Dog Measurement Chart: Centimetres to Inches

Quick answer One inch is exactly 2.54 cm, so divide centimetres by 2.54 to get inches and multiply inches by 2.54 to get centimetres. A 60 cm chest is 23.6 in, and a 24 in crate length is 61 cm. Measure the dog in one unit, convert once and compare with the chart in the unit it uses.

Shop for dog gear internationally and you meet both units at once: a harness chart in centimetres, a crate listed in inches, a coat sized by back length in either. The conversion is simple and exact, but the sums are easy to fumble when you are holding a tape and a phone, and an error of an inch or two matters when a harness is meant to fit snugly or a crate is meant to leave 5 to 10 cm of room. This guide gives the exact factor, a conversion chart for the measurements that dog owners use, the way to write inches as feet and inches and the practical points about measuring. The Pet Measurement Converter does any value.

The exact factor

1 inch = 2.54 cm exactly cm = inches × 2.54 inches = cm ÷ 2.54 1 foot = 12 inches = 30.48 cm

The factor is a definition, not an estimate, so there is no rounding error in the conversion itself. For quick sums, 2.5 is close, and 2.54 is exact.

A conversion chart

Centimetres	Inches	Centimetres	Inches
20	7.9	65	25.6
25	9.8	70	27.6
30	11.8	75	29.5
35	13.8	80	31.5
40	15.7	90	35.4
45	17.7	100	39.4
50	19.7	110	43.3
55	21.7	120	47.2
60	23.6

To convert a value between two rows, add: 62 cm is 60 cm (23.6) plus 2 cm (0.8), which is 24.4 inches. For a rough check, 10 cm is about 4 inches.

Inches to centimetres

Inches	Centimetres	Inches	Centimetres
8	20.3	30	76.2
10	25.4	32	81.3
12	30.5	36	91.4
14	35.6	42	106.7
16	40.6	48	121.9
20	50.8	54	137.2
24	61.0	60	152.4
28	71.1	72	182.9

Crates are often listed in inches, in sizes such as 24, 30, 36, 42 and 48; the table gives their length in centimetres. Check the inside length, since the outside is larger.

Feet and inches

Larger measurements, such as a fence height or a run length, are given in feet and inches.

Total inches	Feet and inches	Centimetres
30	2 ft 6 in	76.2
36	3 ft 0 in	91.4
42	3 ft 6 in	106.7
48	4 ft 0 in	121.9
60	5 ft 0 in	152.4
72	6 ft 0 in	182.9

To convert, divide inches by 12 for feet and keep the remainder as inches.

Which measurements matter for which gear

Gear	Measurement	How to take it
Harness	Chest girth, neck	Tape around the widest part of the chest behind the front legs; neck at the collar position
Collar	Neck girth	Tape around the neck where a collar sits, then add two fingers of room
Crate	Body length and standing height	Nose to base of tail; floor to top of head or ears, then add 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 in)
Coat	Back length, chest	Base of neck to base of tail; widest part of the chest
Bed	Length when curled or stretched	Measure the dog lying in its usual position and add allowance
Car or ramp	Height, length	Floor to top of head; nose to tail

Our guides to how to measure a dog for a harness and what size crate a dog needs show the steps, and the Dog Harness Size Calculator and Dog Crate Size Calculator turn the numbers into sizes.

Typical examples, converted

For a dog 80 cm long and 60 cm tall, a crate needs at least 85 to 90 cm length and 65 to 70 cm height inside, using the 5 to 10 cm allowance. In inches, the dog is 31.5 in long and 23.6 in tall, and the crate needs 33.5 to 35.4 in by 25.6 to 27.6 in.

	Centimetres	Inches
Dog length	80	31.5
Dog height	60	23.6
Minimum crate length (+5 to +10 cm)	85 to 90	33.5 to 35.4
Minimum crate height	65 to 70	25.6 to 27.6

A “36 inch” crate is 91.4 cm long on the outside, with an inside length a few centimetres less. It would suit this dog if its inside length reaches at least 85 to 90 cm.

Measure once, convert once

The cleanest way to avoid errors is to measure in one unit and convert once. If you have measured in centimetres, convert the chart or product values to centimetres rather than the other way round for every measurement. Write down the unit next to every number. A common slip is to measure in inches, then read the size chart in centimetres and compare directly: a chest of 24 inches is 61 cm, not 24 cm.

Mistake	Effect
Comparing 24 (inches) with a chart in cm	Choose a size far too small
Rounding 2.54 to 2.5 repeatedly	Small drift: 100 in is 250 cm, not 254
Using outside crate dimensions as inside	Crate too small
Forgetting the allowance	Crate too snug

Tips for accurate measuring

Use a soft tape, and keep it flat and snug, not tight.
Measure the dog standing on level ground.
Measure twice and average.
Write the unit down, and record the date.
For a growing puppy, measure again every two weeks.
Use a string and a ruler if you do not have a soft tape.
Ask a helper to hold the dog still and give treats.

Millimetres and fractions

Charts sometimes give sizes in millimetres or in fractions of an inch. Millimetres are cm × 10. Fractions of an inch convert as decimals: 1/2 in is 0.5 in = 1.27 cm; 1/4 in is 0.25 in = 0.64 cm; 3/4 in is 0.75 in = 1.91 cm. For dog gear, rounding to the nearest centimetre or half inch is accurate enough.

Converting weights too

If you are converting gear sizes, you may also be converting your dog’s weight, which products sometimes use as a rough guide. See our kilograms to pounds chart for the factor and a table.

Rounding the converted number

Conversions rarely come out even, and sizing charts use whole or half inches. Convert once, then round in the direction the chart needs.

Measurement	Centimetres	Exact inches	Nearest half inch
Neck	38	14.96	15.0
Chest	66	25.98	26.0
Back length	70	27.56	27.5
Shoulder height	58	22.83	23.0

Rounding to the nearest half inch changes the value by at most a quarter of an inch, about 0.6 cm, which is smaller than the error from a tape that is held slightly loose. When a measurement sits just under a size boundary, do not round up and down at random: take the next size up only if the maker says to, and check how snug the product should be. Our guides on harness sizing and crate sizing show where each measurement is used.

Common mistakes

Dividing by 2.5 instead of 2.54 for precise sums.
Comparing numbers in different units.
Measuring over a thick coat without feeling the body.
Using the outside size of a crate.
Forgetting the allowance for room.
Not recording the unit.
Not remeasuring a growing dog.

Quick summary

1 inch = 2.54 cm exactly; cm ÷ 2.54 = inches; inches × 2.54 = cm.
A 60 cm chest is 23.6 in; a 24 in crate is 61 cm long.
Inches to feet and inches: divide by 12, keep the remainder.
Measure chest, neck, length and height as the gear requires, and add the allowance for crates.
Measure once in one unit, convert once and write the unit by every number.
Use the Pet Measurement Converter.

Frequently asked questions

How do I convert centimetres to inches?

Divide by 2.54. A 60 cm measurement is 23.6 inches.

How do I convert inches to centimetres?

Multiply by 2.54. A 24 inch crate is 61 cm long.

How do I write inches as feet and inches?

Divide by 12: the whole number is feet and the remainder is inches. 30 in is 2 ft 6 in.

Which dog measurements do I need?

Chest girth and neck for harnesses and collars; body length and standing height for crates and coats.

How accurate should my measurement be?

Within about a centimetre or half an inch for most gear. Measure twice.

Do millimetres matter?

For dog gear, rarely. Round to the nearest centimetre or half inch.

Sources

Reviewed by the CalcuPaw Veterinary Review Team

Last reviewed 19 Oct 2026 · Meet the review team · This guide is general information, not veterinary advice.