Choosing the correct size of dog coat

To point out the blazingly obvious: dogs come in all shapes and sizes. It can be problematic when you're buying a coat without being able to try it on.

Nevertheless, I estimate that for 90% of the coats we sell on the internet there is no further discussion; the size proves to be right; the dog's happy, the owner's happy; we're happy. There is happiness and contentment throughout the land.

Not so for the remaining 10%.

It usually transpires that the problem is one of two types. Either:

the customer didn't measure the dog,

or

the dog's measurements were between two sizes - and the customer chose the wrong size.

We do encourage customers to view the photos on the website (follow the 'dogged up' links) to get an idea of how the coats look in use, but this can't replace measuring your dog. I now feel the urge to cut-and-paste the following phrase a few dozen times. I'll actually type it once and cut-and-paste it once (hopefully the bold italics will communicate the phrase's importance): Measure your dog. Measure your dog.

Getting the size wrong means we'll have to exchange the coat; we're happy to do so. But:

Getting the size right first time will save us both a lot of time and inconvenience.

If you measure your dog and it seems to straddle two sizes then please let us help you decide what to do. Just email us the breed and measurements, tell us where you think the choice needs to be made and we'll guide you in the right direction. (You're welcome to phone to discuss but experience has taught me that the exchange - at least to begin - is easier by email; writing things down forces everyone to be very clear on what they're saying - no fudging like there can be in a conversation!)

And we can offer some very creative approaches to resolving the choice...