If you’re planning to dress your pet up for Halloween, snuggle them up in a fleecy coat during the winter months, or dress them as Cupid on Valentine’s Day, you’ll need to know how to properly fit your pet for clothes!
Coats, shirts, sweatshirts, and costumes are often sold in sizes that mimic human sizes — from extra small to double or triple extra large. The pet size descriptions are usually paired with a measurement in inches. As a general rule of thumb:
- Extra Small: approximately eight inches from the base of the neck to the base of the tail.
- Small: between ten and twelve inches from the base of the neck to the base of the tail
- Medium: between fourteen and sixteen inches from the base of the neck to the base of the tail
- Large: between eighteen and twenty inches from the base of the neck to the base of the tail
- Extra Large: between twenty-two and twenty-four inches from the base of the neck to the base of the tail
- Double Extra Large: between twenty-six and thirty inches from the base of the neck to the base of the tail
For a perfect fit, you should measure your pet from the base of the neck to the base of the tail and remember that number. It will help you find the right size clothes, coats, and costumes for your pets. This is most easily done with a tape measure, but you can also cut a piece of string or ribbon to the right length and measure it separately.
Planning to buy boots for your pets for the cold winter months? Stand them on a blank piece of paper and trace the outline of a front paw. Include the toe nails in your outline, but you can squish the fur in tight. Be sure your pet puts full weight on that foot while you’re tracing to get an accurate picture. Measure the length of the paw outline from the heel to the end of the toenails — this will be your boot measurement. When shopping for protective booties, pick the size that best fits the entire paw, including toe nails. A snug fit is best — boots that are too loose can slip off.