How to measure your dog for a harness, and which leash to pair with it
Measure around the widest part of your dog's ribcage, just behind the front legs, and choose the harness size by that number rather than by weight. For the Up Dog Magnetic Buckle Harness, the Small fits a ribcage of 22 to 26 inches and the Large fits 33 to 43 inches. If your dog lands at the edge of a size, get in touch before you order.
For the leash, the choice comes down to how your dog walks. A leather leash like the Jeffers Flat Leather Leash gives you a fixed 6 feet and a direct, steady feel. A stretch leash like the WUNDERleash turns a sudden lunge into a stretch instead of a jolt, but it pulls back a little and takes a walk or two to get used to.
Where exactly do you measure a dog for a harness?
Around the widest part of the ribcage, just behind the front legs. That's the measurement the harness sizes are listed by, so it's the number that decides the fit.
- Stand your dog up. Measure with your dog standing square, not sitting or lying down.
- Use a soft tape. A sewing tape measure is ideal. No tape? Wrap a piece of string or a shoelace, pinch the spot where it meets, and lay it against a ruler.
- Go all the way around. Wrap the tape around the widest part of the ribcage, just behind the front legs, snug against the coat without squeezing.
- Measure twice. Write the number down. If the two readings differ, measure a third time and go with the one that repeats.
For the Small, Up Dog also lists a neck range of 14 to 18 inches, so if your dog is a Small candidate, take a neck measurement too.
Why measure instead of going by weight?
Because weight is only a rough guide to shape. Two 40-pound dogs can be built very differently, one deep and narrow through the chest and the other stocky and round. The harness has to fit the body, and the ribcage is where body shape shows up.
Up Dog's own weight ranges overlap at the edges, too. A 30-pound dog could be a Small or a Medium on weight alone, and a 55-pound dog could be a Medium or a Large. The tape measure settles it.
Which Up Dog size fits my dog?
| Size | Dog weight | Ribcage |
|---|---|---|
| Small | About 15 to 30 lb | 22 to 26 in (neck 14 to 18 in) |
| Medium | About 30 to 55 lb | Ask us |
| Large | About 55 to 90+ lb | 33 to 43 in |
To be straight with you, we have rib measurements for the Small and the Large, but for the Medium we only have Up Dog's weight range so far. If your dog's ribcage measures between 26 and 33 inches, or sits right at the edge of any range, send us the measurement before ordering and we'll help you pick.
How should a harness fit once it's on?
Snug enough that it doesn't shift around, loose enough that you can slide two fingers flat under the straps. If it twists to one side on a walk or slides back when your dog pulls, it's likely too loose.
The Up Dog harness is padded and has two leash points: a front clip for dogs who pull, and a back clip for easy walks. There's a grab handle on top and reflective trim. The buckles are the reason it earned a spot: magnets pull the two halves together and a mechanical latch locks them, so they click shut with one hand, and a pull tab releases them.
The buckles are plastic, so check that each one clicks fully shut before every walk. Hand wash the harness in cool water with mild soap and let it air dry, and replace it if a buckle stops latching firmly.
Leather or stretch: which leash should you pair with it?
Both clip to either point on the harness. The difference is how each one feels when your dog changes speed.
When is a leather leash the right call?
The Jeffers Flat Leather Leash is six feet of flat chestnut leather with a sewn hand loop and solid brass hardware. Leather softens as you use it, and it's easier on your hands than thin nylon when a dog lunges after a squirrel. It's made for Jeffers, a farm and pet supply company in Dothan, Alabama, in business since 1975.
- Length: 6 ft
- Widths: 3/4", 1", or 1-1/4". Wider ones are easier to grip and suit bigger dogs; narrower ones are lighter for small dogs.
- Care: wipe clean with a damp cloth, let it air dry away from heat, and condition the leather now and then
The honest tradeoff: leather has no give. It's a fixed length, which is exactly what you want for a dog who walks mostly steady, but a hard lunge still arrives at your hand all at once. Check the stitching and clip now and then, and replace it if the leather cracks or the stitching lets go.
When is a stretch leash the right call?
The WUNDERleash is 4 feet long and stretches to about 7 feet under load, so a sudden lunge becomes a stretch instead of a jolt to your shoulder. A braided steel cable runs inside the full length as a backup, and a second handle near the clip gives you close control at crosswalks. WACKYstore, a small Pennsylvania company that has been making them since 2004, makes them by hand in North America.
- Length: 4 ft, stretching to about 7 ft
- Sizes: Small (dogs up to 20 lb), Medium (up to 60 lb), Large (up to 150 lb)
- Material: natural rubber (latex) with a braided steel cable inside
The honest tradeoffs: a stretch leash stores energy, so it pulls back a little when your dog eases up, and it takes a walk or two to get used to. It isn't a training fix on its own. It's made of natural latex, so skip it if you or your dog has a latex allergy. Store it out of direct sun, which ages natural rubber, and replace it if the rubber cracks.
How do the two leashes compare?
| Detail | Jeffers Flat Leather Leash | WUNDERleash |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 6 ft, fixed | 4 ft, stretches to about 7 ft |
| Material | Leather, solid brass hardware | Natural rubber (latex), steel cable inside |
| How you size it | By width: 3/4, 1, or 1-1/4 in | By dog weight: up to 20, 60, or 150 lb |
| On a lunge | No give; you feel it right away | Stretches, then pulls back a little |
| Handles | Hand loop | Hand loop plus a second handle near the clip |
| Skip it if | You want some give when your dog lunges | You or your dog has a latex allergy, or you want a leash that doesn't pull back |
So which pairing should you get?
Measure first, and let the ribcage number pick the harness size. Then think about your walks. If your dog mostly walks steady and you like a classic leash that lasts with a little care, get the leather. If your dog hits the end of the leash hard and your shoulder knows it, try the stretch, and give it a walk or two before you decide. Neither leash replaces training, and neither needs to.
The harness and both leashes are in Leashes & Harnesses, and each product page has its full sizing notes.