How to Measure Your Dog
How Much Room Does My Dog Need in Their Kennel?
Taking accurate measurements of your dog is an EXTREMELY important step in the transportation process. Without accurate measurements you risk ordering the wrong size kennel and having the hassle of exchanging them or, worse, showing up at the airport and having your dogs denied boarding because the kennel you ordered is too big or too small.
The general guidelines for selecting a kennel is that your dog should have AT LEAST 2-3″ above their head when sitting/standing in the kennel and this includes their ears if they stick up (pesky shepherds and huskies!!). The kennel should be at least 3-4″ longer than your dog. A good measure is that when your dog is lying in the kennel their paws need to be comfortably insdie of the door. The kennel also needs to be wide enough for your dog to turn around comfortably.
Many airlines require their staff to submit a picture similar to the bottom image on the right. This picture is shared with a manager and if it looks like the one on the right your furry friend is not going to be making their flight.
How to Get the Most Accurate Measurements
The three measurements we need to ensure we can recommend the correct size kennel are length from nose to butt, width across the shoulders, and sitting height.
Length:
The easiest way to measure length is to have your dog lie down as flat as possible and use a seamstress’ tape measure to get the length from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail. For some breeds their paws will stick out farther than their nose. In that case measure to their paws as they need to be able to lie down in the crate with the door closed. We recommend the seamstress tape because the metal ones make a lot of noise and 99.9% of dogs freak out with them.
Width:
This measurement is simple and not super critical. Just feel on your dogs neck down to where the should bones start and get the width going across.
Sitting Height:
This is usually the most important measurements. Most kennels run long so making sure there’s enough headspace for your dog is crucial. Have your dog sit as tall as possible and measure vertically from the ground to the top of the head or the tip of the ears if they stick up.
Pro Tips:
Let’s face it, most dogs are not interested in cooperating with you while you measure. These are smart animals (usually lol) and they know something is up. Also, if you only have a metal tape measure then the noise it makes will make a lot of dogs anxious.
Try having your dog lie down in the corner of a room with their butt against the wall. Then use a pencil to mark the tip of their nose or paws, whichever sticks out farther. Same goes with sitting height. Have your dog sit against a wall and make a mark at the proper height. Then you can give them a treat and send them on their way so you can get an accurate measurement.
