How to Size a Dog Collar Correctly With a Cowboys Pet Collar

The first collar I bought for Biscuit was a guess. I ordered a medium without measuring anything, and for the next week I watched it slide around his short neck and spin under his chin every time he moved. Biscuit is a 6-year-old French Bulldog, 27 pounds, with a broad chest and a neck that does not follow the size chart. Off-the-rack sizing assumes a dog shaped like a greyhound, not a dog shaped like a fire hydrant. If you want a Dallas Cowboys collar for a dog built like him, the size matters more than the logo. Measure first, then shop.

This guide walks through how to size a dog collar correctly using the Pets First Dallas Cowboys Licensed Pet Collar in Large, the one Biscuit has worn for about 18 months. The steps work for any collar, but the numbers here come from the actual product specs, so you can compare them to your dog's neck before you order. No guesswork, and no returns because the collar is too tight or too loose. You will need a fabric tape measure, about five minutes, and a dog who is willing to stand still for a few seconds.

Step 1: Measure your dog's neck with a fabric tape

Use a fabric tape measure, not a metal one. A fabric tape bends around the curve of the neck, so you get the real number instead of a straight-line guess. Wrap it around the thickest part of the neck, right where the collar will sit, and pull it snug without pressing in. For a short-necked dog like Biscuit, that spot is right behind the ears, not down at the shoulders where a collar can slide.

You should be able to slide two fingers between the tape and the neck. That gap is the same gap you want in the finished collar. Write the number down, then check it against the size range. The Pets First Dallas Cowboys collar is adjustable and comes in four sizes, from small puppies and kittens up to large dogs, so the same collar family covers a lot of neck sizes. If you are between sizes, the adjustability gives you a little forgiveness, but only if you start with the right size.

If your dog falls between sizes, size up. A collar that is too tight is a safety problem, and a collar that is slightly loose can be adjusted down. A collar that is too short cannot be stretched, so the larger size gives you room to work with. I learned this the hard way with a medium that was technically the right size on paper and completely wrong on Biscuit.

Step 2: Compare your dog's neck to the collar's length

The Large Pets First Dallas Cowboys collar measures 30 inches long, 1 inch wide, and about 0.08 inches thick, according to the product specs. That 30 inches is the total length of the strap, not the neck size it fits. The buckle and snap closure lets you adjust it down to fit your dog's actual neck. The product dimensions are a starting point, not a promise that every large dog will fit.

For a dog like Biscuit, the 30-inch length gives plenty of room to adjust. The 1-inch width spreads pressure across his short neck instead of digging into one spot. The collar is made from 100% nylon with heavy-duty webbing and nylon web binding, so it holds its shape while you make adjustments. It feels stiff out of the package, but that stiffness is what keeps the buckle from sliding around once it is set.

If you are shopping for a smaller dog, the smaller sizes in the same line have shorter lengths. Do not buy a Large just because you like the look. Match the size to the neck measurement, not to the team spirit. The Dallas Cowboys logo looks great on any size, but a collar that does not fit will spend more time in the drawer than on your dog.

Step 3: Buckle it on and do the two-finger check

Put the collar on with the team name and logo facing out. The closure is a buckle with a snap, so it goes on and comes off quickly, which matters when Biscuit is wiggling because he hears the game starting. The bright NFL team name and logo are the whole point on game day, so take the extra second to center them. A crooked collar is a rookie mistake, and I say that as someone who has made it.

After it is buckled, slide two fingers under the collar. They should fit comfortably, with a little room to move. If you cannot get two fingers in, loosen it. If you can fit your whole hand, tighten it. The two-finger rule is the same one I use on my softball players' gear, and it has never let me down. It gives you enough room for the collar to move slightly without choking, and it prevents the collar from being loose enough to slip over the head.

Watch your dog for the first few minutes. A collar that is too loose will spin around the neck, and a collar that is too tight will make a dog paw at it. Biscuit settles quickly when the fit is right, and he stops noticing the collar entirely once the game starts. If your dog keeps scratching or shaking their head, take the collar off and recheck the measurement.

Step 4: Check the fit over a full game day

A collar can feel fine in the kitchen and annoying after an hour of wear. I put Biscuit's Pets First collar on in the morning on game days and leave it on through the watch party. The 100% nylon webbing is stiff at first, but it softens with regular wear and molds to the shape of his neck. By the second or third wearing, it feels like it belongs there.

The heavy-duty nylon and web binding are there to handle daily use, but the fit is what determines whether he will tolerate it. If he is scratching at it by halftime, I recheck the fit. Usually the collar has slid down his neck, and a quick adjustment at the buckle fixes it. A collar that fits in the morning can shift after a few hours of running around the yard.

Check where the collar sits. It should sit high on the neck, not down on the shoulders. On a short-necked dog like Biscuit, that means adjusting the buckle so it stays right behind the ears. A collar that rides low can rub, and a collar that rides too high can feel like it is choking. The sweet spot is the same place you measured in Step 1.

Step 5: Wash it the right way so the fit stays true

The care instructions for the Pets First Dallas Cowboys collar are simple: machine wash cold and line dry. I wash Biscuit's collar with his other game day gear after a muddy walk or a spilled dip incident at a watch party. Cold water keeps the nylon webbing from shrinking, and a gentle cycle protects the stitching around the buckle.

Do not put it in the dryer. Heat can shrink or warp the nylon webbing, and that changes the fit. Line drying keeps the 30-inch length true, so the collar fits exactly the way it did the day it arrived. Hang it over a shower rod or a hanger, and it will be ready by the next game.

After it dries, buckle it back on and do the two-finger check again. If the collar has loosened or tightened in the wash, adjust the buckle and snap before the next wear. A clean collar that fits well is a collar your dog will actually wear. A collar that is skipped in the wash is a collar that picks up dirt and starts to smell, and no dog wants that on game day.

Common Sizing Mistakes to Avoid

The biggest mistake I see is buying a collar based on the dog's weight instead of the neck measurement. Weight tells you how big the dog is overall, but it does not tell you how thick the neck is. Biscuit weighs 27 pounds, which sounds like a small or medium dog, but his neck is thick enough that he needs a Large in most collars.

The second mistake is skipping the two-finger check. A collar can look right and still be too tight once the dog moves. The two-finger check takes five seconds and catches most fit problems before they become rubbing spots or escape risks. The third mistake is forgetting to recheck the fit after the first wash, because nylon can change slightly when it gets wet.

Take the collar off at night. Biscuit wears his Pets First collar on game days and for walks, but he does not sleep in it. Giving the neck a break keeps the fur from matting and gives you a chance to check the collar for wear. It also means the collar stays cleaner between washes.

One more mistake: buying a collar with a buckle that is hard to open. If you cannot undo it easily with one hand, you will be less likely to take it off at night. The buckle and snap closure on this collar opens cleanly, which is why it is the one that stays on Biscuit.

What Else Helps

A collar that fits is the foundation, but a few extras make game day easier. Keep a second collar in rotation so one can dry after washing. Check the stitching where the buckle meets the webbing every few weeks. And if your dog has a thick neck like Biscuit, look for collars with a wider strap; the 1-inch width on this one is what makes it comfortable for him. A wider strap spreads the pressure, so the collar does not leave a line in the fur.

Pets First makes this same collar in 32 NFL teams, so if your watch party crowd roots for someone other than the Cowboys, you can pick up the same fit in their colors. The sizing steps are the same no matter which team you choose. Measure once, and you can order any of them with confidence.

If you are buying this as a gift for another dog owner, include the neck measurement in the gift note. That sounds overly practical, but it saves the recipient from the same guessing game I played. A collar with the right fit is a gift that gets used. A collar with the wrong fit is a gift that gets returned.

The last thing I will say is to trust the tape measure over your eyes. A collar can look too big on the counter and fit perfectly on the dog, or look perfect on the counter and choke once buckled. The tape measure does not care about team colors. It only tells the truth.

The two numbers that matter are the 30-inch length and the 1-inch width. The team logo is the fun part, but the fit is what keeps the collar on.