Height

HI The easiest way if you do not have a wicket is to put them agaist a wall make sure they are standing 4 square and straight and mark with a pencil right where their shoulder is then measure with a measuring tape to the penicl mark is probarly the easiest way (and the less wiggling way:wink2:)..Ive done that in a pinch and works out pretty close. I wouldnt trust it if it was close to either too large or small and heading into a ring...but for general curiosity it works well:smile2:
 
Lightplum said:
HI The easiest way if you do not have a wicket is to put them agaist a wall make sure they are standing 4 square and straight and mark with a pencil right where their shoulder is then measure with a measuring tape to the penicl mark is probarly the easiest way (and the less wiggling way:wink2:)..Ive done that in a pinch and works out pretty close. I wouldnt trust it if it was close to either too large or small and heading into a ring...but for general curiosity it works well:smile2:
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Where I always get confused is determining where the shoulder is! :confused2:
 
The shoulder is at the top of the front legs on the top of the body, 2 bony bumps where their legs come up, or just past their neck. The shoulders are also called the withers. They are difficult to measure without a wicket. I'll see if I can find a website, but without a wicket they are difficult to measure. I like Lightplums idea. Puppies can be difficult to measure even if you have a wicket, because they need to be desensitized to the wicket first. If I find something better on a website, I'll let you know.
 
Try this website--it shows you where the shoulder or withers are too:
lgd.org/library/measure/htm
Good Luck!!
 
Crystal1 said:
Try this website--it shows you where the shoulder or withers are too:
lgd.org/library/measure/htm
Good Luck!!
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I couldn't get the link to work. But I think I get it.

If I were to take Lightplum's suggestion, then in a straight vertical line following the line of his front legs, place a ruler on his back on the intersection that would be his "shoulder"? That always confused me because I tend to think of the shoulder as being lower down, not at the top of his back. But now that I think of it, that is just plain silly! Of course it would be at the top of his back, attached to his spine! :rolleyes2:

btw - I never took biology in high school! Can you tell! ? :lol:
 
 
Lightplum said:
HI This will show you where the withers are located http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.doggiestylesgrooming.com/images/anatomy.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.doggiestylesgrooming.com/anatomy.htm&usg=__eDItEq2AMcqopkAt3fs8n9bR7-o=&h=404&w=475&sz=22&hl=en&start=16&sig2=fMR_JtrHyLh8wPLaVo91Tw&um=1&tbnid=vq0sEWM27UsdwM:&tbnh=110&tbnw=129&ei=AXWLSZCeHpLgM6SlmMoH&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddog%2Banatomy%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN
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Ok! So I'm not a total idiot! Yey! :biggrin2: According the pic, the shoulder is lower down, just like I thought originally. But now I know how to locate the whithers - not exactly a straight horizontal line up the leg but more to the back of the shoulder. So much easier to do with a dog with no ruff!

Thx much! If I can hold my pups down tonight, I just might measure them both.

btw - when do they stop growing in height?
 
Usually by 7-8 months they have slowed or stopped growing. Ususally I find the withers right where the ruff stops but it depends on how coated your dog so I didnt want to put that to confuse people...:smile2:
 
BarbV said:
btw - when do they stop growing in height?
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I was told Shelties reach roughly their adult height by 9 months. But both mine had a growth spurt at 12 months - so that Tully got to 13 inches and Deska passed 16inches. I was disappointed when Deska grew too tall as he was just within height before that - but the vet said a last growth spurt was not unusual.
 
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