Getting a measurement right matters more for animals than for most things you buy. A collar that is too loose can slip over the head, a harness that is too tight can rub behind the legs, and a rug that is too short leaves the shoulders or quarters exposed. The good news is that almost every pet and equine measurement can be taken at home with a soft tape measure, a level floor and a little patience.

UK pet products are sold in a mixture of units. Collars and harnesses are usually labelled in centimetres, dog coats by back length in centimetres or inches, horse rugs by feet and inches, and horse heights in hands. The charts on this page convert between them, and the units of measurement guide explains the units themselves.

What should you measure on a dog?

Most dog equipment is sized from four measurements: neck, chest girth, back length and height at the withers. The diagram shows where each one is taken. Weight is the fifth figure you will often need, for harness size ranges, flea and worming treatments and feeding guides.

Measurement	Where to take it	Used for
A Neck	Round the neck where a collar sits, roughly halfway between the ears and the shoulders	Collars, snoods, some coats
B Chest girth	Round the widest part of the ribcage, just behind the front legs	Harnesses, coats, life jackets
C Back length	From the base of the neck, where the collar sits, to the base of the tail	Coats and jumpers
D Height	From the floor to the top of the shoulder blades (withers), standing square	Crates, beds, breed standards
Weight	On scales: weigh yourself holding the dog, then on your own, and subtract	Treatment doses, harness ranges, food portions

How do you measure a dog for a collar or harness?

For a collar, measure round the neck and add about two fingers of slack; for a harness, measure the chest girth just behind the front legs. Most UK collars are sold by an adjustable range in centimetres, such as 30 to 45 cm, so choose one where your dog’s measurement sits near the middle of the range rather than at either end.

Harness makers differ in what they ask for. Many want the chest girth only, while others also ask for the neck and the distance between the front of the chest and the girth strap. The dog harness measuring guide walks through each style step by step. Re-measure puppies every few weeks, because they can outgrow a harness quickly.

How do you measure a dog for a coat?

Dog coats are sized mainly by back length, from the base of the neck to the base of the tail. Stop at the point where the tail joins the body, not at the tip. Check the chest girth as well, because two dogs with the same back length can have very different builds: a whippet and a bulldog may share a length but need completely different coats.

Where a brand lists sizes in inches, multiply by 2.54 to get centimetres, or use the inches to cm converter. A 16-inch coat, for example, has a back length of 40.64 cm.

How do you weigh a dog or cat at home?

Weigh yourself on bathroom scales, then weigh yourself again holding the animal, and subtract the first figure from the second. This works well for cats and small or medium dogs. Large dogs are easier to weigh on the walk-on scales that many veterinary practices have in the waiting room.

Vets record weight in kilograms, while some owners still think in stones and pounds; the kg to lb converter handles the switch. Weight alone does not tell you whether a pet is a healthy size, so ask your vet or veterinary nurse about body condition, and check with them before changing food or starting any weight-loss plan.

What do you need to measure on a cat?

Cats need fewer measurements than dogs: usually neck size for a collar, chest girth for a harness and body length for a carrier. If your cat wears a collar, animal welfare charities advise a quick-release type that snaps open if it catches on something, fitted so that two fingers slide underneath.

For a carrier, measure from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail and from the floor to the top of the head while the cat is sitting. The carrier should let the cat stand up and turn round comfortably, and airline or ferry travel may have its own size rules, so check them before you book.

How is a horse’s height measured in hands?

A horse’s height is measured from the ground to the highest point of the withers, and one hand equals exactly 4 inches, or 10.16 cm. Heights are written as hands, a point, then extra inches: 15.2 hh means 15 hands and 2 inches, which is 62 inches or 157.48 cm. The figure after the point is a number of inches from 0 to 3, not a decimal fraction, so there is no such height as 15.5 hh.

Stand the horse square on firm, level ground with its head in a natural position, and use a proper measuring stick with a spirit level on the arm. Shoes, a soft surface or a raised head can all change the reading. Ponies are traditionally horses of 14.2 hh (147.32 cm) and under, although competition bodies now measure in centimetres and set their own detailed rules.

Height (hands)	Inches	Centimetres
11.0 hh	44 in	111.76 cm
12.0 hh	48 in	121.92 cm
13.0 hh	52 in	132.08 cm
14.0 hh	56 in	142.24 cm
14.2 hh	58 in	147.32 cm
15.0 hh	60 in	152.40 cm
15.2 hh	62 in	157.48 cm
16.0 hh	64 in	162.56 cm
16.2 hh	66 in	167.64 cm
17.0 hh	68 in	172.72 cm
17.2 hh	70 in	177.80 cm
18.0 hh	72 in	182.88 cm

How do you measure a horse for a rug?

UK horse rugs are usually sized in feet and inches, in 3-inch steps, measured from the centre of the chest along the side to the point of the buttock. Keep the tape level and run it round the widest part of the shoulder. Many makers also give metric sizes, and some measure slightly differently, so always check the specific brand’s chart before you order.

Rug size	Inches	Centimetres
4′6″	54 in	137.2 cm
5′0″	60 in	152.4 cm
5′3″	63 in	160.0 cm
5′6″	66 in	167.6 cm
5′9″	69 in	175.3 cm
6′0″	72 in	182.9 cm
6′3″	75 in	190.5 cm
6′6″	78 in	198.1 cm
6′9″	81 in	205.7 cm
7′0″	84 in	213.4 cm

A rug that fits sits just in front of the withers without pressing on them, allows a hand’s width at the chest, and covers the horse to the top of the tail. Saddles are a separate and more specialist fit; the saddle measuring guide explains how to take a wither tracing and back length, and a qualified saddle fitter should check the result.

How can you estimate a horse’s weight?

A weighbridge gives the most reliable figure, while a weigh tape placed round the girth gives a useful estimate for tracking changes. Pass the tape round the body just behind the withers and elbows, read it at the end of an out-breath, and record the result on the same day each week or month. Weigh tapes are calibrated for average builds, so treat the figure as a trend rather than an exact weight, and use your vet’s figure for any medication dose.

What mistakes should you avoid when measuring animals?

• Pulling the tape tight. A snug, flat tape gives a true reading; a tight one makes the animal seem smaller than it is.
• Measuring a moving or hunched animal. Wait until it is standing square and relaxed, and ask a helper to hold it.
• Reading hands as decimals. 14.2 hh is 58 inches, not 14.2 times 4.
• Using a metal tape on a horse. A cloth or fibreglass tape is safer and follows the body better.
• Ignoring the brand’s chart. Sizes such as small, medium and large vary widely between makers.

Pet and horse guides in this section

• How to measure a dog for a harness: chest, neck and strap measurements for common harness styles.
• How to measure a horse for a saddle: wither shape, back length and seat size.
• Inches to cm converter: for coat, collar and rug sizes given in inches.
• Kg to lb converter: for vet weights and food guides.
• Cm to inches converter: for comparing metric harness and rug charts with older sizes.

Latest pet and horse measuring guides

Related sections

For the basics of reading a tape and choosing the right one, see measuring tools and how to use them. Measuring yourself for riding clothes and boots is covered in the body measurement guides, and the units of measurement guide explains inches, hands and centimetres in more depth.

Frequently asked questions

How many centimetres is one hand?

One hand is exactly 4 inches, which is 10.16 cm. A horse of 16 hands is 64 inches, or 162.56 cm, at the withers.

What does 15.2 hh mean?

It means 15 hands and 2 inches. That is 62 inches, or 157.48 cm, measured from the ground to the top of the withers.

Where do you measure a dog for a harness?

Measure round the widest part of the chest, just behind the front legs. Some harnesses also need a neck measurement, so check the maker’s size chart.

How tight should a dog or cat collar be?

You should be able to slide two fingers flat between the collar and the neck. For cats, choose a quick-release collar that opens if it gets caught.

How do I find my horse’s rug size?

Measure from the centre of the chest, along the side, to the point of the buttock. UK rugs are usually sold in feet and inches in 3-inch steps, such as 6′3″, which is 75 inches or 190.5 cm.

Sources

• The British Horse Society: horse care and welfare advice
• PDSA: pet health advice, including weight and body condition
• Cats Protection: cat welfare advice, including collar safety
• RSPCA: pet care and welfare guidance
• National Physical Laboratory: the definition of the inch as exactly 25.4 mm