Plush Size Guide

Every product page lists exact dimensions, but "12 inches" does not tell you much until you have held one. Here is what each size band actually feels like and who it suits.

Under 8 inches: pocket size

Fits in one hand. Rides in a backpack, a diaper bag or a car seat. This is the add-on size, the stocking stuffer, the one a toddler carries everywhere and the one adults keep on a desk.

8 to 11 inches: the standard

Most of the catalog lives here, and it is the safest choice when you are buying blind. Substantial enough to feel like a real gift, small enough to sit on a shelf or go in a bag. If you cannot decide, buy in this band.

12 to 16 inches: hugging size

Noticeably bigger. This is the one a child sleeps with rather than carries around, and the right scale when the plush is the main gift rather than an extra.

17 inches and up: floor animals

These read as a serious present the moment they come out of the box, and they take up real space on a bed. Best for a milestone birthday, a new baby's room, or someone who has specifically asked for a big one.

How to read the dimensions

The measurements on each product page are the piece's overall length, width and height as it sits or stands. That matters more than it sounds: a lying-down dog and a sitting dog with the same headline number feel completely different in your arms. When the exact size matters, hold a ruler up to something in front of you before you order.

Still not sure? Email us with who it is for and how they will use it, and we will tell you which size to buy.