DOG APPAREL & FOOTWEAR · WHOLESALE / PRIVATE LABEL
PETNORVAPETWEAR · 新宠

Guide · updated 27 September 2026

How to measure dogs for apparel and footwear

Size labels such as S, M or XL mean different things at different factories. Measurements do not. Use this guide to build a size chart for your range and to brief us precisely.

Measuring for apparel

Dog apparel measurementsA schematic side-view dog marks neck girth, chest girth behind the front legs, and back length from base of neck to base of tail. This is not a garment size chart.Back lengthChest girthNeck girthMeasure the widest partof the ribcage, behindthe front legs.
Start with the dog’s body measurements. Confirm garment ease and finished measurements on the sample.
  1. Neck girth: around the base of the neck where a collar sits. Add about two fingers of ease.
  2. Chest girth: around the widest part of the ribcage, just behind the front legs. This is the most important apparel measurement.
  3. Back length: from the base of the neck to the base of the tail, along the spine.
  4. Leg openings and belly: for four-leg styles, measure front-leg spacing and the belly length for male dogs.
  5. Weight: useful as a cross-check, never as the only sizing input.

Measure with a soft tape while the dog stands square. Record centimetres. When a dog falls between sizes, choose by chest girth first and back length second.

Measuring for footwear

Paw width and lengthMeasure a weight-bearing paw on paper, across the widest points and from longest nail tip to back of main pad. Use the product-specific inner-size chart, not this illustration as a scale.WidthLength1. Weight on the paw.2. Mark the widest points.3. Measure width and length.4. Check front and rear paws.
Illustrative only—not a size chart. Record millimetres and match the approved product’s inner measurements.
  1. Stand the dog on paper with its weight on the paw being measured.
  2. Mark the widest points on each side, the tip of the longest nail and the back of the main pad.
  3. Measure paw width and paw length in millimetres. Front paws are usually larger than rear paws.
  4. Choose a size whose inner width is equal to or slightly larger than paw width.

Weight bands on supplier listings, for example “S for 0.5 to 2 kg”, are a rough starting point. Chinese listings often give weight in jin: 1 jin equals 0.5 kg.

Body types that need a pattern check

If your customers skew towards one body type, say so in your brief so the base pattern can be adjusted before sampling.

Building the size chart you publish

For each size, list chest girth range, back length and neck girth for apparel, or paw width and length for footwear. Use finished measurements from approved samples, not from a listing. Publish the same chart on hangtags, product pages and marketplace listings to reduce returns.

What to include in your brief

Prepare a brief with sizing details