How to measure a dog for a harness

A harness that does not match the dog will sit on the shoulders or cut behind the legs. Measure before you buy. Use a soft tape. Write the numbers in centimetres. Kilograms help; they do not replace a chest number.

What size dog harness should I buy?

Buy the size that matches the chest measurement first, then check neck and back length against the product’s size note. If you sit between two sizes, take the larger one. Creature & Kin does not publish a breed chart. Breeds vary too much.

What to measure

Point	Where	How
Chest	Widest part, behind the front legs	Tape snug, not tight. This is the first number.
Neck	Where a collar already sits	Two fingers under the tape.
Back	Withers to the base of the tail	Useful for coats and some harness shapes.
Weight	Home scale, you then the dog	Secondary. Use kg.

Steps

1. Have the dog stand on a floor, not a bed.
2. Measure chest, neck, back. Repeat once.
3. Open the Trail Comfort Harness page and compare to the size note.
4. If the tape is exactly on a boundary, choose the larger size.
5. After it arrives, check that the straps do not rub the armpit and that two fingers fit at the chest.

Inches and pounds are secondary. Convert only if that is already how you measure. We ship in Canada; returns for unopened goods are 14 days if you write first.

Related: dog harnesses, Trail Comfort Harness, dog car travel in Canada.