You might have heard the term ‘withers’ when trying to get an exact length of your dog, perhaps trying to measure how big your dog is and whether he could drink his water bowl from the said height. In this case, you might be confused about it and wonder about the withers on a dog.
This article will deal with the topic of withers on a dog and how you could use it to carefully and precisely measure how big your dog is. Keep reading below to know more!
What are the Withers on a Dog
What are the withers on a dog? Withers on a dog refers to the area above a dog’s shoulder; this is used to measure the height of a dog from the ground up. Essentially, withers are the tallest point of a dog; withers can be used to differentiate different breeds of dogs along with their abilities as to how much they can run, jump, etc.
Withers on a dog can also be used to measure their exact height by professionals such as animal veterinarians.
Where are the withers on a dog
While you may know the withers on a dog, you might be wondering about the exact position of the withers on a dog. Withers on a dog sits directly above their shoulder blade; in simple terms, the ridge between a dog’s shoulder blades behind its neck is the withers of a dog.
In this way, if you ever have your dog participate in an event or even a race, you may know how to measure your dog’s height by knowing where the withers on the dog are precisely located.
Are withers good or bad for dog
Withers are essential to a dog’s anatomy and therefore are not inherently harmful. On the contrary, the withers on a dog can help accurately measure its height.
Why are withers exactly good for dogs? What are their benefits?
These are some of the following:
- Withers can measure the exact size of a dog’s bed. If you are looking to buy a bed for your dog, then you may need to know how big your dog is and buy the bed according to your dog’s height specifications. Hence you can measure your dog’s height from the ground up to the withers to get an accurate estimate.
- For training purposes. If your everyday regimen includes physical exercises for your dog, you may require your dog’s height to get the accurately measured exercising instruments essential for your dog.
- For shows. If you are making your dog participate in a show, then the show itself may require your dog’s height; this is where you can use the withers on your dog to make an accurate measurement of your dog’s height and keep the data for later usage for different events and shows.
- For abnormalities or medical conditions. Withers on a dog can also be used to determine whether the dog has a congenital disability or a specific medical condition.
- For knowing the breed of your dog. Withers can also be measured to know which type of breed your dog is; this can be useful when trying to figure out whether your dog belongs to a strong breed or is on the weaker side.
These are just some good ways you can use withers on your dog. There are technically no negatives to withers on a dog.
How to accurately measure withers on a dog?
While you may know what the withers on a dog are and whether withers on a dog are good or bad. You might still be wondering how to measure withers on a dog accurately.
Measuring withers on a dog can be a simple or complicated process, depending on how much the owner knows about the withers dog. Usually, a U-shaped device called a Wicket is used to measure withers on a dog.
A wicket is mainly used in professional shows for dogs as a single wicket can cost around $1000 or even more, depending on the type of wicket used.
There may be alternatives for those who are not willing to splurge this amount of money on an official wicket. You can try a pipe to do the measuring or do the measuring the old-fashioned way and use a measuring tape to measure the withers on a dog conveniently.
There are two types of measuring in which withers can be used such as:
- Measuring the height of a dog: This is where you can use a measuring tape or a similar object to measure from the ground to the withers of a dog (the ridge on the top sitting between the shoulder blades of a dog). This is mainly required for measuring the size of how big your dog, getting a dog bed made, and like.
- Measuring from the withers to the chest/breast bone: This is essential for measuring how strong your dog is; you can use a measuring tape to measure the wither to the chest/breast bone, this is essential for knowing how strong your dog is and can be used to know whether they will be able to do some solid pulling work.
Simply put, the next time you wonder how to accurately measure withers on a dog, your best friend will be a measuring tape more than anything else unless you have made your dog participate in a show. In this case, your dog’s withers will be measured with the official Wicket device to get a better estimate.
Conclusion:
What are the withers on a dog? Withers on a dog can be used for various purposes, such as for knowing how strong they are as in their strength as well as getting an accurate measurement of their height. The next time you are asked to measure your dog’s height, use a measuring tape from the ground up to the withers on your dog.
