How to measure for dog harness

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Measuring Your Dog | How To Fit The Harness | How To Adjust The Harness | Size Guide

For the safety and comfort of your dog it is essential to measure your dog accurately to ensure harnesses are fitted correctly. The harness should be snug but not too tight. A wrong sized harness, or an incorrectly fitted harness, can cause injury and discomfort to your dog.

How to measure and fit a dog harness

For more a more detailed guide on how to measure your dog and how to correctly measure and put on Julius-K9® harnesses see below.

Measuring Your Dog

You will need to measure you dog’s chest circumference to know which size of harness you need.

Step 1)Pace four fingers behind the dog’s front legs for harnesses sized 0 to 4, and two fingers for harnesses sized Baby 1 and Baby 2. Roughly for small dogs there should be 1 inch behind front leg and for medium and large dogs there shoulld be 2 inches.

Step 2)The finger furthest away from the front legs is where you will be measuring the circumference of the dog’s chest.

Step 3)Use a fabric tape measure to wrap around the dog’s chest. The tape measure should be snug, without being too tight or baggy.

Step 4)The dog’s chest size is where the end of the tape measure and the remaining portion meet.

Fitting The Harness

The harness should be snug, but not too tight. There are three checks to do that make sure the harness is fitted correctly. An incorrectly fitted harness can cause discomfort and injury

Check 1 - Tightness

A well fitted harness should l allow enough room for you to fit your fingers between the dog’s back and the harness.

Check 2 – Bottom Strap Location

The bottom belly strap should be four fingers width  away from the front legs for harnesses sized 0 to 4, and two fingers for harnesses sized Baby 1 and Baby 2.

Check 3 – Top Strap Location

The front chest strap should fit comfortably against the chest without drooping toward the legs or riding up toward the neck.

High Front Strap: If the harness is too small (above image), the front strap will sit too high and put pressure on the dog’s neck.

Low Front Strap:If the harness is too big (above image), the strap will drop too low and not distribute pressure to the chest area as intended.

The dog can also back out or escape from the harness if the front strap is too high or low.  

Adjusting The Harness To Fit Correctly

The video below shows how to easily tighten and adjust the harness correctly:

Tightening & Losing The Strap

Step 1)Open the strap and loop it through the oval ring on the front of the harness.

Step 2)Close the strap on the inner side so the hook loops are facing each other.

Step 3) Set between the Max. and Min. adjustable size (image above).

How Tight Should A Harness Be?

The harness should fit snugly on the chest area. You should be able to fit two fingers between the harness and the dog.

If the strap is too loose, the dog can slip out of the harness. An overly tight strap will mean the harness is uncomfortable and may cause chafing.

Securing The Handle

The harness handle on the IDC® Powerharness has 4 different fastening options. It is possible to secure only the INOX® ring or only the handle, or both, or neither.

Handles on IDC® harnesses (sizes Mini and Mini-Mini) can be secured/ covered up with hook & loop fastener.

These fastening options minimise the risk of the dog getting caught on something by the handle. This is especially important when the dog is off-lead and is running free.

What If The Dog’s Tries To Back Out Of Harness?

In case your dog attempts to slip out of the harness by backing out of it, or tries to pull its head out of the collar, avoid pulling the leash.

IDC® Powerharness Size Guide

Specific sizing guides are be available on every harness product page on the Julius-K9® UK website. But below is an overview of the sizing of the IDC® Powerharness.

IDC® Powair Size Guide

Sizing for the IDC® Powair summer dog harness.

You'll use that number to determine the range of harness sizes appropriate for your pup.

But you'll also want to know his weight. For instance, a dog with a girth of 30 inches might wear a medium, large or extra-large sized Coastal Pet harness depending on his weight.

A 50-pound dog will take a medium, while a 75-pound dog will need a large, and a 100-pound dog will need an extra-large.

Just remember. Always start with the girth.

When properly sized, you should be able to fit two fingers between the harness and your dog's body. Additionally, it should not cause the skin around your dog's neck or shoulders to bunch up. Nor should you see any indentations in his fur when you remove the harness.

If you notice bunched skin or indentations: remeasure your dog, try a different style of harness, or switch back to a collar.

Collars are easy for dogs to slip out of and they can even be a health hazard for some dogs. Harnesses that fit around a dog's chest in front of and behind the front legs are a better choice because they provide more control and apply even pressure to the dog's body.[1] X Research source Go to source Harnesses need to fit well to avoid causing pain or rubbing against the tender skin under a dog's arms.[2] X Research source Go to source Learn how to measure your dog for a harness and then find a harness style that suits your dog's needs.

1. 1

   Get a measuring tape. While harnesses are often sold by the weight of a dog, it is good to use a measuring tape to get a more exact measurement.[3] X Expert Source

   
   Colleen Demling-Riley, CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA, CDBC
   Canine Behavior Consultant Expert Interview. 25 March 2022. Go to source Combining your dog's weight and measurement in inches or centimeters will allow you to find the best possible harness size for your dog.
   • If your dog wiggles around a lot, then you may want to ask someone to help you. Have someone hold the dog's collar to keep him still while you take the measurement.

2. 2

   Measure the broadest part of the chest. The broadest part of a dog's chest is usually right behind the armpits. Wrap the tap measure around the chest and over the back. Make sure that you do not pull the measuring tape around your dog too tightly. It should be snug, but not tight.[4] X Expert Source

   
   Colleen Demling-Riley, CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA, CDBC
   Canine Behavior Consultant Expert Interview. 25 March 2022. Go to source

3. 3

   Use the measurement and your dog's weight to find the right size. Write down your dog's measurement and weight and take this information with you to the pet store. You will need this information to figure out the best harness size for your dog. First, look for a harness that is about two inches larger than the measurement you took.[5] X Research source Go to source Then, check the weight range. If your dog's weight also falls into the weight range on the package, then that is ideal.

   • If your dog is between sizes always get the bigger size. You can always adjust the harness to make it fit tighter, but if it is too small then you may not be able to use it at all.

4. 4

   Place the harness on your dog and adjust the fit as needed. First, open the clasps on the harness. Then help your dog put his legs through the two openings. After your dog's legs are through the harness, pull it up and close the clasps.[6] X Research source Go to source

   • You may have to adjust the harness to tighten or loosen it after you get it on your dog. Loosen or tighten the straps as needed until the harness is snug, but not tight.
   • To make sure that the harness is not too tight, try to put two fingers under each of the harness straps. If you can do so with ease, then the harness is a good fit. If not, loosen it up a bit.
   • You will need to adjust and re-adjust the harness a few times in order to get the best fit.

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1. 1

   Get a back clip harness if your dog does not pull during walks. With a back clip harness, the leash clips to a ring midway along the back and is easy to attach a leash to.[7] X Research source Go to source This keeps pressure off the throat and is ideal for dogs with tracheal collapse problems.

   • Some people think that this type of harness causes dogs to pull and ignore their owners, so only choose this type of harness if your dog is well-trained to walk beside you and not pull.[8] X Research source Go to source If you have a dog that is difficult to control on a walk, then a back clip harness is not the best harness choice.

2. 2

   Choose a front clip harness to prevent your dog from pulling. The front clip harness has a ring on the front (chest strap) where the leash will attach. This type of attachment will prevent your dog from pulling on the leash and to keep his attention on you.[9] X Research source Go to source

   • One con of this type of harness is that its location in the front of the chest may make it difficult to attach the leash. The leash may also get tangled in the dog's legs sometimes.[10] X Research source Go to source

3. 3

   Select a tightening harness if you are an experienced dog trainer. A tightening harness applies pressure to the dog when it pulls. These types of harnesses vary in how much pressure they apply. Some can even produce pain, which is counterproductive and cruel.[11] X Research source Go to source

   • This type of harness should only be used by experienced trainers. Tightening harnesses may cause a dog to become fearful or aggressive if the harness causes pain.

• How can I measure my dog without a tape measure?

  Use a piece of rope or the dog's leash to measure! Complete the measurements with a rope or leash, and then compare them with a tape measure to get your measurements. Make sure to take each measurement multiple times so you know that it's accurate.

This article was co-authored by Colleen Demling-Riley, CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA, CDBC. Colleen Demling-Riley (CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA, CDBC) is a Canine Behavior Consultant and the Founder of Pawtopia Dog Training. With more than 20 years of experience, she specializes in creating and customizing dog management programs for dog owners. She is a Certified Pet Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed, Certified Behavior Consultant Canine-Knowledge Assessed, Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, and American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Evaluator. Colleen is a member of the International Association of Canine Professionals and has been a featured expert in national media including the New York Times, Woman’s Day, Readers Digest, Cosmopolitan, and Yahoo.com. This article has been viewed 32,179 times.

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 32,179 times.

• "How to measure for a harness was very helpful. Thank you for this info."

• "Excellent how-to article on measuring and choosing a harness. Kudos."

• "Where to measure the chest to choose which size was very helpful."

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  "I learned how to measure a dog properly for a harness. "

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  "It helped a lot. I had no idea how this was done."

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