How to measure your dog's height at the withers

On this page

1. Where the withers are
2. The method
3. Typical heights for 50 breeds
4. Why the number matters

Stand the dog square on a hard floor, find the top of the shoulder blades (the withers: the bony point where the neck meets the back), and measure straight down from there to the floor. A tape measure and a hardback book laid flat across the withers make it easy; measure twice. That number, not the height of the head, is what breed standards, vets and walk trackers mean by a dog's height, and it is the number that turns a measured distance into your dog's own paw steps.

Where the withers are

Run your hand down the back of the dog's neck toward the body. The neck slopes down and then the line levels out into the back; the highest bony point at that transition, at the top of the shoulder blades, is the withers. On a short-coated dog you can see it; on a fluffy one you feel for it. It is the standard reference because it does not move when the dog raises or lowers its head.

The method

1. Hard, level floor. Carpet and grass give false readings.
2. Stand the dog square, all four feet under them, weight even, head in a natural position. A treat held at nose level keeps them still.
3. Find the withers with your hand and keep a finger on it.
4. Lay something flat across the withers, a hardback book or a carpenter's level, parallel to the floor. Press the coat down to the skin for a long-haired dog.
5. Measure from the floor to the underside of the book with a tape or a ruler held vertical.
6. Repeat. Take the second reading, or the average of three if they differ. On a small dog, half an inch is five percent.

For a wriggly dog, stand them against a wall, mark the withers height on the wall with a pencil (book method), and measure the mark afterwards. For a puppy, re-measure every month or two; they grow until 8 to 18 months depending on size, as When do puppies stop growing? sets out.

Typical heights for 50 breeds

Use these as a sanity check or a starting value; your own measurement beats the typical one. Heights are at the withers for a typical adult; females and small-framed dogs sit toward the lower end.

Why the number matters

At a walk, a dog's stride is about 1.1 to 1.5 times its withers height, and every stride is four paw falls. So paw steps per mile = 1 mile ÷ stride × 4, which is roughly 8,400 for a 23-inch Labrador and 30,000 for a 6.5-inch Chihuahua. Get the height wrong by two inches on a small dog and the step count is off by a quarter. The full method, the gait research behind it and the table of paw steps per mile are in How many steps does a dog take in a mile?; the paw steps calculator takes any height. How far dogs of each height should be walking in a day is in How far should you walk your dog? Miles per day by size.

Frequently asked questions

Where are a dog's withers?

The highest point of the shoulder blades, where the neck meets the back. Run a hand down the back of the neck; the bony ridge where it levels out is the withers.

Do I measure a dog's height to the head?

No. Dog height is always measured to the withers, not the head, because dogs raise and lower their heads. Breed standards and vets all use the withers.

How tall is my dog supposed to be?

It varies by breed: about 6 to 8 inches for a Chihuahua, 12 for a French Bulldog, 23 for a Labrador, 30 or more for a Great Dane. The table in this guide lists typical heights for 50 breeds.

Why does a walking app need my dog's height?

Because stride length scales with shoulder height (about 1.1 to 1.5 times it at a walk), and paw steps are the distance divided by the stride. Without the height, any paw-step number is a guess about a generic dog.

This guide is general information from published veterinary and scientific sources, not veterinary advice. Every dog is different: for exercise, weight or feeding decisions, talk to your vet. Pawdometer never gives diet advice.