What size dog boots? How to measure paw width
Ruffwear sizes boots by paw width in inches. A 2.5 inch paw is a size 2.5. Measure front and rear paws.
Short answer: measure the widest part of the front paw while your dog stands on it. On Ruffwear’s chart the size equals the width: a 2.5” paw takes a size 2.5 boot. Between sizes, Ruffwear says size down.
How to measure
- Put a sheet of paper under one front paw and lift the opposite paw so weight goes onto it.
- Hold a pen straight up and down and mark both sides of the widest part.
- Measure between the marks.
- Repeat with a rear paw. Ruffwear notes rear paws are often smaller.
Ruffwear boot sizes
| Size | 1.50 | 1.75 | 2.00 | 2.25 | 2.50 | 2.75 | 3.00 | 3.25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paw width (mm) | 38 | 44 | 51 | 57 | 64 | 70 | 76 | 83 |
Things to know
- Boots that don’t fit can rub and cause injury, per Ruffwear.
- Harness rule is the opposite: between harness sizes for a growing puppy, Ruffwear says size up. For boots it says size down.
Source: Ruffwear size guide (https://ruffwear.com/pages/size-guide).
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.