Best Dog Nail Clippers

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A good pair of dog nail clippers makes a monthly chore quick and calm. A dull or badly sized pair squeezes the nail, makes your dog pull away and turns a two minute job into a wrestling match. This guide explains the two main clipper styles, what to look for in a pair, the clipper in our catalog that named reviewers tried hands-on, a few others worth knowing about, and how to clip safely, including what to do if you cut the quick.

How we wrote this: hands-on notes come from PetsRadar‘s dog nail clipper guide and The Idle Pup’s clipper roundup. Safety advice comes from the AKC and the Washington State University veterinary teaching hospital. Product facts come from each maker’s page. We did not test these clippers ourselves, and we do not show prices or ratings.

Clipper, guillotine or grinder?

There are three common tools for dog nails, and the AKC says to use whichever you are most comfortable with, or whichever suits your dog best.

• Scissor or plier style clippers have two curved blades that close around the nail when you squeeze the handles. They are the most common type, work on most nail sizes, and are the type WSU says is often used for dewclaws.
• Guillotine clippers have a ring that the nail slides into, and a single blade that crosses the ring when you squeeze. The WSU veterinary teaching hospital calls the guillotine type the easiest to use on dogs.
• Grinders file the nail down with a spinning head instead of cutting it. They are slower and louder but give a smooth edge and more control on dark nails. We cover them in our best dog nail grinder guide, and compare the two approaches in dog nail grinder vs clipper.

What to look for in dog nail clippers

Sharp, sturdy blades

A sharp blade cuts the nail cleanly. A dull one crushes it, which is uncomfortable for the dog and can split the nail. Look for stainless steel blades that stay sharp. If a clipper starts to squeeze instead of cut, sharpen or replace the blade, or replace the clipper.

The right size for your dog

Clippers come in sizes. A large pair on a toy breed makes it hard to see what you are cutting, and a small pair on a big dog’s thick nails means hard squeezing and crushed nails. Resco, for example, makes its Large guillotine for dogs of about 50 pounds and up, and Coastal sells the Safari clipper in a Standard and a Large size (makers’ pages linked below).

A safety stop or quick guard

Many scissor clippers have a small guard that limits how much nail goes past the blade. In our view a guard is worth having if you are new to clipping. It helps, but it is set for an average nail, so it cannot tell you where your own dog’s quick is. You still need to cut in small slices and look at the nail as you go.

A grip you can hold steady

You will be holding a paw in one hand and squeezing with the other, so the handles matter. The Idle Pup found the Safari clipper the most comfortable in its roundup. If you have weak or sore hands, a spring loaded handle and a non-slip grip help.

A lock that is easy to use

A lock keeps the blades closed in the drawer. It should be easy to open with one hand, since a stiff lock soon gets annoying.

Our picks

Safari Professional Dog Nail Trimmer: simple scissor clipper with a safety stop

The Safari Professional Dog Nail Trimmer by Coastal is a double-bladed stainless steel scissor clipper with a tension spring, a non-slip grip for either hand and a safety stop. Coastal sells a Standard size, about 5 by 1.5 inches, and a Large size, about 6.6 by 2 inches (Coastal).

PetsRadar picked it for dogs with thinner nails and noted that thick nails can take a lot of hand pressure. Our take from those reviews: a sensible, simple clipper for small and medium dogs, with the Large size or a guillotine for big dogs with thick nails.

Named without links

These are worth knowing about, but we found no hands-on test from a source we use, so we name them without links:

• Resco Original Guillotine Dog Nail Trimmer, Large: a guillotine clipper from Resco, a US maker in business since 1937, made for pets of 50 pounds or more, with a replaceable blade and a limited lifetime warranty, per the maker. We did not test it ourselves.
• Zen Clipper: a clipper with an adjustable blade stop, made for both dogs and cats. We list the cat version in our cat nail clipper guide.

How to clip your dog’s nails safely

• Start slowly. Handle your dog’s paws often, with praise, before you ever clip. The AKC suggests building up over several days with puppies, starting with just one nail tip.
• Hold the paw firmly but gently. The AKC describes placing your thumb on the toe pad and your forefinger on top of the toe, then pushing gently to extend the nail.
• Clip only the tip. The AKC says to clip straight across and not past the curve of the nail, where the quick (the pink core with blood vessels and nerves) begins. WSU advises cutting from underneath at about a 45 degree angle, with the cutting blade facing you rather than the dog.
• Take small slices on dark nails. On light nails you can see the pink quick. On dark nails, WSU recommends several small cuts and stopping when a gray to pink oval shows on the cut surface; the AKC says to watch for a chalky white ring.
• Do not forget the dewclaws. They sit on the inner side of the paw, and WSU notes they do not touch the ground, so walking does not wear them down. Both the AKC and WSU include them in a trim.
• Keep styptic powder at hand. The AKC and WSU both recommend it in case you cut too short.

For a full step by step walkthrough, see how to trim a dog’s nails.

If you cut the quick

It happens to careful owners too. Stay calm, press styptic powder or another clotting product onto the nail, and give your dog a break. WSU notes that without styptic powder a cut quick may take around five minutes to stop bleeding. The AKC says to contact your vet if the bleeding does not stop. See your vet as well if a nail is cracked or split, very overgrown or curling into the pad, or if your dog seems in pain when you touch the paw.

When to ask a vet or groomer

If you have never clipped a dog’s nails, the AKC’s chief veterinarian, Dr. Jerry Klein, suggests asking your vet or vet tech to show you how. A groomer or your vet’s team can also take over for a dog who is too stressed to trim at home, while you work on paw handling in the background.

Dog fights every trim? See how to use a dog scratch pad for nail trims, a way to teach your dog to file its own front nails.

FAQ

What type of nail clippers is best for dogs?

There is no single best type. WSU calls guillotine clippers the easiest to use on dogs, while scissor clippers handle a wide range of nails and dewclaws. The AKC says to use whichever type you and your dog are most comfortable with. A grinder is a good option for dogs with dark nails, see our grinder guide.

Are guillotine or scissor clippers better for large dogs?

Both can work on large dogs if you buy the right size and keep the blade sharp. Resco makes a Large guillotine for dogs of 50 pounds or more, and Coastal sells the Safari scissor clipper in a Large size. Very thick nails need a strong, sharp pair or a grinder.

How do I know where to cut my dog’s nails?

Cut only the tip, before the nail curves down. On light nails, stop well before the pink quick. On dark nails, take small slices and stop when you see a gray to pink oval (WSU) or a chalky white ring (AKC) on the cut surface.

How often should I clip my dog’s nails?

The AKC says most dogs need a trim every three to four weeks, depending on how active they are and how fast their nails grow.

What do I do if I cut my dog’s nail too short?

Apply styptic powder or another clotting product right away and keep your dog calm. If the bleeding does not stop, contact your vet, as the AKC advises.

How do I know when clippers need replacing?

If the clipper squeezes or splinters the nail instead of cutting it cleanly, the blade is dull. Replace the blade on a guillotine like the Resco, which takes replacement blades, or replace a scissor clipper.

For more grooming gear, see the dog and cat grooming buying guide, the best dog nail grinder, dog nail grinder vs clipper and best cat nail clippers.