How to Measure for Dog Coat Patterns

There are three dog measurements to take: Neck, Chest Girth (Circumference), and Back Length. Pick the size that is closest to the Chest measurement.

If your dog is between sizes, how do you measure for dog coat patterns?

One thing I have learned from making dog coats for so many years is that no two dogs are alike. And as I said in my last post “What Size is Your Dog?” no two size charts are the same. So how do you measure for dog coat patterns if your dog is between sizes? Well, you will find that there are three key measurements that pretty much every chart asks for: Neck, Chest Girth (Circumference), and Back Length. And you want to pick the size that is closest to the Chest Size.

What do you do if your dog is in between chest sizes?

How do you decide which size to go with if your dog's chest is between sizes? Well, the general rule is to go with the bigger size. This will ensure the coat will come down far enough on your dog’s sides to provide good coverage.

And if you are making a T-Shirt or Hoodie choosing the larger size will ensure you have enough room around the chest and belly to fit your dog.

Let's Look at An Example

Let's say you have a dog that has a BACK of 17" (43cm), a CHEST of 24" (61cm) and a NECK of 16" (41cm).

The Chest is right between a Medium and a Large.

The NECK and BACK measurements are also in between a Medium and a Large so you should go with the general rule and go up to the Large size. This will ensure you have enough coverage on the sides and around the belly. You will need to customize the pattern in the NECK and BACK areas.

Example Two

Now let's say you have a dog that has a BACK of 15" (41cm), a CHEST of 24" (61cm) and a NECK of 16" (37cm).

The Chest is right between a Medium and a Large.

But the NECK and BACK measurements are much closer to a Medium so you should go down to the Medium size. This will ensure that the coat isn't too big overall. You will need to customize the CHEST area to fit.

Example Three

OK, let's look at a final example where the BACK is 17" (43cm), the CHEST is 23" (58cm) and the NECK is 16" (41cm).

The Chest is slightly closer to the Medium size.

However, because the NECK and BACK measurements are closer to a Large you should go up to the Large size. This will ensure you have enough coverage on the sides and belly. You will need to customize the pattern in the NECK and BACK areas but those are typically easier to adjust than the CHEST.

General Rules For Customizing Patterns

In general you should be able to customize most patterns in the three key areas: (Neck, Chest and Back Length). Find a spot in each of these zones where the pattern is flat (i.e. no curves) and add or remove space.

Over the next few weeks, I will be talking about the key instructions for customizing dog coat patterns. So, be sure to link back to the blog to find out how to do this.

Get a Step-By-Step Guide and Workbook

Do you need help measuring your dog? Download my 4 Steps to Fit Your Dog Guide and Workbook and I’ll walk you through the step by step process to take all the measurements you need to make a simple dog coat your dog will love!

There's even a video you can watch that shows you exactly how to do it!

Categories: : dog wear patterns, Making dog clothes, measuring your dog