Measuring Your Dog's Height?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The other day Jack and I were leaving the vet's office as a young family with two small children were coming in. The little girl said, "Mommy, there's a humongous doggy!"

I hear this all the time. Jackdoodle is really large, and people are always commenting on his size. He is always, always the biggest and tallest doodle at every romp and dog park. He is much taller than any of the standard poodles or Labs we know, and even some of the working breeds like Rotties & most shepherds. At 87 lbs, he is also one of the heaviest of the poodle mixes we have met.

Yet he is "only" 25 inches at the top of the shoulder, when I flatten down his fur. (If I just hold the tape next to him without flattening down his fur with the other hand, he's at 27". )This is where a dog's height is supposed to be measured.

What confuses me is the number of DK members who mention that their doodles are 26, 27, and even 28 inches tall. I am really perplexed as to how there could be so many doodles here who are so much taller than Jack, as I never see one in person, and we see a lot of doodles, they are very popular here. 27 inches is really, really tall for a dog...that's the top limit on the standards for some of the biggest breeds out there.

So what I'm wondering is if these heights are being taken at the shoulder, if they are maybe eyeballed, and include the fur? Or if doodles just grow taller in other parts of the country and my humongous doggy is really a shrimp?

 

[Lynda Kamrath]

My dogs are right up there with Murphy. Both of them are taller than any of their parents. HOndo (the labradoodle) is 27" tall and weighs 99.8 pounds. We were very happy that he has trimmed down a little. He was 107 pounds the last time he was sick. Groucho Too is very tall - 30" (from the shoulder with his hair pressed down) and weights about 85 pounds. We thought he was heavier, but this is the vet weight from his last visit.

[Linda and Murphy]

Lynda, I was waiting for Hondo and Groucho Too!

;-)

[BG and Gavin]

Gavin is 11.5 months, and now 28 inches at the shoulder (I just re-measured) still a svelt 65lbs and all legs (but sturdy long legs - not like Starlits thin but shapely gams). Everyone mentions how tall he is - I say "yeah he get's it from his father" (my DH is 6'5") "but he's got my hair" (DH is bald). An acquaintance of ours has a boy that makes Gavin look like a munchkin - he is at least 2-3 inches taller and tips the scales at 115lbs!!

[Susan]

Marlow is 27" inches at the shoulder with the hair flattened. My friend who met him for the first time called him a "shetland pony"! And he only weighs in at 68 pounds now. He is a long tall "drink of water" as my husband calls him!

[c zoomer]

Getting ready for my Dood. :)  I saw a foldable kennel on sale and wondered about the total height of a doodle.  The kennel says that it is 18.5" high.  Your answers will really help, thank you in advance,

a. 15" at shoulder

b. 16" at shoulder

c. 17" at shoulder

[Kaitee and Orwell]

What will be the estimated height of your doodle full grown? Also, are you getting an Australian Doodle, or a lower generation?

[c zoomer]

The breeder has not mentioned the generation. They are adorable parents, the dam more poodle-like and the sire stockier. both are close in size, and the puppies estimated to be between 20-25 lbs. it's up to me to guess the rest.

[Roslyn and Nana]

Nana Grace is 27" at the shoulder no fur. I have never a larger breed dog before so she seems large to me.

[c zoomer]

Thank you for the lovely photo. I agree with you. 27" is a big Girl. Her crate would be super size! The breeder estimates the puppies to be 20-25 lbs., or small mediums. In order to buy a crate I need to understand overall height. I was hoping for enough measurements that I could pick the right crate. Maybe I should just wait until the puppy outgrows the smallish one I have. I'll close out the inquiry.

[Roslyn and Nana]

That may actually be the best way to go. I know we just couldn't picture ours getting as big as she is from the tiny puppy we brought home, so we went through 3 different crates before she stopped growing.