Hi Sooz:
Sorry, but no one can tell you those measurements. That's like asking how tall is a man.

I'd say to measure the dog at the widest part of his back all the way around. The widest part would be where the rib cage is, a bit back from the front legs. See from the pattern just how far it goes under him. Then measure the pattern at the widest part.

As for the length--do the same thing. Measure the dog and then the pattern. That's the only way to tell for sure.

If you don't have access to the dog, then your guess is as good as mine

Thanks, oilpaintet... hey, our birthdays are a day apart !

I appreciate your input and will follow through as you suggested... just thought there might be an easier way to figure out the pattern "inches" for the different sizes. :O)

Smiles,
Sooz

Sometimes those sizes are for the distance from the base of the dogs neck to his tail. What is the garmet you're planning? The neck-to-tail measurement is sometimes used for making jackets, or cape-like coverings.

You might check McCalls on-line site and see if there's any more info there.

Thanks, Caroline--I want to make the little "tuxedo-like" vest for one pup and add ruffles to one of the vests for a girly-girl outfit for the other.

I think I'd just cut the pattern pieces out and lay them on the dog to see which one fits best.
You can always make adjustments as you cut the fabric.
Patterns are sized so weird sometimes for people clothes so that might be the case too for pet clothes.

I was at the fabric store today and looked through the McCalls pattern book and found the pattern I have.

Wouldn't ya know it, IN the pattern book, ON the page with the pattern, it ways to measure from the base of the neck to the base of the tail.

Gee, why couldn't they have put that on the pattern package?

Now I know, AND I'll also be doing as suggested--cut out pieces, measure dog, measure pieces, see which fits best.

Thanks everyone!!!! Hey, it's all good!

Smiles,
Sooz

I had the same frustrations with a pattern for a dog costume -- I think I even called the company and complained!

(Now that I know how to post pictures, I can't resist showing you a pic of my baby "Hugo" in his batwings. He's a French Bulldog, so he already has the bat ears.)

What a doll! Can you show us his face? It must be intense!

Intense is a good word for it! A face only a mother could love!

(Sorry it's so big -- no idea how to resize a pic!)

Okay, sorry about that. Here's a better pic.

Oh, I just love that little face, especially with his tongue sticking out.

dody

And it is almost always sticking out!

Clergychick, I have Hugo's brother. I've never seen another one just like him. Berny is an extremely jealous baby and tries to "kill" any other dog who comes near. My grandson left his Great Pyrenese with me while attending college and Berny thinks he can beat him up. It's a good thing Bo has a gentle nature as this little chainsaw would be dinner for Bo otherwise.

He's precious; I'd smooch that wrinkly forehead!

pris,
Hugo plays well with others -- but he's had a sibling since he arrived in our family -- a female mutt (part pit-bull, part chicken (i.e. scared of her own shadow!)) But he has always considered himself "top dog".

I held a 6 wk old pyrenese pup once: it was about the size of fully grown Hugo!

Can you post a pic of Berny, since we seem to have high-jacked this thread completely now?
--Amy

Amy
Unfortunately, I failed to get all my pics transferred from my desktop to the laptop before donating it. I didn't even think about it. My digital camera isn't compatible with the laptop. It puts the pics on 3.5 floppies and I don't have a floppy drive. I'm going to have to go through all my floppies and take them to be transferred to a cd so I can upload to photobucket.

Bernie looks exactly like your Hugo except Bernie is older as his gray muzzle will attest. Their brindle coloring is unusual. Around here anyway. We rescued him from a local college professor who bought him for his grandaughter. Suffice it to say his grandaughter wasn't old enough or nice enough to treat a puppie properly so my Dil brought him home. (with Grandpa's permission of course)
Pris

Pris,
We got Hugo from a breeder. He was the last of his litter to find a home and at 12 weeks was "reduced for quick sale". I think the brindle may have been less desirable in other's eyes. Funny enough -- our other dog (the mutt) is marked exactly the same way: only her brindle is a little darker.

What a pain about your pictures!!! At least they are not lost forever, no matter how much trouble it is to get at them. I work on several different computers, and I'm always needing pics from one when I'm working on the other one. But that's life in the modern world!
Amy

I love doggie threadjacks!!!
What darlng photos!!
Sooz

Sooz! It's so sweet and kind of you to offer that sentiment! Thanks for "sharing" your thread.

Did you get the pups outfitted for the "prom"?

Hi, Caroline,

Well, a couple of things have come up and I really have not had a chance to sew anything, but hope that April will bring me the opportunity!

Isn't that pix of little Hugo with the bat wings just darling?!

Smiles,
Sooz