Jack Russell terrier coat and sweater sizes

The first question with a Jack Russell is not the size, it is whether the dog will keep the thing on. A coat that lets the dog move like a Jack Russell moves (fast, low, through hedges, into holes) stays on; one that binds at the shoulder comes off in a bush within a week. So this page is sized for freedom at the front legs, and it says so where it matters.

The numbers

Two registries describe roughly one dog. The AKC's Russell terrier is 10 to 12 in at the shoulder and 9 to 15 lb; the Parson Russell is 12 to 15 in and 13 to 17 lb; the Jack Russell Terrier Club of America's standard covers 10 to 15 in. On the breed charts the chest is 16 in (Doggie Style Store) and 45 to 50 cm, 18 to 20 in (TARIGS), with the Parson at 40 to 50 cm; the neck 10 to 14 in (Doggie Style Store), 25 to 35 cm (TARIGS); the back 30 to 40 cm (12 to 16 in), Parson 27 to 31 cm. Coat makers' charts of measured dogs, not a standard, and a well-muscled working Jack tapes at the top of all of them.

Sizes from our charts

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.

A short-legged 12 lb Jack with a 16 in chest: jacket S or M (the S is 15 in, so M), Heritage Turtleneck M, Fireside XL, vest S. A tall Parson at 20 in: jacket L (M is 18.9), Heritage L, no Fireside, vest S or M. The trench is a toy-breed coat and is not on the list.

What has to move

A terrier runs with its front legs reaching well forward and digs with them. The piece that works on the breed is the one that leaves the shoulder free: the Fireside Cable-Knit is sleeveless, with armholes and nothing else at the front, and on a Jack under 16.5 in chest it is the knit that stays on. The Heritage has ribbed cuffs on the front legs; it stretches and most Jacks accept it, but a dog that fights sleeves fights them.

The All-Weather Jacket has leg openings cut for a walk, not a hunt; it keeps the chest, shoulders and upper back dry and ends short of the tail so the hind legs are free. Its built-in harness is for dogs that walk nicely. A Jack Russell on a scent is not a dog that walks nicely, and the product page is honest about that: strong pullers wear their regular harness under the jacket and the leash clips to that.

Smooth, broken or rough

The breed comes in three coats and they want different things. A smooth coat is short and close with little undercoat: the dog is cold on wet days and feels wind, and a knit under the jacket in winter is right. A rough or broken coat is wiry and sheds light rain but holds water once soaked; the jacket matters more than the knit. All three coats shed, and the knit comes home with hair in it; hand wash cold.

Mud

A Jack comes home muddy to the elbows regardless. What a jacket saves is the back, sides and the chest where the dog pushed through wet grass, which is the part you would otherwise towel. The vest, with its belly strap, does the same job in drizzle and weighs less; for a dog that overheats on a fast walk, the Quilted Vest S is often the better everyday piece.

Shipping and returns

Free US shipping; ships in 1 to 2 business days and usually arrives 4 to 9 business days after that; 60 days to send it back if the dog disagrees with it (Shipping & Returns). To measure a dog that will not stand still: end of a walk, treat held at nose height, two attempts, take the bigger number. The measuring guide has the rest.

Questions

Fireside L or XL for a 14 lb Jack?

The L is a 15 in chest, the XL 16.5. A 14 lb Jack is usually 15 to 17 in, so XL, and over 16.5 it is the Heritage instead.

Will the jacket survive brambles?

The shell wipes clean and the fabric is tough enough for walks. It is not a field jacket; a terrier that hunts through gorse every day will wear through any soft shell.

Should the leash clip to the jacket?

For a Jack that walks at heel, yes. For one that lunges, put the usual harness underneath and clip to that; the product page says the same.