Buzz
Measuring your dog's height accurately is crucial for tracking its growth or participating in dog shows. The measurement is taken from the ground to the withers, which is the highest point of a dog's shoulder blades. Measuring from the withers to the ground is standard for all dogs, ensuring an accurate measurement each time.
Steps
Measuring at the Dog's Withers
Position your dog next to a wall. To measure your dog's height, it needs to stand against a wall for an accurate reading. The wall or door frame provides a fixed point for measurement.
- Ensure your dog stands upright with all four paws on the floor, evenly spaced out. Its legs should be perpendicular to the floor, and its paws should be shoulder-width apart.
Locate the dog's withers. The withers are the highest point of a dog's shoulder blades, typically found behind the base of the neck. Feel around this area to find the top bony point of the shoulder.
- Identifying the withers is easier on dogs with short coats and may even be visible without touching.
Use a level on the dog's withers. Place a long level, like a carpenter's level, on the dog's withers with one end touching the wall. Ensure the level is flat, then mark where the bottom touches the wall to transfer the dog's height measurement.
- If you prefer not to mark your wall, use a pencil or removable tape to indicate the spot.
- You can also make the measurement against a refrigerator and mark the spot with a magnet.
Measure from the ground to your mark. After the dog moves away from the wall, measure from the ground to the marked point. This measurement represents the dog's height from withers to the ground.
- A yardstick or tape measure works well for this task.
Ensuring a Precise Measurement
Keep the dog steady. To obtain an accurate measurement, minimize the dog's movement. This may be easier with well-trained dogs but can be challenging with more active ones.
- If needed, enlist assistance to hold or distract the dog for an accurate measurement.
Utilize a height measuring tool. Veterinary suppliers offer measuring sticks with adjustable arms designed for measuring dogs. These sticks ensure accuracy by resting on the ground while the arm adjusts to the dog's withers.
- When using such a tool, ensure it remains level; many come with embedded levels for convenience.
Use a wicket for show dog measurements. Dog show officials use wickets, u-shaped measuring sticks, to quickly and accurately measure dogs. By placing the wicket over the dog's shoulder blades and ensuring it touches the ground, officials determine if the dog fits within breed height limits.
- The wicket's height can be adjusted to match breed standards.
- Before using a wicket, train your dog to become familiar with it, especially if preparing for a dog show.
