Best Dog Nail Clippers and Grinders

Your dog’s needs, size, and temperament will determine the choice between nail clippers and grinders. There are a few important differences to keep in mind before choosing one over the other.

Dog nail clippers come in a variety of sizes, so you can pick a set that works well for your dog. They are often more cost-conscious than a grinder and cut through the dog’s nail right away, which is a quicker process than using a grinder.

“Clippers allow for a fast, sharp, and clean cut,” says Paola Cuevas, MVZ, veterinary consultant at Dogster. “However, a con to nail clippers is that if you accidentally cut the nail too deep and hit the bundle of vessels and nerves called the quick, you can cause bleeding and pain for your dog.”

For this reason, you should make sure your clippers have a guillotine-style guard that blocks them from cutting too deeply. Cuevas also tells CR that the resistance springs in some nail clippers can fall off over time.

According to Nita Vasudevan, DVM, a veterinary consultant for Embrace Pet Insurance, and Joanne Fernandez-Lopez, an associate veterinarian and marine biologist at Dutch Pet, clippers will be the best option for dogs with brittle or thick nails, or those who have light-colored nails where you can easily see the quick.

Nail grinders, on the other hand, file down the dog’s nails. This is a slower process than using clippers, but Fernandez-Lopez says it’s also gentler on the nail. Grinders can be ideal for dogs who have dark nails, where the quick is not visible. It’s also a good option for senior dogs, Fernandez-Lopez adds.

That said, nail grinders can sometimes be noisy. According to Cuevas, some dogs get more stressed by the noise and vibrations a grinder makes. She adds that it’s also important to remember that grinders can get hot and paw hair can get entangled in the grinders, so dogs with longer hair may respond better to clippers (or will need a hair trim before their clipping session). “In my personal opinion, using a grinder requires a more desensitized dog and a more experienced handler because the process takes longer,” Cuevas says.

Dog’s nails should be clipped regularly so they don’t get overgrown. “If you can hear the nails clicking against the floor, they are likely to need a trim,” says Cuevas. She says that you should never use human nail clippers on pets. “Dogs’ nails are thicker than human nails,” Cuevas says. “Clippers for humans are not as sharp or strong; they also do not have the right shape. If you use human clippers on your pet, there’s a high likelihood of their nails breaking or cracking instead of doing a clean cut.”

Before you begin, Vasudevan advises allowing your dog to sniff the tool and get used to the sound or sensation. “Positive reinforcement with treats can make the experience much more pleasant for the dog,” Vasudevan says. If your dog is not used to getting their nails cut, having a support person to help hold the dog still is a good idea. Cuevas recommends putting smaller dogs on your lap, with their back against your abdomen. 

Trim any long hair around their paws or paw pads and then make sure their paws are free of dirt and debris, Cuevas says. Apply gentle pressure to each digit to control and view the nail. Once the nail is exposed, you should be able to see the quick, which is pink. (This is the sensitive area you should avoid.) Cuevas says to use your index finger and thumb to hold their digit, and the rest of your hand to keep their paw still. Then make a quick, clear cut.

Cuevas recommends stopping after the first nail is cut to give your dog a treat and reinforce a positive experience. “Do a full trim over the next couple of days,” Cuevas says. And if your dog isn’t comfortable with the process, she recommends spending some time desensitizing them by handling their paws frequently.

“Regardless of which tool you use, make sure to go slowly, reward your dog, and stop if they seem distressed,” Fernandez-Lopez recommends. “And always have styptic powder (an agent that quickly and effectively stops bleeding) on hand in case of accidental quicking.” Apply a little bit of pressure as you press the powder into the wound to make sure it sticks and alert your veterinarian if the bleeding continues for more than a few minutes. 

We tried each of the dog nail trimmers and grinders on our anxious border collie, a 9-year-old rescue named Gavyn, and paid attention to how easy they were to use, how quickly and effectively they cut or trimmed his nails, and whether their noise level bothered Gavyn. We also took notes on whether the trimmer or grinder had sufficient safety features, if it could be adjusted to accommodate different nails and paw sizes, and how easy they were to clean.

We spoke with several veterinarians to find out more information about clippers and grinders and the easiest, safest ways to groom your dog’s nails.