How to Measure Your Dog for a Collar or Harness (60-Second Guide)

How to Measure Your Dog for a Collar or Harness (60-Second Guide)
Measuring a dog's neck with a soft tape measure

Wrong size = chafing, slipping, or escaping. Right size takes 60 seconds and a soft tape measure. Here's the exact method.

For collars: measure the neck

  1. Have your dog sit or stand calmly (treats help).
  2. Wrap the tape around the base of the neck, where the collar naturally sits — high enough that it can't slide over the head.
  3. Leave two fingers of slack. You should be able to slide two flat fingers under the tape comfortably.
  4. Write the number down. Measure twice — dogs wiggle, and you want the larger of the two readings.

For harnesses: measure the chest

Measure the widest part of the ribcage, just behind the front legs — this is the girth the harness wraps around. Same two-finger rule applies.

String method (no tape measure)

No tape? Use a piece of string or a shoelace, mark it where it meets, then measure the string against a ruler.

Reading our size charts

Find your measurement in the size guide charts. Between two sizes? Size up — our collars and harnesses have adjustable straps that take up the slack.

Still stuck?

Email a photo of the tape in position to hello@pupbobo.com and we'll pick the size for you. And if it's still wrong, size exchanges are free within 30 days.