All about dog sizes: types and ways of measuring

Depending on the size of the world, there are several types of dogs: dwarf, small, medium, large and giant. Each of the dog breeds is characterized by individual dimensions regarding height at the withers, weight, depth of the chest. In this article, you will learn all about the size of dogs, as well as how to measure these pets.

Before you go to the rules for determining the size of your pet, it is necessary to understand in more detail the reasons why this procedure is not only useful, but also necessary.

• Regular determination of the size of the dog will allow you to easily monitor the condition of your pet: for his physical development and his current state of health. This will allow to quickly determine the treatment and form a diet during the development of, for example, obesity.

• Each pedigree should follow the classification and basics of its standard. It is the breed standard of the International Cynological Federation (or ICF) that determines the suitability of an individual to a certain breed of dogs. With such knowledge, you can be sure that your individual fits the standard or not - this will determine its future as an exhibition or working breed.

• If you intend to represent your pet in a competition in the future, you can get an idea of ​​sizing possible indicators of his jump. In particular, this concerns competitions with overcoming an obstacle course on a specially constructed platform.

• Often, inexperienced owners and breeders come to pet stores. for carrying for their animals and can not pick up the right size and size solely because of the elementary ignorance of the size of your dog. Such a thing as carrying is simply necessary for hairless and small breeds, as well as when moving a pet in public transport.

• Many of the dog breeds possess too short woolen coatwhich can not protect them from extreme cold and moisture while walking. In the cold season, such dogs should be dressed in special blankets or clothes, for the proper selection of which you also need to know the approximate size of your dog.

Some breeders believe that the size of the dog - it is only the height at the withers and weight, however, some other indicators are included here:

• chest depth - the distance from withers to the lowest point of the sternum;
• body length - the distance from the beginning of the sternum to the croup;
• back length - distance from withers to the beginning of the tail;
• neck length - vertical distance from withers to crown.

Even the owners, who had more than 2 or 3 dogs, sometimes have no idea what the withers are and where their pet is. Besides the fact that withers is a guide and a starting point in measuring the height of a dog, knowing its position is useful in other cases.

• Some time after the birth of a pedigree, all puppies are exposed. compulsory vaccination, as well as treatment with insecticides. It helps to save the young growing up organism from parasites, infections and serious diseases. The fact is that all such vaccinations are carried out precisely in the area near the withers. Withers are considered the most suitable place for vaccinations - in this area the skin is less sensitive, there is also a kind of skin pocket in which the entire dose of the drug is placed.

• When choosing a collar and other accessories for your dog, it is the withers' grip indicators that are decisive in determining the right accessory.

• When puppies are born, bitches take them just for withers to carry them to another place. (in everyday language this place is called "shkirka"). This place is the least painful for dogs, so even the owners are advised to carry the puppies only in this way. It is believed that when carried over the withers puppies feel safer.

The next task that will be in front of you is to discover this very withers.

Instructions for detecting withers will be located below:

• place your hands with the palms down on your pet's shoulders and firmly press them against the pet's body;
• with slow but gradual movements, run your hands (without tearing off or loosening the pressure) on the animal's skin until one or more folds form in front;
• move your hands forward all the way into the area of ​​the blades;
• the fold that is formed by such manipulations with the skin is a nape, and it, in turn, is the skin surface just above the withers.

Also, to find withers, you can use any flat and rather heavy object (to put pressure on the wool). Most often in this role is a small book.

The height of the dog at the withers - this is the perpendicular distance from the place of support (surface - floor, earth) to the point where the neck of the animal and its shoulder blades converge. In simple terms, the withers is the highest place on the body of the animal.

When measuring the size of any dog ​​should follow a number of rules that will facilitate this process.

• The best measuring tool for dogs is an ordinary measuring stick (wooden, plastic or metal). It gives the most accurate results, while the same tape measure or “meter” usually reduces the size of a dog by a few centimeters.
• The measurement is carried out not once, but 3 or 4. This is necessary to compare the results, as well as to determine the average between them. Measurements are carried out in a period of 1-2 minutes, the result (summed up and divided by the number of measurements) is the height of your dog.
• All show breeds of show-class dogs must be trained by a special team, which assumes that the dog adopts a certain static posture for correct sizing.
• In order for the dimensions to be determined correctly, take the dog with something for the time of measurement (give a treat or a new toy). Ideally, two people should take part in the measurements - one of them will fix the dog in the desired position and ensure that it is not distracted, and the other will conduct the measurement itself.
• Make sure your pet is standing on a perfectly flat surface during measurements. For small and medium-sized breeds of dogs, it is worth choosing a method of measuring growth using a tape measure or measuring stick.To make such a measurement more objective, it is worth using two long and hard rulers. One of them is placed horizontally on the back of the dog, and the second is measured strictly perpendicular distance from withers to the floor.

In the standard ICF The main characteristics of the appearance for each popular breed.

Dog breeders often wonder what size their pet will be when it grows up. To determine the approximate size of the future dog should pay attention to the following factors.

• If we are talking about a pedigree puppy, it is enough to look at the breed standard to find out approximate indicators of its growth in the future. Some standards define normal values ​​for individuals at a certain age.

• When considering the standard of your breed, keep in mind that adult bitches are standardly smaller than males.

• If you buy a pet from private hands or in a nursery, be sure to ask about the size of your pet's parents. Dogs usually grow up with about the same size as their parents.

• Determining the size of the animal, if we are talking about mestizas, mongrel or so-called yard dogs, is much more difficult. Often this is determined by examining the individual's chest, paw size, skull and muzzle. It is not necessary to focus on the weight of yard puppies when determining future sizes - it happens that street dogs are often malnourished, and therefore the indicators will be, to put it mildly, incorrect.

• Keep in mind that the body of any dog ​​to the year of life is fully formed. Already by 8–10 months in front of you a full-fledged dog, whose dimensions relative to height and length are unlikely to change naturally (withers, for example, can occur due to some serious diseases).

• The surest way to know the future size of a pet is to go to an experienced veterinarian. So you will almost certainly find out how your dog will grow up.

How to measure a dog at the withers, see the following video.