Dog Hair Clippers Guide

Buying dog hair clippers involves an initial expense that may well seem substantial. In the longer term, however, purchasing a good quality set of dog clippers will turn out much cheaper for you than repeated visits to the groomer.

Nevertheless, when choosing your dog hair clippers, you want to make sure you get the best you can for your money. There is a large choice of clippers and at a first glance, it’s not easy to make a comparison.

To help you, we have put together a guide to the best dog hair clippers and a list of points to consider to help you choose the right clippers for you and your dog. For additional information and reviews, click on the links.

Points to Consider When Buying Dog Hair Clippers

First of all, what kind of dog hair clipper you choose obviously depends on your dog. Does he, or she, require frequent grooming? The size of your dog as well as will the thickness of the coat are other factors to take into account. Perhaps your dog is a little nervous and likely to be sensitive to noise or vibrations. And do you plan to just do a bit of trimming or full coat jobs?

Secondly, for you to work comfortably with the clipper it should be ergonomic. You want a clipper that is comfortable for you to hold and not be too heavy to work with, especially if you work often and for extended periods of time.

The noise level of a dog hair clipper is also important for both you and your pet. Noisy clippers are disturbing and can be frightening for the dog.

Overheating is another issue. You shouldn’t have to wait to let the clipper cool down when you’re in the middle of grooming your dog.

Too much vibration can be tiresome for both dog and groomer. For those who clip frequently, such as professional groomers, vibrations can cause circulation problems in the hands and arms.

Faster speed usually generates more noise, but it is useful on thick coats and allows for accelerated progress. A multi-speed dog hair clipper is an alternative where versatility is needed.

Another concern is the dog hair clipper’s resilience against drops and blows. The material from which the clipper is manufactured ought to be one that doesn’t break easily.

Is the motor housing sealed or does it have ventilation holes where hair and dust can get in and cause problems?

Does the motor have enough power or is it too weak if, for instance, you have a dog with thick matted fur?

Do you prefer a corded or cordless dog hair clipper? Some people find it much easier to work with an unrecorded clipper, not to mention that you can take it with you and use it anywhere. Yet, with a corded clipper, you will never run out of power and won’t have to recharge the clipper. If you opt for a corded clipper you also have a greater choice of good-quality clippers.

Finally, price is, of course, an important matter. The thing to bear in mind is that a good quality dog clipper that lasts for many years is more cost-effective than an initially cheaper clipper that soon breaks and has to be replaced or repaired.

Pliers Style Clippers

Using pliers-style clippers is a quick and uncomplicated way of cutting dogs’ nails. They are easy to handle and usually come with a safety guard to help avoid cutting into the quick. Their construction makes them very sturdy and suitable for very large and thick nails.

Once you and your dog have become habituated to the plier’s style clippers, cutting your dog’s nails should only take a few minutes.

Pliers style clippers will put an even pressure around the nail as they cut. This means that you will need to apply less pressure than with guillotine clippers. It also makes your dog’s nail-less likely to crack or splinter.

However, if your dog already has cracked and splintered nails, you should use an electric grinder or manually file them to prevent further damage and allow them to heal.

If your dog has dew claws, or other nails that tend to grow into a rounded shape, pliers-style clippers are the best tool to use as it may be difficult to get into a workable position with guillotine clippers or a grinder.

In addition, pliers style clippers are very portable and they may be the better alternative for dogs that don’t like the sound of an electric grinder.

It is important that your dog’s nail clippers are sharp. Blunt clippers will crush rather than cut the nail and so may cause the nail to crack or split. In addition, blunt clippers will put unnecessary pressure on the nail which may be transmitted to the quick and cause your dog pain.

So if you think your clippers may have gone blunt, or are not of as good a quality as they should be, buy a new pair of good quality ones. It will make the job so much easier.

Good pliers style dog nail clippers should fit easily into your hand and allow you to maintain a firm grip. They should never jam and they should be of solid construction. You don’t want your clippers to fall apart after being used just a few times.

Selecting the Best Pliers Style Clippers for Your Dog

• Make sure you choose the right size of clippers for your dog. Dog nails vary greatly in size and toughness.
• Sometimes the nail guard can get in the way and make it difficult to see what you’re doing. Ensure you get clippers that allow for moving the guard aside.
• Opt for dog nail clippers stainless steel as they will remain sharp for longer.
• A non-slip handle and a comfortable grip will ensure you can work comfortably.
• On nails that are dry and brittle and crack easily use an electric dog nail grinder or a file manually with a dog nail file.
• If your dog has very large and thick nails consider using a grinder instead.

Dog Nail Scissors

Dog nail scissors are great nail trimmers for puppies and toy dog breeds with tiny nails. Shaped like scissors with a groove in the blade for the nail, dog nail scissors are maneuverable and quick, and easy to use. Their slender design makes it easy to see and work on extra small dog paws.

The groove in the blade allows for an even pressure around the nail as you cut. This helps prevent the nails from cracking or splitting. However, if your dog has brittle nails that easily break, the best thing is to file or grind rather than clip your dog’s nails.

Another advantage of dog nail scissors is that their design makes it easy to access and trim tiny dew claws that have grown into a circle. If your little doggie has other ingrown nails they will work just as well on them.

Dog nail scissors are not as precise as guillotine clippers, but you can still easily avoid cutting into the quick. There is no safety guard to guide the amount of nail cut, so if the quick is not visible, clip in tiny 1/16˝ increments at a time.

It is very important that your dog’s nail scissors are sharp in order to work properly. If you notice they are going blunt, you should get a new one before you cut your dog’s nails again or you risk damaging the nails.

Keep in mind that these types of clippers are only suitable for very small dogs that weigh less than around 7 pounds. Dog nail scissors are not strong enough to make a clean cut on thicker nails.

Tips for Selecting the Best Dog Nail Scissors

• Stainless steel blades are a must as they will remain sharper longer.
• Covered handles make for a more comfortable grip.
• On nails that are dry and brittle and crack easily use a nail grinder or a file manually with a nail file.
• If your little dog has large and thick nails, choose another type of trimmer than dog nail scissors.

Final Dog Hair Clippers Guide

A few other things you may want to take into consideration are ease of maintenance, as well as availability and price of spare parts. For additional information about the dog grooming clippers in our guide, as well as photos and reviews, click on the links in the guide.