⏱️ Estimated reading time: 13 min
Key Takeaways
Dog ear muff sizing decides whether the muffs work at all. Ear muffs (called ear defenders in the UK) only reduce noise when the cup closes fully around the ear, and a cup that lifts off the head leaks sound through the gap. One tape measurement settles it.
At BOLLSEN, a Slovenian hearing protection brand trusted by 1,000,000+ people, we make Dog+, over-ear muffs for dogs in four sizes. This guide is part of our dog hearing protection series. One Reddit owner described a dog that “braved the outdoors in (very snug) ear muffs”; below we define what snug actually means.
What size ear muffs does my dog need?
The right size of dog ear muffs is set by head circumference, measured over the base of the ears and under the chin, not by weight or breed name, so a tape measure gives a better answer than any breed list. Dog+ covers 17.7 to 58.4 cm across four sizes, XS to L, which fits most breeds.
Weight is a fallback, not the guide. A CT study of 50 adult dogs by Ichikawa and colleagues (2024) found average skull lengths of 11.39 cm in short-faced breeds, 15.00 cm in medium-headed breeds and 17.96 cm in long, narrow-headed breeds. That is a gap of about 6.6 cm between short-faced and long-headed dogs, so the cup has to fit the head, not the scales.
How do you measure a dog’s head for ear muffs?
To measure a dog for ear muffs, wrap a soft tape measure once around the head, over the base of both ears and under the chin, and read the figure in centimetres.
- Settle your dog. Measure after a walk, on a non-slip floor.
- Place the ears. Floppy ears lie flat against the head inside the tape loop. Erect ears stay upright, outside the loop, with the tape running across their base.
- Run the tape. Start on top of the head just behind the eyes, go down over the base of one ear, under the chin and back up over the other ear base.
- Set the tension. The tape should sit snug on the coat without pressing into it. On thick-coated dogs, press gently into the fur so you measure the head, not the fluff.
- Read and repeat. Note the figure in centimetres, measure twice more and use the largest reading.
No tape measure? Mark a piece of string and lay it along a ruler. Avoid measuring in front of the ears or around the neck, which gives a smaller number and a cup that sits too tight.
Which Dog+ size fits which head circumference?
Each Dog+ size covers a head circumference band, with a weight band as a rough cross-check: XS 17.7–25.4 cm, S 25.4–35.6 cm, M 35.6–48 cm and L 48–58.4 cm.
| Dog+ size | Head circumference | Typical weight | Product code |
|---|---|---|---|
| XS | 17.7–25.4 cm | 2–6.5 kg | DP-001 |
| S | 25.4–35.6 cm | 6.5–11 kg | DP-002 |
| M | 35.6–48 cm | 11–25 kg | DP-003 |
| L | 48–58.4 cm | 25–43 kg | DP-004 |
All four sizes share the same build, with soft padded cups, an adjustable flexible headband and reflective stitching. You can compare the sizes and order the one your tape points to on the product page for our Dog+ earmuffs (SNR 27 dB, sizes XS to L, £69.95), dispatched from our UK warehouse.
The range covers most breeds, not all of them. Very small toy puppies measuring under 17.7 cm and some very large heads over 58.4 cm fall outside the four sizes, so measure before you order rather than assuming a giant breed fits L.
Which size do common breeds usually need?
Most toy breeds land in XS, small terriers and pugs in XS or S, spaniels and collies in M, and large retrievers and shepherds in L. Heads vary within a breed, so treat every row as a starting point to confirm with the tape.
| Breed | Typical adult weight | Ear shape | Head shape | Likely starting size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chihuahua | 2–3 kg | Erect | Short, rounded | XS (measure to confirm) |
| Jack Russell Terrier | 6–8 kg | Drop or semi-erect | Medium | XS or S (measure to confirm) |
| Pug | 6–8 kg | Drop | Short-faced, wide | XS or S (measure to confirm) |
| Beagle | 9–11 kg | Floppy | Medium | S or M (measure to confirm) |
| French Bulldog | 9–13 kg | Erect | Short-faced, wide | S or M (measure to confirm) |
| Whippet | 9–14 kg | Rose | Long, narrow | S or M (measure to confirm) |
| Cocker Spaniel | 13–15 kg | Long, floppy | Medium | M (measure to confirm) |
| Border Collie | 14–20 kg | Semi-erect | Medium | M (measure to confirm) |
| Greyhound | 27–32 kg | Rose | Long, narrow | M or L (measure to confirm) |
| Labrador Retriever | 25–36 kg | Drop | Medium | L (measure to confirm) |
| German Shepherd | 22–40 kg | Erect | Medium to long | M or L (measure to confirm) |
Breed rows are typical adult ranges, not a size guarantee. Some of these breeds also appear in our guide to the dog breeds most sensitive to fireworks.
Do floppy, pointy, narrow or flat-faced heads change the size?
Ear and head shape change how the cup sits rather than which size you need, so measure first and then adjust the fit for the shape. Floppy ears (Beagles, spaniels) fold inside the cup, while erect or pointy ears (French Bulldogs, German Shepherds) need to stand clear of the rim without being bent at the base.
Owners sometimes assume floppy ears give extra protection on their own. They change the fit, not the noise: the ear leather has to lie flat inside the cup so the rim seals against the head. Working spaniels raise a separate question of gundog hearing protection, so read gundog hearing protection before taking ear muffs near a gun line, because an SNR is a continuous-noise rating, not a gunfire rating.
Long, narrow sighthound heads (Whippets, Greyhounds) often measure into a smaller size than their weight suggests, so the tape matters even more. Short-faced breeds such as Pugs and French Bulldogs have wide heads and short muzzles, which can push them a size up; the American Kennel Club makes the same point, noting that a Bulldog and a Papillon have very different head shapes.
Can puppies wear ear muffs?
Puppies can wear ear muffs once their head measures at least 17.7 cm, the bottom of size XS, but their heads keep growing, so buy for the puppy you have now and re-measure every few weeks. Never size up “to grow into”, because a loose cup lifts off and leaks sound.
According to VCA Animal Hospitals, small breeds reach adult size at 6–12 months, medium breeds at about 12 months, large breeds at 12–18 months and giant breeds at up to about 24 months.
Acceptance is a separate job from fit. One owner on Reddit said their pup, picked up at 8 weeks, “wouldn’t keep them on for about six months” before deciding the “weird ear covers made it less noisy”. A muff bought at 8 weeks may be the wrong size by then.
How do you check the fit once the ear muffs are on?
Run four physical checks after fitting: the seal check (no finger slides under the cup rim), the strap check (two fingers slide under the strap), the shake test (cups stay put after a head shake) and the comfort test (your dog can pant and take a treat). If all four pass, the size is right.
The seal check matters most, because SNR 27 dB is measured with the cup sealed and a gap lets noise in. For the full figures on how much noise dog ear muffs reduce at each pitch, read how much noise dog ear muffs reduce, which shows how a bad seal costs attenuation. With a good seal your dog will still hear, just more quietly; one Border Collie owner described it as “quite muffled”.
If the cups seal but the muffs still slip, look at the strap design, covered in our guide to the best dog ear muffs and what to look for. Read best dog ear muffs: what to look for to compare chin and head straps for dogs that shake. On first wears, take the muffs off every 1–2 hours and check behind the ears for rubbing.
What if my dog is between two sizes or the size is wrong?
If your dog falls between two sizes, choose the larger one and take the strap in; if the measurement sits at the top limit of a size, go up as well. A slightly larger cup adjusted down seals better than a small cup pressing on the ear base.
Signs the size is wrong are easy to spot. A cup that is too small presses on the ear or pops off when your dog yawns; one that is too large slides forward even with the strap fully tightened. Either way, the 40-day money-back guarantee covers a wrong size, so you can measure again and swap rather than make do.
After it fits, how do you get your dog used to them?
A correctly sized muff still needs a few short, rewarded sessions before a noisy night. Our step-by-step guide on how to get a dog to wear ear muffs covers the full routine.
Start this well before you need it. The PDSA reports that 41% of UK owners say their dog is afraid of fireworks and advises starting preparation months ahead, and our plan for dogs and fireworks sets out the timeline. Read dogs and fireworks: a plan from months out to the morning after so the muffs are familiar long before the first rocket goes up.
Storms give less warning than bonfire night, and the plan for how to help a dog through thunderstorms works best with a muff your dog already accepts, so read how to help a dog through thunderstorms for a forecast-led plan built around a fitted muff and a quiet room. If your dog trembles, hides or cannot settle during loud events, speak to your vet about a wider plan.
Matija Medved, DVM, of the Dr.Vet clinic, whose expert review of Dog+ hearing protection we publish, notes that dogs can feel discomfort or suffer hearing damage from about 85–90 dB, where humans are comfortable up to about 110–120 dB. His full reasoning on canine hearing and fit is in Dr.Vet’s expert review of Dog+ hearing protection.
Measure over the ear base and under the chin, match the centimetres to XS, S, M or L, and run the seal and strap checks before the first loud evening. Get those right and the muffs can reduce the noise reaching your dog’s ears. If the size turns out wrong, you have 40 days to swap it.
His connection to hearing protection stems from personal experience with sound sensitivity during live events and work in noisy environments, an issue that made him more aware of the long-term risks of unmanaged noise exposure. Today, as both a communicator and a user of BOLLSEN products, he is passionate about raising awareness around the importance of proactive hearing care.
At BOLLSEN, he develops data-driven marketing campaigns, writes SEO-focused articles, and manages communication channels that connect customers with practical knowledge about hearing protection. His work ensures that BOLLSEN’s message—prioritizing health, performance, and sustainability reaches a global audience in an engaging and trustworthy way.
Passionate about writing since childhood, Timotej combines creativity with a strong analytical approach, continuously testing new ideas in digital marketing, performance advertising, and social media. He believes in learning through innovation and collaboration, balancing leadership with openness to new perspectives.
Beyond his professional role, Timotej is committed to a healthy lifestyle and finds inspiration in fitness, sports, and quality time with friends. His personal passion for well-being aligns with BOLLSEN’s core values, making his work not only a career but also a cause he deeply believes in.