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Quick answer
An adult English Springer Spaniel usually measures about 55–75 cm (our estimate)1,2 around the chest and weighs 18–25 kg3.
These are the sizes most adult English Springer Spaniels need. Your dog may differ, so measure to be sure.
Get an exact size for your dogHow a English Springer Spaniel is built, and why it matters for fit
The UK breed standard gives an approximate height of 51 cm4, and UK breed guides put most adults at 18–25 kg, depending on build, sex and activity3. That makes a Springer clearly bigger than a Cocker Spaniel, so don't use Cocker sizes for one.
Bailey & Coco says females and leaner working-type Springers usually suit its Medium, while larger males and stockier show-type Springers usually need its Large2. That spread is why we give a range of sizes. There is no published chest range for the breed, so our figure of 55–75 cm is an estimate based on those size recommendations1.
Springers are strong for their size and can lunge suddenly when they catch a scent2. A harness takes that force off the neck and spreads it across the chest.
How to measure your English Springer Spaniel, step by step
- Get a soft tape measure, or a piece of string and a ruler. Stand your dog on a level floor with all four feet square underneath it.
- Find the measuring point: the widest part of the ribcage, just behind the front legs5. Julius-K9 asks you to measure a set distance behind the front legs, which depends on the size: two finger-widths for the Baby sizes, three for Mini-Mini and Mini, and four for size 0 and up6.
- Wrap the tape all the way round. Keep it flat and untwisted, snug against the body but not squeezing. Read the number in centimetres where the end meets the tape.
- Measure twice5. If the two readings differ, use the larger one.
- Weigh your dog too. Julius-K9 gives a weight range for every size as a second guide6; the other brands here size by chest only.
English Springer Spaniel measuring tips
- Part the chest feathering and lay the tape against the body. Feathering can add a surprising amount to a loose reading.
- Measure after a walk, when your Springer is calmer, with a helper holding a treat at nose height.
- Most Springers sit around Julius-K9 sizes 0 and 1, so use the four-finger measuring point Julius-K9 gives for size 0 and up6.
Want every detail, including neck, back length and weighing at home? Read our complete guide to measuring your dog.
English Springer Spaniel harness size by brand
Each brand cuts its sizes differently, so the same dog can be a different size, or a different letter, in each. Here is how a typical adult English Springer Spaniel fits each chart, and why.
Julius-K9
IDC Powerharness
Julius-K9 lists a chest range and a weight range for every size6. Chest girth is the main guide; we use weight to choose between two sizes when the chest fits both.
- A smaller English Springer Spaniel (chest 55 cm, 18 kg): size Mini
- A typical English Springer Spaniel (chest 65 cm, 21.5 kg): size 0 (also fits Mini, 1)
- A larger English Springer Spaniel (chest 75 cm, 25 kg): size 1 (also fits 0, 2)
Overlaps in the English Springer Spaniel range: 58–67 cm: sizes Mini and 0 both fit; 63–75 cm: sizes 0 and 1 both fit; 71–75 cm: sizes 1 and 2 both fit.
Sizes overlap by design; chest girth is the main guide, weight is secondary.
| Size | Chest | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Baby 1 | 29–36 cm | 0.8–3 kg |
| Baby 2 | 33–45 cm | 2–5 kg |
| Mini-Mini | 40–53 cm | 4–7 kg |
| Mini | 49–67 cm | 7–15 kg |
| 0 | 58–76 cm | 14–25 kg |
| 1 | 63–85 cm | 23–30 kg |
| 2 | 71–96 cm | 28–40 kg |
| 3 | 82–115 cm | 40–70 kg |
| 4 | 96–138 cm | 70–90 kg |
Highlighted rows are the sizes typical adult English Springer Spaniels need.
Check price on AmazonRuffwear
Front Range Harness
Ruffwear sizes the Front Range Harness by chest girth only7, so your tape measure is all you need.
- A smaller English Springer Spaniel (chest 55 cm): size XS
- A typical English Springer Spaniel (chest 65 cm): size S
- A larger English Springer Spaniel (chest 75 cm): size M
Sized by chest girth only.
| Size | Chest |
|---|---|
| XXS | 33–43 cm |
| XS | 43–56 cm |
| S | 56–69 cm |
| M | 69–81 cm |
| L/XL | 81–107 cm |
Highlighted rows are the sizes typical adult English Springer Spaniels need.
Check price on AmazonBailey & Coco
Trail & Glow Harness
Bailey & Coco sizes the Trail & Glow Harness by chest girth only8, so your tape measure is all you need.
- A smaller English Springer Spaniel (chest 55 cm): size M (also fits S, L)
- A typical English Springer Spaniel (chest 65 cm): size L (also fits S, M)
- A larger English Springer Spaniel (chest 75 cm): size L (also fits XL)
Overlaps in the English Springer Spaniel range: 55–66 cm: sizes S and M both fit; 55–71 cm: sizes M and L both fit; 71–75 cm: sizes L and XL both fit.
Very adjustable, so neighbouring sizes overlap a lot. Sized by chest girth only.
| Size | Chest |
|---|---|
| XXS | 22–41 cm |
| XS | 26–50 cm |
| S | 35–66 cm |
| M | 40–71 cm |
| L | 55–83 cm |
| XL | 71–99 cm |
Highlighted rows are the sizes typical adult English Springer Spaniels need.
Check price on AmazonPuppies and growing dogs: when to re-measure
Springers are medium to large dogs. Larger dogs take longer to reach adult weight than small ones9, so a Springer puppy is likely to need two or three harness sizes before it settles.
The largest study of puppy growth so far, based on records from over 6 million young dogs, grouped dogs by adult weight: under 6.5 kg, 6.5–9, 9–15, 15–30 and 30–40 kg9. An adult English Springer Spaniel at 18–25 kg falls in the 15–30 kg group.
Size a puppy on its chest measurement today, not on the size you expect it to reach5. A harness bought to "grow into" is loose now, and a loose harness slips, rubs and is easier to back out of.
While your puppy is growing fast, we suggest measuring its chest every two weeks, then monthly until it stops changing. A quick check in between: if you can no longer slide two fingers under the straps, measure again.
Most harnesses adjust over a good part of their range, so a growing puppy may stay in one size for a while. When your puppy's chest reaches the top of its size's range, move up.
If your English Springer Spaniel is between two sizes
Brand charts often overlap, so a chest measurement can fall inside two sizes. Here is where that happens for a typical adult English Springer Spaniel:
- Julius-K9: 58–67 cm: sizes Mini and 0 both fit; 63–75 cm: sizes 0 and 1 both fit; 71–75 cm: sizes 1 and 2 both fit.
- Ruffwear: no overlapping sizes in this range.
- Bailey & Coco: 55–66 cm: sizes S and M both fit; 55–71 cm: sizes M and L both fit; 71–75 cm: sizes L and XL both fit.
How to choose:
- Our size finder picks the size where your dog's measurement sits nearer the middle of the range, so the harness can be adjusted either way.
- Ruffwear says that if your dog is right on the border between two sizes and fully grown, choose the larger size7. For a growing puppy that is truly between sizes, Ruffwear also suggests the larger one5.
- For Julius-K9, check the weight ranges too: if your dog's weight only fits one of the two sizes, go with that one6.
- Deep-chested dogs with a narrow waist can slip a loose harness, so if the larger size would only just fit on its tightest setting, the smaller one is usually safer.
Fit checks when the harness arrives
Two-finger rule
You should be able to slide two fingers flat under every strap, and no more7. Tighter than that can rub; looser can slip.
Strap behind the front legs
The strap around the body should sit a little way behind the front legs, not pressed up into the "armpit", where it will rub as your dog walks.
Nothing on the throat
Every strap at the front should sit on the breastbone or low on the chest, not across the throat.
Free shoulders
Watch your dog walk and trot. Its stride should look the same as without the harness. A small study found harnesses can shorten how far the shoulder reaches forward10, so if the stride looks shorter, adjust the fit or try another style.
Check for rubbing
After the first few walks, look behind the front legs, under the chest and around the neck for redness or broken hairs. If you find any, loosen or reposition the harness. If the skin is sore, stop using it and ask your vet.
Escape test
With the harness on, gently pull the lead forwards, then backwards and upwards. The harness shouldn't slide over the shoulders or ribs. If it does, tighten it, or choose a design with an extra strap behind the ribcage.
Re-check after a week
Webbing and buckles can settle in the first few walks. Check the two-finger fit again after a week.
Harness styles that suit a English Springer Spaniel
Y-front harness
Keeps pressure off the throat for a dog that lunges forward, and sits on the breastbone of a deep chest.
Harness with a chest (front) lead ring
Gives more steering when your Springer hits the end of the lead after a scent. It works best alongside loose-lead training.
Escape-resistant design (extra strap behind the ribcage)
Useful for a Springer that has learned to back out of a harness when it wants to follow its nose.
Quick-drying webbing
If your Springer swims or works in wet cover, webbing dries faster than padded fabric and is less likely to stay wet against the skin.
Be careful with
- Harnesses that tighten around the chest or under the legs when the dog pulls. They can rub, and they don't teach a dog not to pull.
- Bulky vest harnesses in dense cover: they snag on brambles and hold water.
Common mistakes
- Using a Cocker Spaniel size chart or a Cocker's harness for a Springer.
- Measuring over the feathering, which gives a size too big.
- Measuring the neck instead of the chest. Harness sizes are set by chest girth.
- Assuming a size letter means the same thing in every brand. A Medium in one brand can be a Large in another, so check each chart in centimetres.
- Buying a size up "to grow into" for a puppy.
Collar and ID tag: the UK rule
In the UK, a harness doesn't replace a collar. A dog in a public place must wear a collar with the owner's name and address on it, or on a tag or plate attached to it11. Many owners clip the lead to the harness and use the collar for ID.
English Springer Spaniel harness questions
What size harness does a English Springer Spaniel need?
An adult English Springer Spaniel usually has a chest of about 55–75 cm (our estimate) and weighs 18–25 kg3. That usually means Julius-K9 IDC Powerharness: sizes Mini to 1; Ruffwear Front Range Harness: sizes XS to M; Bailey & Coco Trail & Glow Harness: sizes M or L. Measure your dog's chest to get the exact size.
How do I measure my English Springer Spaniel for a harness?
Stand your dog square, then wrap a soft tape around the widest part of the chest just behind the front legs5. Keep it flat and snug and read it in centimetres. Measure twice. See our full guide to measuring your dog.
What size harness for a English Springer Spaniel puppy?
Size a puppy on its chest measurement today, not its expected adult size5. Measure every couple of weeks while it grows fast and move up a size when its chest reaches the top of the current size.
What if my English Springer Spaniel is between two harness sizes?
Do working and show Springers need different harness sizes?
Often, yes. Bailey & Coco says leaner working-type Springers usually suit its Medium and stockier show-type Springers its Large2. Measure your own dog's chest.
Is a Springer Spaniel a medium or large harness size?
It depends on the brand and the dog. Size letters mean different things in different brands, so compare your dog's chest in centimetres with each chart. Our size finder does this for you.
Does a Springer need a harness or a collar?
Many owners use both. A harness keeps pressure off the neck on walks, but in the UK a dog in a public place must wear a collar with the owner's name and address on it or on a tag11.