog dress fit once it's on?
Do a quick check the first time your dog wears it:
- You can slide two fingers under the fabric at the chest without stretching it.
- The neckline lies flat and doesn't pull when your dog lowers their head.
- Your dog can walk, sit and lie down without the dress riding up.
- The fabric doesn't sit tight behind the front legs, which is where rubbing starts.
Let your dog wear it for short spells at first, with treats, before a long day out. Our Purple Floral dog dress is machine washable and hangs to dry, so a muddy first outing isn't the end of the world.
Ready to pick one? Take your three numbers, have a look through our dog apparel, and send us the measurements if you'd like a second opinion.
FAQ
What's the most important measurement for a dog dress?
The chest. Measure around the deepest part of the ribcage, just behind the front legs, with your dog standing. If the chest fits, the rest is usually a matter of adjusting length.
Is a dog's dress size the same as their collar size?
No. A collar is sized by the neck just behind the ears, and a dress is sized by the chest and the lower neck. A dog in a Small collar can easily need a Medium dress, especially if they're deep-chested.
What if my dog is between two dress sizes?
Go with the bigger size, particularly for a fluffy coat or a growing puppy. If the bigger size would be far too long, send us all three measurements and we'll help you decide.
Find a print your dog will look great in among our dog dresses and apparel.