Dog Bandana Sizing
Here is the thing about buying a bandana for your dog. It is a twenty five dollar decision that somehow generates the anxiety of a two hundred dollar one, entirely because of the sizing chart.
You are on a product page. It says one size. Your dog is a Great Dane, or a Chihuahua, or something in between that you have never successfully described to a groomer. And you think, surely not. Surely one size cannot cover both of those animals.
It can, and this article explains exactly why, with two charts, a thirty second measuring method, and six ways to tie the thing so it stays where you put it.
Let us get you measured.
How to measure your dog's neck in 30 seconds
You need a soft measuring tape. If you do not have one, a piece of string and a ruler works just as well and your dog will not know the difference.
Not right up under the jaw and not down on the shoulders. The natural resting place, usually about a third of the way down the neck.
Snug against the fur, not compressing it.
They should fit comfortably and flat. If they do not, loosen and take the measurement again.
That is your dog's neck measurement, and it is the only number that matters here.
If your dog has a thick double coat, a Husky or a Chow or a Samoyed, measure at the base of the fur rather than the outside of it. Fur compresses. A bandana tied to the outer measurement will slide.
Three frame instructional sequence: hand placing the tape at the collar line, tape wrapped and being read, two fingers slipped underneath.
Dog bandana size chart by neck measurement
The measurement you just took, matched to the folded size you want.
| Size | Neck measurement | Folded triangle width | Typical dog |
|---|---|---|---|
| XS | 8 to 12 in | 12 to 14 in | Teacup and toy breeds |
| S | 12 to 15 in | 14 to 18 in | Small breeds and puppies |
| M | 15 to 18 in | 18 to 22 in | Most medium dogs |
| L | 18 to 22 in | 22 to 26 in | Large breeds |
| XL | 22 to 28 in | 26 to 30 in | Giant breeds |
The rule of thumb: the folded long edge of the bandana wants to be roughly your dog's neck measurement plus 6 to 8 inches. That surplus is what you tie with.
Our bandanas measure 27 by 13 inches, which puts the long edge comfortably into the L range straight out of the packet, and folds down to cover everything above it.
Dog bandana size chart by breed
Use this as a starting point, not gospel. Two Labradors can be four inches apart at the neck, and a chunky Beagle will outmeasure a lean one every time. Measure if you can. This chart is for when you are buying a gift for someone else's dog and cannot exactly turn up with a tape measure.
| Breed | Typical neck | Size |
|---|---|---|
| Chihuahua | 8 to 14 in | XS to S |
| Yorkshire Terrier | 8 to 12 in | XS |
| Pomeranian | 10 to 14 in | XS to S |
| Maltese | 10 to 14 in | XS to S |
| Shih Tzu | 11 to 15 in | S |
| Miniature Dachshund | 10 to 14 in | XS to S |
| Standard Dachshund | 13 to 18 in | S to M |
| Pug | 14 to 18 in | M |
| French Bulldog | 14 to 18 in | M |
| Boston Terrier | 14 to 18 in | M |
| Corgi | 14 to 18 in | M |
| Beagle | 14 to 18 in | M |
| Cocker Spaniel | 14 to 18 in | M |
| Border Collie | 16 to 20 in | M to L |
| Australian Shepherd | 16 to 20 in | M to L |
| Springer Spaniel | 16 to 20 in | M to L |
| Siberian Husky | 16 to 22 in | M to L |
| Labrador Retriever | 18 to 24 in | L |
| Golden Retriever | 18 to 24 in | L |
| Boxer | 18 to 24 in | L |
| Doberman | 18 to 24 in | L |
| German Shepherd | 18 to 26 in | L to XL |
| Rottweiler | 20 to 28 in | L to XL |
| Bernese Mountain Dog | 20 to 26 in | L to XL |
| Great Dane | 20 to 28 in | XL |
| Saint Bernard | 22 to 30 in | XL |
| Mastiff | 24 to 32 in | XL |
Illustrated version of the table above. Dog silhouettes at proportional scale along a horizontal axis, grouped into the five size bands with the neck ranges called out.
Standard bandana dimensions, for reference
Slightly outside the dog question, but it comes up constantly and the answer is annoyingly hard to find, so here it is.
| Type | Dimensions | Common use |
|---|---|---|
| Child or small square | 14 x 14 in | Small necks, pocket squares |
| Standard square | 22 x 22 in | The classic American bandana |
| Large square | 27 x 27 in | Head wraps, large dogs |
| Oversized | 34 x 34 in | Scarves, wraps |
| Pre cut triangle | 27 x 13 in | Tie on pet bandanas, including ours |
How big is a bandana, generally? If someone says bandana with no other detail, they almost certainly mean the 22 by 22 inch square. That is the standard and it has been for about a century.
Why ours is a triangle rather than a square
A 22 inch square folded corner to corner gives you a triangle with a 31 inch long edge and a lot of doubled fabric bunched at the back of the neck. Cutting the triangle directly at 27 by 13 gives you the same usable drape with half the bulk, which matters a great deal on a small dog and matters for how it photographs on any dog.
Why one size genuinely does fit most dogs
This is the part that surprises people, and it comes down to how a triangle behaves.
A bandana is not a collar. A collar has to be a specific circumference or it does not function. A bandana is a piece of fabric you fold to whatever depth you want and then tie with whatever length is left over. The same 27 inch long edge can wrap a 10 inch Chihuahua neck twice and still knot, or wrap a 24 inch Labrador neck once with a comfortable tie.
The failure mode people worry about is a bandana that is too small. In practice, the far more common complaint is one that is too big and drowns a little dog. Folding solves that in about four seconds, and nobody tells you.
Three panel comparison. The same bandana on a small, medium and large dog, with a small inset diagram in each panel showing the fold count used.
Six ways to tie a dog bandana
Six mini sequences, three or four frames each. Flat lay overhead for the folding steps, then on the dog for the finished result.
Over the collar or around the neck?
Around the neck is faster. Over the collar is better, and it is worth the extra six seconds almost every time.
Go over the collar when
you are photographing your dog, when the dog is active, when the bandana is a slippery fabric, or when you want it to still be facing forward at the end of the day.
Go around the neck when
your dog does not wear a collar indoors, when the collar is very wide, or when you want the bandana sitting higher up the neck than the collar line for a particular look.
One caution. Do not tie a bandana so it hangs over the collar's D ring in a way that catches a leash clip. It is a small thing that becomes an annoying thing on a walk.
How tight is too tight
Two fingers, flat, between the tie and the neck. That is the rule and there is no version of it that gets relaxed.
None of this is alarming. It is the same common sense you already apply to a collar.
Fabric and washing
The material question matters more than people expect, because it determines whether the bandana still looks good in March.
Cotton
Cotton is breathable, soft and the traditional choice. It also creases hard, fades in sun and can shrink on a hot wash.
Polyester and blends
Polyester and blends, which is what ours are, hold printed color far better, resist creasing, dry fast and survive repeat washing without the print cracking. For an all over printed design this is the right call, and it is why the Christmas designs still look sharp on their third December.
Washing, whatever the fabric: cold wash, gentle cycle, hang dry. Do not tumble dry a printed bandana and do not iron directly on the print. If it needs pressing, turn it inside out and use a low setting.
For anything worn near a dog's face, skip fabric softener. It leaves a residue and some dogs react to the fragrance.
Making your own
Not our business model, but if you sew, you may as well have the numbers.
The tie on triangle we use is 27 inches along the long edge by 13 inches deep, which suits a medium to large dog. Scale to roughly your dog's neck measurement plus 7 inches along the long edge, and about half that for the depth. Add half an inch all round for the hem.
For an over the collar version, cut a rectangle 27 by 26, fold in half lengthwise with right sides together, sew leaving a gap, turn out, then top stitch a channel about two inches down from the fold for the collar to pass through.
Quilting cotton is the usual choice. Prewash it, because it will shrink.
