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Measuring for a Mobility Support or Balance Assistance Harness

Welcome! This page has everything you need to measure for your new custom harness, except the dog and a measuring tape!

We’ve supplied video, diagrams, written instructions, and a printable PDF if you prefer physical information. 

PDF DOWNLOAD/PRINT MEASURING DIRECTIONS PDF Download/Print Measurement form

Preparing to Measure the Dog:

  • First, get out the very best treats you have, perhaps cheese, ham, or peanut butter! This is a great opportunity to have a helper bait your dog with a fistful of soft treats to keep your dog focused on trying to lick the food.
  • Have the dog stand square and balanced when taking all measurements. (No sitting or lying down.) Keep the measuring tape snug.
  • Start by finding your dog’s withers, marked in yellow on the photos. The withers are the top of the shoulder blades (indicated with a grey oval). The bones can be felt over the dog’s legs and shoulders, just below the dog’s neck.
  • Next, locate what we at BLD call the “sweet spot,” this is where the dog’s back begins. It is immediately behind the withers. Feel the withers, and palpate (use your fingers to probe) as you move down the dog’s back (just an inch or two) to feel for a bit of a dip in the dog’s spine. It is important that
    the girth and belly measurement are taken at this spot because this is where the harness saddle will sit
    on your dog.
  • In the photo below, the “sweet spot” is where the girth and belly guides meet just behind the withers.

Measuring tools:

  • A cloth/tailor’s measuring tape is ideal because it is flexible.
    If you don’t have one, use a string for measuring around your dog’s body and
    then measure the string against a measuring tape or yard stick.
  • A regular flat ruler is best for the width
  • Hardbacked book
  • Paper an Tape

You can measure the dog and person separately. The dog and harness user do NOT have to be together!

Tips & Hints for Accurate Measurements

The dog and user do NOT have to be together to measure for these
harnesses! You’ll need to measure harness user to determine the correct handle height. It’s very important the handle(s) fit the person; please don’t guess the handle height.
• Take each measurement 2 or 3 times for accuracy. Each time may give you different results; this is normal, don’t panic. Try again and average the numbers.
• If your dog is nervous with a measuring tape, try using a leash around their body, then measure the leash separately.
• You may want a friend to help you, a helper is highly recommended. No helper? Smear something tasty on a paper plate and tape it to the wall at the dog’s eye level to keep him occupied while you measure him.
• For the dog’s height and person’s wrist/hand measurements, you can tape a piece of paper to the wall to mark the height. 

Refer to the skeletons diagrams below to identify dog anatomy landmarks.

Measure the Dog

1) Measure Height from withers to the floor

• This measurement should be a straight, vertical line from the top of the shoulders to the ground. If using a flexible measuring tape, do not bend the tape over the dog. 
• Additionally, as shown in the video, you can ask your dog to stand next to a wall and mark his height on the paper taped to the wall. As seen in the video, a hardback book is a helpful tool; place the edge of the book on the wall and slide it down until it touches the dog’s withers. Mark the paper UNDER the book. Then measure from the mark to the ground.

2) Measure the Girth

• This measurement goes around your dog’s ribs, behind the front legs, at the deepest part of his chest. Start the measuring at the “sweet spot” behind the withers, go down under the deepest part of the dog’s chest and back around to the top.
• The measuring tape should be mostly vertical, forming a complete circle around the dog’s chest. Measure snugly but don’t squish your dog. (With long haired dogs, be sure you’re measuring the dog’s body, not just their floof!)

3) Measure the Belly 

• This measurement starts in the SAME PLACE at the sweet spot, just like you did for the girth. This time, the tape will go further back under the ribs.
• First, locate the spot under your dog’s belly where his/her ribs
come together and join the sternum (indicated in red on the
diagram). Feel the dog’s side and find the back of his ribcage, then count 3-4 ribs forward. Follow this rib down and palpate to find the notch where the
deep part of his chest curves up toward the belly (flanks).
• Bring the measuring tape under this point of the dog’s ribs, and
pull the tape up and forward to the “sweet spot.” The
measuring tape must be snug. The measure will be at a diagonal
angle.
• Pro Tip: put the measuring tape under your dog and “see-saw” it
back and forth while pulling forward toward the withers—this
settles the tape nicely under the belly, and then bring both sides
of the tape to the “sweet spot.”
• Avoid measuring vertically around the dog’s waist, or place the
measuring tape so far back it reaches the dog’s flanks—both will
yield inaccurate measurements. Usually, the belly and girth
measurement are within 3 inches of each other. Remember, we
will let you know if anything doesn’t look right!

4) Measure the dog’s Width

• There are two ways to measure the dog’s width. Both are best
with a regular flat ruler.
• This is an important measurement; the handle(s) will be made based on how wide your dog is, so take this measurement multiple times for accuracy
• Bird’s Eye View method: This method works well with dogs that have heavy muscling in the shoulders and short coats. Stand directly above your dog looking straight down over his body. If you touch one hand to each side of his ribs, how far apart are your hands?
• Doorway method: as shown in the video.
Lure your dog through a partially open door.
Have your dog squeeze through the doorway and stop when his shoulders are just past the doorjamb; measure the width of the door opening at the dog’s ribcage. Be sure the door and doorjamb touch the dog. This works well with a sliding door, and
a fistful of tasty treats. (The measuring video has a good demonstration of this method.)

Instructions to Measure for the Handle:

Now it’s time to measure the person who will use the harness to determine the handle size. Measure the hand that will primarily be used on the harness (most dogs work on the person’s left side, with left hand on the handle). Please take each measurement 2-3 times for accuracy.
Use the harness worksheet on the following page to calculate your handle height.
This is best done with a helper who can assure you’re standing naturally and measure for you so you don’t have to bend over.
No Helper? No problem! Tape a piece of paper to a wall. Stand with your shoulder touching the wall. Use a pencil to mark the paper at your hand and wrist heights as described below. Then, measure the wall from the ground to the marks.

A: Wrist to ground:

Ideally, the top of a rigid handle aligns with your wrist joint when your arm is relaxed at your side—this is similar to how a cane or walking stick is measured.
1) Stand while wearing normal shoes.
2) Be sure you are balanced and comfortable. Are you standing up straight? No slouching! Relax your shoulders. Steady yourself with a cane if you need.
3) Allow arm to hang naturally at your side. (Don’t bend or straighten your arm, just be relaxed.)
4) Measure from the bend in the wrist to the floor. Shoe check! Be sure to wear everyday shoes.
5) Repeat! Move around, shake out your arm. Stand up straight, relax the shoulders, and measure again.

B: Hand to ground:

Follow steps above for 1 & 2
3) Hold a pencil in your hand (or similar object to represent a handle) clutching it the way you wish to hold the harness handle.
4) Allow your arm to relax. Let your elbow relax naturally as you hold the pencil comfortably. (Don’t bend or straighten your arm.)
5) Measure from the pencil to the floor.
6) Repeat!
By default, we will use the wrist and/or hand measurements to calculate the handle heights. If hand/wrist are at or lower than the dog’s back, we suggest the minimum heights: a 2-4” rigid, or 3” leather handle.
You are welcome to specify specific handle heights! Please tell us if you’d like something else. For example, if you will only use the rigid metal handle for bracing to rise from a chair or transfer to a chair (not when you’re standing/ walking), then we suggest a short 2-4” handle for the greatest stability. If you want a secondary handle nice and short for pulling yourself up, or on stairs, just tell us. For Support Pull handles, we suggest 1-2” lower than the

Measuring Form for BAH-MSH

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