Once you have become the owner of a puppy, it is necessary to prepare all the essential tools to give him a happy and healthy environment. Among these, a perfect pair of nail clippers is what you will be using frequently to keep his nails in check.
The key to an effective care of dog nails is probably the combination of the best nail clipper and good technique. In this guide, you will get a good overview of both, especially with a detailed list of top 5 products on the market.
How To Choose The Best Dog Nail Clippers
It could be really confusing for any dog owners to choose their suitable dog nail clippers as there are so many products with various features, sizes, and prices on the market. Therefore, keep in mind to answer the following questions before purchasing for your dog a pair of nail clippers:
- Do these nail clippers comfortably fit in your hand?
- Are those dog nail clippers suitable for large or small dog breeds?
- Could they work for a left-handed or a right-handed person?
- Will your dog be comfortable with these nail clippers?
More specific, you need to consider the following key points:
Dog Nail Clippers Size
As said earlier, dog nail clippers can come in various sizes and types, which will eventually perform differently on your dog, depending on the nail thickness and the paw size. Most guillotine and plier-type clippers are basically suitable for large to medium dog breeds, while scissor-type clippers are often small enough to be used for puppies.
Safety First (particularly for a beginners)
In most cases, a nail clipper needs to have a nail guard, particularly if it is a scissor or a pliers-type clipper. Most of them are often designed with a metal nail guard or also known as a safety stop bar. With this safety mechanism, a dog owner, especially a beginner will be able to clip his dog’s nails more safely without the risks of cutting into the quick.
Comfortable Handles
The handle of the nail clipper needs to be soft enough so you will not get tired of holding it for a long time. Trimming the nails of your dog could be a fastidious, hard, and long task. Therefore, it is important to choose a clipper with a soft grip.
Levels Of Noise (for grinders)
If you want to buy a grinder to clipping your dog’s nail, then you should take the level of noise into consideration. The sound of a grinder could cause anxiety or startle your dog, so you need to be sure that this level is not really alarming for your pooch.
Blades’ Sharpness
Having a dull blade on any trimming tools, particularly a dog nail clipper, could be very dangerous as it can result in several potential accidents because of the bounce-back effect. Thus, always make sure that the blades of a nail clipper are sharp. In most cases, they could often be sharpened by using any sharpening tools, but many clipper products designed with stainless steel material require less sharpening.
Blades’ Thickness
Excluding the grinder-type clippers, the thickness of blades often range from 3 to 5 millimeters. Generally, the thicker the blade is, the faster the job can be done. In some cases, having a blade that is too thin for a large dog could make it break apart.
Your Budget
Last but not least, always remember to consider your current budget. In general, grinders are often the most expensive products to buy, while guillotine, pliers, and scissor-type nail clippers are amongst the cheapest ones.
4 Different Types Of Dog Nail Clippers
If you are a new beginner to home grooming your dog, you would realize quickly that there are many different kinds of dog nail clippers and each of them has its own pros and cons. 3 of them are basically manual (pliers, scissors, and guillotine), while the other is electric (grinders). Here are brief summaries for each kind:
Scissor-style Nail Clipper
Thanks to its simple design and availability, this scissor-type dog nail clipper is probably the most widely-used type by most dog owners. As its names, this looks like a pair of scissors. What makes it different is the special notch at the end of the blades, which is used for trimming your pooch’s nails.
A scissor-style nail clipper is suitable for small dog breeds simply because it is often designed in a small size and low cutting power. In addition, due to lightweight material, it is great for a beginner to hold on, which makes clipping dog’s nails a piece of cake and avoid user fatigue.
When it comes to the availability, this type of dog nail clipper is not only cheap, but it is also available in nearly all pet stores. Thus, it is much easier to access and replace when it is dull or broken.
Plier-style Nail Clipper
Just like the scissor-type, this type of nail clipper is the one that you can find easily in most pet stores as it has a beginner-level design as well as simple features, and brings to you the best convenience. Similar to a pair of pliers, it will give you a better view of your dog’s nail when you are cutting off the excess from his feet and paws.
A plier-style nail clipper is often designed with a nail guard so that you do not need to be worried too much about trimming the quick accidentally. In addition, this type of nail clipper also has a cheap price tag (but still a little bit more expensive than a scissor-style product), so it is definitely a good choice if you just have a tight budget.
Generally, this nail clipper is ideal when you are new to trimming dog nails because you would be able to see the nails in full detail thanks to its incredible design. Also, as a pliers-style tool often puts more power to trimming, it is better to use for a large dog breed with thick nails.
Guillotine-style Nail Clippers
Looking more like a human nail groomers or cutters for the trimming mechanism part, a guillotine-style nail clipper is, as its name suggests, similar to a guillotine that is used to slice veggies or chop off the head. The mechanism simply involves 2 blades which are closed to cut the nails when you squeeze its handle.
This type of claw clipper is suitable for professional dog trimming. This means that those pet owners who are experienced with this task will find this tool a good choice to use. It is not recommended if you are not too familiar with clipping dog nails as it could hurt the his quick due to the lack of view. Also, if your dog is experience arthritis with paw or hand pain, a guillotine-type clipper would be a good choice thanks to its smooth and easy clipping mechanism.
A thicker nail could possible break the clipper, so it is better to use this type of clipper for dogs with thin and soft nails. However, there are still several guillotine-style clippers for dogs with thick nails too.
Electric Nail Grinder
Just as an industrial grinder, the electric nail grinder could be used specifically for caring for the nails of your dog by acting like a nail file or sandpaper. Indeed, it often trims dog’s nails in a bit slower but much safer way. However, be careful because nails cut with a grinder could get a bit hot. Therefore, make sure to avoid your dog any discomfort just by grooming in small second-short intervals.
If what you need is an ultimately safe option to trim your dog’s nails, then this type of grinder is definitely a good choice because it could help you avoid common accidents or reduce the risk of hitting a danger zone. Also, an electric nail grinder could also smoothen the dog’s nails compared to a regular clipper. As a result, it helps your dog to less likely rip the fabrics of your furniture or hurt themselves.
Top 5 Best Dog Nail Clippers
1. Epica Pet Nail Clipper – The Best Dog Nail Clipper for Money
This scissor-style dog nail clipper from Epica is probably one of the most popular trimming tools on the market. If you are a beginner to grooming dog’s nails, it would be a perfect choice as its ergonomic rubber-coated handle is really comfortable to hold and also easy to work with. The integrated quick guard also allows you to cut the nails of your dog with confidence. You just need to clip in minor increments till you have reached the necessary length.
When you are ready to put it away, this clipper will lock in a closed position to prevent you from cutting yourself accidentally as well as protect the blades from other things it is stored with.
Made from high-quality stainless steel, the blades of this clipper is super sharp so that it would slice through your dog’s nails simply for a painless and quick trim. Also, they are able to cut cleanly, removing the need of filing away any rough edges after trimming.
With the superior performance of a dog nail clipper of Epica, it will be safer and easier to trim your pooch’s nails. Both your dog and you will appreciate the differences.
Pros :
- Suitable for large to medium-sized dog
- Easy to use
- Comfortable handle
- Super sharp blades
- Quick guard for trimming safely
Cons:
- Loud noise when trimming
2. Millers Forge Quality Nail Clipper – Best Scissor-style Dog Nail Clipper
As one of the most prestigious brands in pet grooming industry, Millers Forge is famous for their high-quality and durable products. And this scissor-style nail clipper, which is suitable for large dog breeds, is not an exception.
This nail clipper is basically similar to most other products on the market, but its design is less ergonomic and much more simplistic. The manufacturer seems to care much about the effectiveness than the design of this product. However, the plastic handle is not actually comfortable, which makes your hand tired rather quickly when trimming.
With super sharp blades made from stainless steel, this Millers Forge nail clipper would easily and cleanly cut through the toughest nails for a stress-free and quick experience. Also, a locking mechanism helps you with the storage by securing these blades in a closed position.
Pros :
- Sharp stainless steel blades
- Heavy duty
- Locking mechanism
- Durable and long-lasting
- Ideal for large dog breeds
Cons:
- Not very comfortable handle
3. Dremel Pet Nail Grooming Tool – Best Electric Grinder
First of all, this Dremel nail grinder is not actually a normal device for cutting dog’s nails. It is an electronic grooming kit for dogs with a rotary tip so that you can shape, trim, and cut your dog’s nails. This makes a trimming task much more effective, easier, and safer.
This Dremel dog electric grinder does not require any cord as it is powered by battery, which could be recharged quickly just in 3 hours. Also, it is basically compatible with a wide variety of other Dremel sanding bands and drums, meaning that you can apply it for other jobs if that is something you are interested in.
When it comes to the price, the Demel model is quite more expensive than the plastic or metal, traditional, scissor-type or pliers-type dog nail clippers probably due to its versatility.
Pros:
- Easy and safe to use
- Less stress to clipping
- 2 rotation speeds
- Compatible with various sanding bands and drums
- Powered by battery
Cons:
- Quite expensive
4. Resco Original Professional Dog Nail/Claw Clippers – Best Guillotine-style Nail Clipper
This original deluxe guillotine-style clipper was first invented in 1937 and until now, it has lived up to the reputation as one of the best grooming products on the market. In fact, it is recommended by most groomers, vet techs, and canine experts all over the world.
With clinical grade steel blades made in the USA, you would slice through your dog’s nails with ease to get a clean cut. Its particularly engineered micro-honed trimming blade system makes sure that each cut is painless and quick. For added ease of use and comfort, the handles are designed with powder-coated grips to ensure a no-slip hold.
Unlike most scissor-type nail clippers, this guillotine type is not made with a quick guard, so make sure that you can identify the nail of your dog and take care when clipping. Also, Resco’s blade replacement feature will allow you to change a blade when it gets dull rather than buying a new pair of clippers.
Depending on the size of your dog, you can choose from large or small sizes. In general, the small or regular size often suits a dog up to 50 pound, while a large model is suitable for a pooch more than 50 pound.
Pros :
- Clinical grade steel blades
- Slip-resistant handles
- Lifetime warranty
- Various sizes available
- Replaceable blades
Cons:
- No safety guard
5. Safari 770045 Professional Nail Trimmer
Safari is a quite popular name on pet grooming industry thanks to its traditional and simple style products that are specially designed for the ease of use and simplicity. Therefore, if you are looking for a set of traditional nail clippers, this is probably the best option as it is really simple to use.
The Safari’s 770045 scissor-style professional nail trimmers are made with high-quality stainless steel for an effective and sharp trimming process. After using, a lot of users come to the conclusion that the blades are sharp enough even for the toughest and thickest nails, resulting in a precise and clean cut every time.
The large handles are coated with rubber to avoid slip grips as well as crafted on the side with grooves for extra comfort. Users with large or small hands are especially satisfied with this nail clipper, even on many pooches at a time. To ensure the safety and prevent you from trimming into your dog’s quick accidentally, a quick guard is added so that it is ideal for those who are new or nervous to cutting nails.
Pros :
- Considerable price
- Safety guard
- High-quality stainless steel
- Simple and easy to use
- Rubber-coated handles to avoid slipping
Cons :
- Steel gets dull quickly
Right after you buy any one of those 5 best dog nail clippers, keep in mind to learn how to use them correctly to avoid injuring you or your pooch as well as prevent nail bleeding from occurring. If you follow all of the instructions in this videos on how to trim clip dog nails, you will learn this process more effectively. Watch this clip for a more detailed guide to trimming your dog’s nails:
When To Replace Your Dog Nail Clippers?
Just like any other product, there will come a time when the nail clippers do not work as they should. If you don’t have a sharp tool to work with, it would often cause more harm than good. Below are some simple signs to know that it’s time to buy another pair of dog nail clipper:
- The nails flatten even when the blade does not completely go through.
- The nails will splinter.
- It takes you more effort to trim your dog’s nails.
If any of those signs occur during cutting, stop using the clippers. If the nails splinter, they often have jagged edges and are very dangerous for your dog. The nails could get caught on various parts and cause injuries to the paw.
Final thoughts
To sum up, the most important source to find the best nail clippers for your dogs might be from word of mouth from your friends or online reviews. There are often many products to choose, but just a few would fit perfectly for you and your pooch. Do not be afraid to try several different types or brands of clippers.
In general, your dog’s temperament, the setting to clip, your hand size as well as the budget play an essential role in choosing the best dog nail clipper. We hope that all of these reviews above are helpful for you. If you have any question, feel free to leave in the comment section below.