Bringing home clothes for your furbaby only to find they don't fit is a real bummer! I remember coming home with the cutest sweater for my little Paco. I was so excited! But when I put it on him, my 7lb chihuahua, looked like the Hulk ready to bust out of that sweater! He was 7lbs, XS, right? Wrong! Guestamation measurement is not reliable for measuring the size of your pet. Shopping without proper measurements of your furbaby is like traveling without your American Express card-don't leave home without it! Just like human clothing, different companies have their own ideas as to what constitutes clothing size. Not all XL is XL!
Important Measurements
When shopping for collars, harnesses, jackets, shirts, sweaters or costumes, you definitely want the following measurements:
- Neck-rather obvious
- Length-measured from between shoulder blades to the base of the tail
- Girth-measure from behind front legs, up around back returning to the starting point
- Chest to Girth-Even though I found this location marked for measurement, I did not see this information listed on any size charts. If you know what this measurement is for, please leave a comment at the end of this blog. I know I'd like to know!
All Sizing Charts Are Not Created Equal
Note that the highlighted sections on the following charts are not universal in the information. I refer to the Dog Length Size XS in each chart.
Chart 1- XS Length 7 3/8"-8 3/8"
Chart 2-XS Length 6.3"
If I'm reading this second chart correctly, listed under weight, would have me believing that my 7lb. Chihuahua is a large dog!??
Chart 3-XS Length 7 1/2"-10"
This is just a sampling of the charts I found. But I believe it shows that none of us can rely on just S M L
Making It Easy!
That's why at Dixiespetworld.com, online pet supply store, we are including the range of clothing sizes in the Product Title AND an Individual Size Chart in each product listing! So, when shopping on our website and you see clothing your pet just has to have, you won't waste time clicking on a product that doesn't even come in your pet's size. Not to say that we might not have sold out. Sorry!
Remember, always look for your dog's actual measurements in inches or cm and/or weight in lbs. or kgs, not XS, S, M, etc. Oh! And always round up!
Look for more blogs from Dixie's Pet World traveling through the series: Sometimes Size Matters!