Pug sweater and coat fit

A pug is a barrel with a curly tail. The chest is round rather than deep, the back is short, the neck is thick and the face is flat, and every one of those things changes how a sweater goes on and how it sits. The weight, 14 to 18 lb for most adults, tells you almost nothing; a pug chest commonly tapes anywhere from 17 to 21 inches, which is a two-size spread on most charts. Measure around the widest part of the ribcage behind the front legs, and the neck where a collar sits, before you look at any chart, including ours.

The sweater: Heritage Turtleneck, usually L

Pugs feel the cold. The coat is short and dense but thin, and a sweater for cold floors and brisk walks earns its place. The Heritage Turtleneck is a pullover with a fold-down neck and ribbed cuffs, in a soft acrylic that stretches.

By weight most pugs read as M. By chest, most are L, and chest wins. A pug with an 18 in chest in an M turtleneck will be stretched tight across the ribs and tight at the throat, which is the wrong place to be tight on a dog that already breathes through a short muzzle. Take the L. The back length (15.7 in) will be longer than a pug's back, so expect the hem to sit near the tail; the ribbed hem keeps it from flapping.

Pullovers and flat faces

A turtleneck goes on over the head. Most pugs tolerate it for the three seconds it takes if you bunch the neck up like a sock, slip it over the muzzle and eyes in one motion and then pull the body down. What they do not tolerate is a neck opening that scrapes the eyes on the way past, so when the neck measurement is close to the chart, go up. The fold-down collar can be left folded or worn up; up is warmer, folded is looser at the throat.

Rain: the All-Weather Jacket, M or L, zipped on

The All-Weather Jacket solves the head problem entirely. It opens flat, the pug steps in, and the zip runs up the chest. The harness is built in, and the leash clips to the jacket, so the pull sits on the chest rather than the collar. On a pug that is the main reason to own it; pressure on the throat is the thing to avoid with this breed.

A 17 to 18 in chest wears M; 19 in and up wears L. The 11.6 in back of the M is about a pug's back length, so unlike on long breeds, the jacket covers most of the body. The lining is warm, so on a mild day it is a lot of coat for a dog that also overheats easily; save it for cold rain.

Drizzle: the Quilted Vest in S or M

For wet-but-not-cold days, the Quilted Vest is lighter. S fits a 16 to 21 in chest with a 12 to 14 in neck; M fits 20 to 27 in with a 17 to 19 in neck. Most pugs fit the S by chest, but check the neck: a pug neck of 15 or 16 in sits between the two sizes, and the vest's collar toggle adjusts within the range, not beyond it. If the neck is over 14 in, take the M and snug the belly strap.

The one to leave: the Fireside Cable-Knit

The Fireside Cable-Knit is a small-breed knit, and its biggest size is a 16.5 in chest. Most pugs are past that. A very small female pug can wear the XL; measure before you fall for the colours.

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. If it is tight anywhere, you have 60 days to send it back; the steps are on Shipping & Returns. Unsure where the tape goes? How to measure your dog for a coat is short.

Questions

My pug is 16 lb. What size turtleneck?

Measure the chest. At 16 lb a pug can be 17 in (M, but tight) or 20 in (L). Usually the answer is L.

Can a pug wear a jacket in the heat?

No, and not a sweater either. Pugs overheat quickly. These are for cold or wet weather, and a short walk at that if the dog is panting.

Will the sweater bother the skin folds?

The knit is soft acrylic and the fit is loose when sized by chest. Keep the folds dry under it as you normally would, and take it off indoors.