French bulldog raincoat and sweater fit

Frenchies get sized wrong in one direction: too small. They weigh like a small dog (most adults are 16 to 28 lb) and are built like a much bigger one across the chest, with a wide, round ribcage and a neck nearly as thick as the head. Any chart that uses weight will send you a coat that does not close. Ours use girth. Measure the chest at its widest point behind the front legs, and the neck where a collar sits, and go from there.

For orientation only: an adult male Frenchie often tapes at 18 to 24 inches around the chest, a female at 15 to 20, and necks run about 13 to 18 inches. Your tape measure beats any of those numbers.

The All-Weather Jacket, sized M or L

The All-Weather Jacket is the right rain piece for this breed for one specific reason: the harness is built in, and the leash clips to the chest, not the neck. Frenchies have narrow airways, and pressure on the throat is the thing to avoid. Walking on a harness jacket keeps the pull on the chest.

Most Frenchies land in M or L on chest, and the neck column is where to double-check, because Frenchie necks are thick for the chest size. If the chest says M but the neck is over 13 in, take the L. The short back length is no problem here: a Frenchie's back is short too, and the jacket's hem will sit near the tail rather than well short of it, unlike on a longer dog.

The zip runs up the chest, so nothing goes over the head. Frenchies with a broad skull and a short muzzle tend to object to pullovers, and the zip sidesteps that.

The Quilted Vest, size M

The Quilted Vest is the easiest fit on a barrel chest because each size covers a range: M fits a 20 to 27 in chest, with a 15 in back and a 17 to 19 in neck. The wide belly strap takes up the difference between a slim 20 in Frenchie and a stocky 26 in one. It is padded, sheds drizzle, and the fold-down collar blocks wind without touching the throat. Two sizes to know:

• S: 16 to 21 in chest, 12 to 14 in neck, 11 in back. Small females.
• M: 20 to 27 in chest, 17 to 19 in neck, 15 in back. Most Frenchies.

Sweaters: the Heritage Turtleneck, not the Fireside

Here is where to be careful. The Fireside Cable-Knit stops at a 16.5 in chest (XL). Its product page lists Frenchies among the small breeds it was knitted for, and that holds for a small female at the bottom of the range; for a typical Frenchie it does not close. Check your chest number against 16.5 in before ordering it.

The Heritage Turtleneck goes bigger and stretches:

Ignore the weight column for this breed and read chest and neck. A 21 in chest with a 15 in neck is an XL, because the turtleneck has to pass over the head and sit on the neck comfortably. The fold-down collar is soft and the knit gives, but it should never be tight at the throat on a flat-faced dog. If in doubt, up.

The Trench Coat: no

It is sized for toy breeds up to 16 lb with necks to 11.4 in. A Frenchie neck is bigger than that before adulthood.

Every piece at a glance

Worked out from the size charts on the product pages for the measurement range above. Your dog's own tape measurement is what decides it.

Shipping and returns

Free US shipping. Orders ship in 1 to 2 business days and usually arrive 4 to 9 business days after that. 60 days to return anything that does not fit; see Shipping & Returns. If you are buying the jacket and a knit together, the Fall Set pairs the jacket with the Fireside, so check the Fireside's chest limit first; for most Frenchies the jacket plus a Heritage Turtleneck bought separately is the right pair.

Questions

My Frenchie is 24 lb. Is that a L or an XL jacket?

Weight does not tell you. A 24 lb Frenchie can have a 20 in chest (L) or a 24 in chest (XL, after sizing up from 22.8). Measure the chest.

Does the jacket press on the throat?

No. The leash pulls on the chest, where the harness sits, and the neck opening is sized to the chart's neck column; pick the size whose neck number is larger than your dog's.

Is a sweater warm enough on its own in winter?

For a short walk in cold, dry weather, yes. Frenchies have a thin single coat and feel the cold; for rain or wind, put the jacket over the top.