Measuring the height of your dog is important for a number of reasons including buying dog related materials like winter wear, belts, and for them to eligible to participate in contests.When dog owners look to buy a new collar, harness, or winter-ready dog coat for their pet, it is a must to know the measurements of your dog. It is a gamble to buy these products on the basis of guess. At the same time, you need an accurate measurement of your dog’s body including its neck while making a dog door or building a kennel for your pet. Usually, a dog’s height is measured from the ground to its withers, the area above the shoulder. It is the highest point of your pet’s shoulder blades. In order to measure your dog’s height, measure from your dog’s withers, as dogs unlike human do not have their heads aligned in a straight line with their backbone. Due to this, a dog cannot hold the same posture every time its height is measured. You might end up getting a different height measurement every time you measure your dog’s height! Moreover, you get an accurate measure from this technique.People often tend to believe that dogs of the same breed would end up measuring the same, but more often that not, that is not the case. Dogs belonging to the same breed at times are of different shape and size. For instance, some French dogs are well built and have a considerable muscle mass, whereas, some of them are quite slender and have a lower amount of muscle mass. You cannot assume the height and weight of two different dogs of the same breed to be equal, so measuring your dog with a tape measure is essential.If you enjoyed this article, why not also read about how to install doggie door and how to massage a dog here on Kidadl?How to measure a dog’s height?Measuring a dog’s height is not as straight forward a process as weighing it. The method is a bit more complicated than measuring the weight, but is still doable at home with a few readily available items. Some of the basic items you will require include a measuring tape, a level, a pencil, a yardstick (if needed), and a plain wall or a door frame with no furniture attachments. The only challenging part of the process is to keep your pet steady, making sure that it doesn’t jump, and identifying its shoulder blades.You are now ready to measure your dog’s height. Start by making your dog or puppy stand up straight beside the wall. Make sure that your dog is standing perfectly upright and the legs aren’t bent. Do not forget to ensure that your dog’s head is up right because if it bends its neck up or down, you will not be able to accurately measure the height. You can move on to the next step once its head is in a neutral position and it is standing beside the wall with legs not bent as suggested. Additionally, in case your dog has any physical trouble or is too small to stand on its own, you can then provide it some support. The best way is to tie a leash and have a person support the dog and maintain the posture as described. As a life hack, you could probably tempt your dog to stand upright by the wall using some treats.Once the dog is in position, it is your responsibility to locate your dog’s withers. You can identify it as the bony portion near your dog’s shoulder. Now it’s time to use the carpenter’s level, place it on the withers of your pooch and let one of its end touch the wall. Make sure that the level is straight and not bent, ensure this by looking at the bubbles inside it. Either mark the area of the wall where the level is touching it with a pencil or you can also add tape to the area. People at times use their fingers to mark the area, but this isn’t the best option. Use a scale to measure the distance between the surface of the ground and the point marked. In case you couldn’t manage to get your hands on a carpenters scale, you can instead use a yardstick. Note down your observations once you have successfully measured your dog’s height.At times, you will need to get a crate for your dog and the height measurement for this purpose is slightly tweaked. In order to measure the height and length of your dog, measure from its head to the ground and nose to tail, respectively. At the end, add 4 in (10 cm) to both the measurements and you have the correct crate size for your pet.Steps To Measure A Dog’s HeightThe procedure to measure a dog’s height is an elaborate one unlike when measuring its weight. If all the steps are followed in an orderly way, you can have an accurate measurement in five to seven minutes.Interestingly, you can mathematically calculate the future height of your dog when it is six months old. It can be considered as a rule of thumb. All you need to do is multiply its height when it is six months old by 100 and divide this figure by 75. For instance, if your puppy is 7 in (18 cm) at the shoulder when it is six months old, it should attain a height of approximately 9 in-9.5 in (23-24 cm) at the shoulder once it has completed its growth.You can follow the step by step process when you need to measure the height of dogs, without any hiccups.Step one: Assemble all the materials you will require to measure your dog or puppy, so that you can finish the task in one go. The materials you will require include a measuring tape, a level, a pencil, a yardstick (if needed), and a plain wall with no furniture attachments. It is important to ensure that the wall is perfectly flat, otherwise, it could prove to be a hindrance in measuring the height.Step two: Make your dog stand up straight beside the wall. Make sure that your dog isn’t bending and has its head up right. If it bends its neck, you will not be able to accurately measure the height. Moreover, in case your dog has any physical ailment or is too small to stand on its own, you can then provide it support. The best way is to tie a leash and have a person support it and maintain the posture as described.Step three: Once your dog is in position, it is your responsibility to locate its withers, the highest point of your dog’s shoulder blades. The height will be measured from the base to the position of the withers in your dog.Step four: It’s time to use the carpenter’s level. Place it on the withers of your dog and let one of its end touch the wall. Make sure that the level is straight and not bent by looking at the bubbles inside it. Either mark the area of the wall where the level is touching it with a pencil or you can also use tape to mark the area.Step five: Finally, use a measurement scale to measure the distance between the ground and the point marked on the wall. In case you are unable to get your hands on a carpenters scale, you can instead use a yard stick. Note down your observations and this is the process to measure your dog’s height.What are average dogs’ height by breeds?Knowing the average height of dogs depending on the breeds gives you a better idea of the size your dog or puppy will be at its peak age.If we consider all the different breeds of dogs known on earth, the range of height is from 6-43 in (15-110 cm). This measurement range includes all recognized big and small dogs. The tallest breed of dog is the majestic Irish wolfhound. The average height of an adult Irish hound is around 32-34 in (81-86 cm). The minimum known height of an adult male Irish wolfhound is 31 in (79 cm) and for females, it is 28 in (71 cm). On the other hand, the shortest known dog breed is the famous Chihuahua. The average height of an adult Chihuahua ranges from 6-10 in (15-25 cm). The smallest Chihuahua ever recorded was a dog named Milly with a height of just 3.8 in (9.6 cm), way below the average.A compact dog height chart of some of the famous species has been listed belowBeagle (female): 13-15 in (33-38 cm)Bulldog (male and female): 14-15 in (35.5-38 cm)Doberman Pinscher (female): 24-27 in (61-68 cm)German Shepherd (male): 24-26 in (61-66 cm)Golden Retriever (female): 21.5-22.5 in (54.6-57 cm)French Bulldog (male): 11-13 in (28-33 cm)An adult Pomeranian (male): 6-7 in (15-18 cm)Saint Bernard (male): 28-30 in (71-76 cm)Siberian Husky (female): 20-22 in (51-56 cm)These are some of the most common dog breeds with their average heights.What tools do you need to measure dog’s height?In order to conveniently measure a dog, you will need around six to seven tools. You can easily get all the required tools from a nearby hardware store. The tools includeMeasuring tape: You can get a tape measure from any local shop but you need to make sure the tape has appropriate units, from feet to inches from meters to millimeters. It is preferable to go for a measurement tape with multiple units.Carpenter’s level: A carpenter’s level is needed to mark the height of your dog on the wall which it is standing next to. You can purchase one at a supermarket or even a local store. Place it on your dog’s shoulders for an accurate reading, but make sure that it does not reach its neck.Yard stick (if needed): It is an alternative if you are unable to source a carpenter’s level. It can then work as a substitute.Door frame or wall: The wall is the best option to mark the reading of the level on. The wall needs to be perfectly flat.Pencil: A pencil or a piece of tape is needed to mark the measurements.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for how to measure dog height, then why not take a look at how to make a dog throw up or pug facts.
Measuring the height of your dog is important for a number of reasons including buying dog related materials like winter wear, belts, and for them to eligible to participate in contests.
