Dog winter coat size chart: girth first, then back length
Coats are sized by chest girth. Back length is the tiebreaker when your dog sits between sizes.
Short answer: measure around the widest part of your dog’s rib cage and pick the coat size whose girth range covers it. If the girth lands between two sizes, check the back length on the chart.
Key takeaways
- Ruffwear sizes its jackets by chest girth, “measured around the widest part of the rib cage.”
- Between sizes, Ruffwear says to size up for a more relaxed fit or down for a more snug fit.
- AKC: small and toy breeds, hairless breeds, clipped coats, short-legged dogs, puppies and seniors are the dogs most likely to need a coat.
Ruffwear Powder Hound jacket size chart
| Size | Chest girth | Back length |
|---|---|---|
| XXS | 13–17 in (33–43 cm) | 10–15 in |
| XS | 17–22 in (43–56 cm) | 13–18 in |
| S | 22–27 in (56–69 cm) | 17–23 in |
| M | 27–32 in (69–81 cm) | 20–26 in |
| L | 32–36 in (81–91 cm) | 22–28 in |
| XL | 36–42 in (91–107 cm) | 26–32 in |
Ruffwear notes that coverage “may fit slightly shorter or longer depending on your dog’s proportions.”
How to measure
- Girth: wrap a soft tape around the widest part of the rib cage, just behind the front legs.
- Pick the size that covers the girth.
- If the girth sits between two sizes, measure your dog’s back and compare it with the back-length column.
Which dogs need a coat (AKC)
- Small and toy breeds: they have a harder time holding body heat.
- Hairless breeds: AKC names the American Hairless Terrier, Xoloitzcuintli and Chinese Crested.
- Clipped coats: all three Poodle sizes, and any dog that has been shaved.
- Low to the ground: Basset Hounds and Dachshunds, and Corgis despite their thick fur, because their bellies touch snow.
- Puppies, seniors and dogs with arthritis.
Large breeds with thick double coats, such as the Siberian Husky, Alaskan Malamute and Bernese Mountain Dog, were bred for cold. AKC adds that when the windchill is below 20 degrees, play sessions should stay at 15–20 minutes.
Fit check
A baggy coat can tangle or trip your dog, and a tight one restricts movement (AKC). Your dog should walk, run and sit normally with it on.
Sources: Ruffwear Powder Hound jacket; AKC, Does my dog need a winter coat?; AKC, Benefits of dog sweaters.
Terms used here
- Budget, mid, premium: picks grouped by the maker's own list price, lowest to highest. Budget is everyday basics (a crate, collars, a light harness, boots), mid is padded walking and lift-assist harnesses, premium is specialty gear (a life jacket, a car harness, travel beds). No store prices are shown.
- Chest girth: the distance around the widest part of the rib cage, just behind the front legs. Harnesses are sized by it.
- Back length: base of the neck to base of the tail. A crate should be at least 4 in longer.
- Paw width: the widest part of the front paw while standing. Boots are sized by it.
- Weight band: the weight range a crate or bed size is made for on the maker's chart.