All About Dog Nail Clippers

Your dog's feet are an extremely important part of its body. That seems like a pretty obvious statement, but many dog owners still neglect to take proper care of their canine companion's paws. Beyond just healthy paws, a dog's nails are also very important. Many dogs find great enjoyment through digging, and other claw related activities. Lets not forget that those claws are also used for the all important, and classic doggy act of itching! To take proper care of your best friend's nails, you will need a quality pair of dog nail clippers. Because of mankind's love affair with the dog, and our desire to keep all parts of them healthy and looking their best, many different types of dog nail clipper are available for purchase.

What are Dog Nail Clippers?

To put it bluntly, dog nail clippers are much the same as people nail clippers, but with a couple differences. Like nail clippers used for human hands and feet, dog nail clippers are designed to neatly clip off excess and unwanted nail material from a dog's paws. Where people and canine nail clippers differ however is in their design. Human finger and toe nails are usually flat and wide, and require a similar cutting surface to properly trim them. Dog nails on the other hand are usually thick and rounded, and require strong clippers with a concentrated cutting area. That's why many manual dog nail clippers actually resemble stumpy-bladed scissors.

Choosing Dog Nail Clippers

When it comes time to trim your dog's nails, you will have to choose a pair of dog nail clippers for the job. But choosing the right model of nail clippers can be difficult if you've never done the procedure before. Luckily, there are only two major types of dog nail clippers on the market today. The first is the classic manual dog nail clipper, and the second is the dog nail grinder.

• Manual Dog Nail Clippers are what most pet owners will think of when thinking about dog nail clippers. These kind of nail clippers often resemble short bladed scissors or wire cutters. The cutting blade will usually have a concave curve to it, which helps to cut the nail cleanly and leaves the clipped end smooth instead of jagged or frayed. Dog nail clippers of this type are easily the most common and can be found in most pet stores.
• Dog Nail Grinders are the other most common type of dog nail trimmer, and are quickly becoming popular among many dog owners. Dog nail grinders are actually a form of dremel tool specifically adapted to the trimming of dog nails. These tools work through the high speed rotation of special grinding tips, which are no more than loops of sand paper wrapped around a quickly rotating shaft. This kind of dog nail clipper's popularity is increasing due to it's precision and ease of use.

Dog Nail Clipper Tips

Before using your new pair of dog nail clippers on your unsuspecting canine companion, you must first understand how to use them properly. Improper use of dog nail clippers can easily result in the serious injury of your dog. Just like human fingernails, dog nails are alive to an extent, and cutting them wrong can be very painful indeed.

• When clipping your dog's nails, avoid the "quick" or living part of the nail. The quick in a dog's nail is much like the nail bed for human finger and toe nails. Cutting into the qui9ck can be very painful for your dog and could lead to infection. People inexperienced with the use of the dog nail grinder are notorious quick hitters.
• Always make sure your dog is secure and relaxed before cutting it's nails. Many dogs don't like having their nails cut, and may try to thrash around and get away. This can obviously lead to improperly cut nails, and even serious injury to you or your dog.