How to Measure a Dog for the AKC Breed Ring

If your dog is going into the show ring, it's important to know the dog's height. Height is crucial to many of the purebred standards; some dogs are disqualified if they don't meet the height requirements. How you determine your dog's height is important, too. Show dogs are measured using height gates, but you can measure your dog yourself with just a tape measure, pencil and a ruler or level object.

Things You'll Need

  • Paper
  • Masking tape
  • Ruler
  • Pencil
  • Tape measure
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Instructions

    • 1

      Tape a piece of paper to a wall approximately the height of your dog at your dog's shoulder.

    • 2

      Stand your dog in profile next to a wall.

    • 3

      Lay the ruler flat on top of your dog's shoulders so that the edge touches the paper and the ruler sits on the highest point of his shoulders (called the withers.)

    • 4

      Mark the bottom of the ruler where it touches the paper. Be sure to keep the ruler level.

    • 5

      Move the dog and measure from the mark to the ground with a tape measure. That will be your dog's height.