There’s more to pet grooming than meets the eye, but that shouldn’t stop you from being excited at the possibility of doing the whole thing on your own. Give it a go (if you’ve never done it), and you might just be surprised at how good you can get.
I believe that you will not want to trade the satisfaction of grooming your dog’s nails for anything. In fact, it might just be the start that you need to help gain the confidence to do other grooming tasks, like deshedding, cleaning, even trimming and styling your pooch’s fur.
But if it can be as exciting as it sounds, why do some dog owners spend their time and money going to the groomers?
I understand that a good number of pet parents might not have the time and/or the right tool(s) for the job and a trip to the groomer probably sounds like the simpler and best option.
Nevertheless, if you are curious to give it a try, this is your day of action. When you are equipped with the best dog nail clippers, like the ones you will see below, trimming your puppy's nails should be a breeze.
Besides, they also offer a great way to bond with your buddy. After all, who doesn't like their nails trimmed by someone they love?
Our List Of Top 5 Dog Nail Clippers - (Updated List For 2023)
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*Note: The links in the table above, as well as several links in the remainder of the article below, will take you to over to Amazon and Chewy where you can find out more information about the products, such as current prices and customer reviews.
Best Dog Nail Clippers Reviews
So, you're looking for the best dog nail clippers so you can get one to take proper care of your pooch?
But how can you tell the difference between a high quality dog nail clipper that will give your dog the best of looks all while not making them feel the least bit of discomfort, from the low quality dog nail clippers that will make it near impossible for you to give your dog a decent look without having them go through physical pain?
Look no further, as this list has what we believe to be all the best dog nail clippers worth every last penny you spend on them.
Make no mistake about it though, any one of the following nail clippers is going to be an excellent addition to the grooming tools you have at home, it's just that this is the order we see these dog nail clippers best sorted out in - all according to extensive research, of course.
If you were to do some extensive research on your own about these 4 products, you'll notice that they don't differ from one another that much, and that's because they all have the basics in place that offer you all you need to have in a dog nail trimmer and that make them worthy of a spot on the list of the best dog nail trimmers.
Pick #1 - Safari Professional Large Nail Trimmer For Dogs
Sharpness: First off, the cutting edges of this Safari dog nail trimmer are beyond impressive. They are very sharp, some of the sharpest dog nail trimmers we've seen on the market in fact, that they are able to cut through your dog's nails in an incredibly easy and smooth fashion.
Durability: The durability of the Safari Professional Large Nail Trimmer blades is beyond impressive, beating competition with blades that start to bend and become useless real fast by a long shot.
After all, this dog nail clipper is made from stainless steel.
Comfort (Grip): Now, let's talk a bit about comfort levels, especially when it comes to you and I holding it for a certain period of time when trimming our dog's nails.
While other dog nail trimmers have the most uncomfortable of grips that make you feel a very uncomfortable burn at the palm of your hands, the Safari Professional Large Nail Trimmer has a wonderful grip to it that's made from the most comforting form of rubber you can ever come across.
Safety Feature: To top it all off just in case you were on the fence, this dog nail clipper also has an impressive safety feature to it in order to ensure you don't cause any sort of injuries to your dog by digging deeper than you should be when trimming their nails.
Dog Size Limitation: One thing you have to be wary about, though, is that this isn't the best dog nail clipper for you if you're buying one to use for grooming a small sized dog. As is obvious by the name of this dog nail clipper, it's best suited for dogs that are medium to large in size.
When purchasing one of these units, you have the choice of buying one for medium sized dogs and/or one for large sized dogs, they don't have a unit for small sized dogs.
Our #2 pick on this list of the best dog nail clippers is the Andis Premium Nail Clipper.
This one is tough as nails (see what I did there?) and can easily trim big hard nails of the biggest baddest dogs.
Even though it’s commonly used by professional pet groomers and vets, this clipper is also ideal for home use.
Comfort: The ergonomic handle has a comfortable grip that reduces hand fatigue, especially if you have to groom several dogs consecutively.
Quality Cut: It is designed to trim your dog's nails quickly, safely, and neatly.
Durability: Furthermore, the trimmer is constructed from high-grade, heat-treated stainless steel that enables it to give sharp, strong, clean, and precise cuts.
Safety: Andis has also prioritized safety by adding a safety stop to prevent overcutting the nail. Also worth mentioning is that the cutter is open-ended, a fact that makes it a good choice for dogs of all sizes, including the large breeds.
Reasonably-Priced: This baby does what it's supposed to, and does it well. No extra bells and whistles required. And so you don't have to shell out much.Pick #3 - OmegaPet Nail Clipper
Stainless Steel: Very similar to our #1 pick above, the Safari Professional Large Nail Trimmer, the OmegaPet Nail Clipper is a scissor-like tool that is also made from the highest-quality, sharp stainless steel, meaning that the same advantages concerning long term durability, ease of use and incredible trimming efficiency also apply here.
Metallic VS Electronic: For certain reasons, some dog owners dislike using electric dog nail trimming tools (like our #2 pick above), with the most common reason being they're not really accustomed to using a sander for taking care of their dog's nails. If this is you, then either this dog nail clipper from OmegaPet or the #1 pick above are perfect choices for you to consider.
Safety Guard: You're also able to make use of the safety feature/safety guard (something which we deem as critical when distinguishing between the best dog nail clippers and the rest) which removes any risk of you trimming too much of your dog's claws and causing them tremendous pain and anguish.
This is a very useful feature if your dog has dark colored claws and you're not able to see very clearly during grooming.
The stopper is also an incredible time saver as it makes the entire nail trimming process a much faster one, which is very good both for you (time is money) and your dog (if they tend to get restless after a certain amount of time and start to give you a hard time staying put for you to focus).
Trauma Reliever: Many dog owners that have previously gone about trimming their dog's nails the wrong ways, which ultimately lead to their dogs hating the process from A to Z and giving their owners a really hard time whenever they had to do it, reported that their dogs didn't even feel the slightest bit of discomfort when having their nails trimmed with this trimmer, they actually enjoyed the whole process and had a blast.
Again, this is something which ties back to how soft and easy the high quality stainless steal makes this whole trimming process, and the fact that you're not getting some cheap metal that makes it feel agonizing for your dog when you want to dig in.
So, if you've got a "traumatized" dog that absolutely loathes anyone getting close to their nails for trimming, and you want to complete this grooming process yourself instead of having them go to a professional groomer and pay top dollar every single time, then definitely give this dog nail trimmer a shot because you'll be surprised how at ease your dog will feel throughout it all.
Super Cool Looking: Also, and this doesn't matter at all when evaluating a dog nail clipper, but this is one of the coolest ever looking tools! Hey, we all have that little child inside of us that loves cool looking things, admit it. 🙂
Best Dog Nail Clipper For Small Dogs: And, to wrap up this list of the best dog nail trimmers of today, this Koodella dog nail clipper is an excellent choice for you to go with if you're looking for the best dog nail clipper for small dogs.
Some of the options mentioned above may not be designed for use on small dogs, and will hence give you a poor result when trying to trim your small pooch's nails, but this dog nail clipper was designed with dogs of all sizes in mind.
Critical Criteria All Met: This product meets all the criteria we look for in a good dog nail clipper which we've already talked about in the top 3 picks above, such as a safety feature to prevent over-cutting, a very comfortable grip for the dog owner to remain comfortable throughout the process and high quality stainless steal that makes giving your dog a clean cut an easy and fast process.
So, nothing too new to add here, we just thought we'd mention this product for those of you looking for a dog nail clipper specifically for smaller sized dogs, since the options above may not have what you're looking for.
Hertzko Professional Nail Clipper & Nail File is exactly what you need to get a pedicure done with relative ease and on your own.
Durability: The trimmer is a scissor-type and is made from stainless steel for strength and sharpness. This means it can slice through your pooches’ nails to offer a clean cut with little effort.
Comfort & Safety: Both sides of the clipper have an indentation that allows you to see exactly where you would like to cut. This is in addition to a rubberized non-slip handle that feels comfortable for your hand and wrist.
Also, you have little to worry about if you fear cutting too close to the blood supply of your buddy’s nail. This is because the trimmer has a safety guard that helps reduce any risks of overcutting.
Extra Features: To finish off your handy work, this trimmer comes with a nail file that allows smoothening of your dog’s nails for a salon-grade finish. You can take advantage of chewy.com’s great offers and have this amazing tool at a friendly price.
Important Information About Dog Nail Clippers (A.K.A Dog Nail Trimmers)
In all the review articles we've written on this website, we like to be as detailed as possible about whatever subject matter we have at hand, no matter what it is.
If it's a product you're going to be investing in as a dog owner, there are most certainly details you're much better off knowing than going and making a purchasing decision with not much information beforehand.
And, buying a dog nail clipper for Fido certainly falls under this category.
Ignoring Dog Nail Trimming
Many dog owners have a very bad habit of ignoring the process of dog nail trimming for different reasons, not realizing that it's one of the most important practices that have to be done when it comes to a dog's well being.
- Some dog owners haven't done enough research or reading on the subject to know that this is even a "thing".
- Others believe that dogs can bite their nails the same way we bite ours and take care of them that way (how will they take care of their toe nails though? Surely they can't bite those).
- And others even think that all the exercise, day to day physical activity and physical contact dogs get into and make on a daily basis will eventually take their toll on any nails that are starting to grow longer than they should be.
Such thought processes are very much counterproductive and will only lead to your dog injuring themselves in the slightest physical activity whenever they come in contact with something via their nails.
It will hurt, big time.
How Often Should I Trim My Dog’s Nails?
Well, there is no set time frame that you should observe when it comes to trimming your dog’s nails.
However, there are a few indicators that you can look out for that will tell you that it's time to clip them.
Ideally, your little buddy’s nails should not reach the floor. So, when you hear clicking sounds from her paws while she’s walking on, say, a hard floor, it means that her nails could use a trim.
Also, when she steps on a carpet and her nails hold it snugly, then it’s time for a nail clipping session.
How often or frequently you will need to trim your dog's nails is also dependent on your furry friend’s lifestyle. If she spends most of her time inside the house, you will need to frequently trim her nails because they are not wearing down from outdoor activity.
On the contrary, if your dog is active and regularly goes for walks in the park or maybe wanders off sometimes to explore the neighborhood, her need for nail trimmings will be less frequent because her nails get worn down by the cement on sidewalks or asphalt on the roads.
Basically, by observing, you will see or hear when your dog’s nails are looking like claws or sounding like talons when she walks on a hard floor. That’s when you should act.
What To Look For In The Best Nail Clippers For Dogs
Before you make a purchasing decision regarding the dog nail trimmer you're about to invest in so that you can add it to the other pet grooming tools you have at home, you have to know about certain criteria to look after in a dog nail trimmer.
All the options we've mentioned above in our list of the best dog nail trimmers meet all the necessary criteria that the top products have to have.
Probably the most important factor in a dog nail trimmer is how sharp its blades are, as this will determine how fast and easy the process of nail trimming is going to be.
Sharp blades can give you the capability to be done with grooming your dog's nails and claws in a matter of minutes, while dog nail trimmers with blades that aren't sharp will make this a much more time consuming process than it ever needs to be.
Besides saving you on valuable time, dog nail trimmers with soft blades will cause your dog much more pain than they should ever feel.
Safety First
When it comes to the best of the best products in any market whatsoever, the top products almost always have the best safety features as part of their overall mechanism.
Well, the same holds true for dog nail trimmers.
The best dog nail clippers will have safety systems in place that will prevent you from cutting any deeper than you need to cut from your dog's nails, completely removing any risk of injury and bleeding in the process.
It's not an easy task to be able to tell when enough is enough at all times, and this is why a safety feature that takes out the guesswork for us is crucial in these products.
And any dog owner that has previously tried to cut their dog's nails knows for a fact that the last thing you ever want to do is dig in too deep, because that will only lead to your dog becoming traumatized from this whole process and giving you (or any potential future groomer) a very hard time not resisting whenever next time comes.
Comfort
The same way our dogs should be very comfortable during this grooming process, who said we aren't entitled to similar comfort?
And the #1 comfort deal-breaker with any metallic dog nail trimmer is the grip it comes with.
The best dog nail trimmers will come with a heavenly rubber grip that makes you feel very comfortable keeping hold of it even for prolonged periods of time, while the lower quality dog nail trimmers will come with very poop grips that will make your palms burn before you're even halfway through.
The Problem With Dog Nail Trimming
As we noted in the introduction, trimming your dog's nails may be an absolute walk in the park or it may be one of your biggest nightmares.
It all depends on many different factors that all come together to determine how this experience will pan out, both for you and for Fido.
For example, dogs that have had incompetent groomers (or dog owners who were incompetent at completing this task) trim their nails and cause them tremendous pain in the process will give their owners/groomers a very hard time during the process of trimming their nails, because they've had a very bad experience before and in the back of their mind all they're ever thinking of is "I don't want to go through that again! Get me out of here!".
Meanwhile, dogs that have had competent groomers (or dog owners who were competent at completing this task) trim their nails without making them feel the least bit of discomfort will give their owners/groomers a much easier time during this process, because any and all previous experiences they've had when getting their nails trimmed were very calm, pain-less and peaceful - what more could a dog ask for?
A Note About Cheap Dog Nail Clippers
When talking about any sort of product for dogs, we always like to mention cheap versions that can get the job done in order to cater to whoever doesn't have the means to overspend on pet supplies but wants to take care of their responsibilities as a dog owner to the fullest extent.
However, when talking about dog nail trimmers, there's no such thing as a cheap dog nail trimmer that can "get the job done".
With dog nail trimmers, you either pay top dollar for a trimmer that can get the job done like it's supposed to do, or you pay cheap for a trimmer that will open up a whole new world of physical and psychological problems for your dog.
No matter how talented you are and capable of trimming your dog's nails as perfect as possible, you can't trim your dog's nails with a cheap dog nail clipper without causing them physical pain.
It's not your fault, it's because the clipper was designed without any of this in mind, it was just designed by a manufacturer that wants to save as much costs on the production process so they can be able to sell it to you as cheaply as possible and entice other dog owners to catch on to the "cheap craze".
Conclusion
Given the many clippers, trimmers, and electric sanding grooming tools available today, you have absolutely no reason to keep your pet from looking neat and well-kept. The beauty of it is you can actually do it yourself from the comfort of your own home, provided you have the right tool.
So go ahead and pick the best nail clipper for dogs, which should be easy because you have all of them right here. Take this opportunity to bond with your pet and add more tricks to your skill set.
Remember, the best moment to trim your little buddy’s nails is when she is tired or absolutely relaxed because she’s less likely to fuss. Once she gets accustomed to the pampering, do not be surprised if she walks up to you and hands you a paw requesting for a pedicure. With a quality trimming tool, I am sure you will be more than happy to oblige to her request.