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Dog Grooming Clippers to Keep Your Canine Looking Chic

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If you have a dog breed with hair rather than fur, you’re no stranger to the groomer. Constantly growing hair requires regular trims. Even dogs with fur benefit from the occasional sprucing up. Those grooming trips start to add up over time – especially if you go weekly. You may wonder about spacing out those trims by tackling them yourself. If you’re feeling brave or have the training, dog grooming clippers let you provide doggie makeovers at home.

Grooming 101

Not every dog sports a coat of plushy fur. Some dogs have hair, just like ours:

Their hair grows continuously. Without a visit to the salon to tame their locks, you’ll end up with a matted mess. (And an uncomfortable dog) Regular trimming visits become part of your routine as an owner – whether you opt for a standard “breed cut” or not. And your favored groomer wields the dog grooming clipper of their choice.

Why Not Any Old Clipper?

Dog grooming clippers work differently from human clippers. You may not mind the sound of an angry hornet working around your ears, but your dog won’t tolerate the same. As such, dog grooming clippers come with quiet motors.

They also have a lower vibration. Dogs have sensitive skin, and an irritating buzz pressed against their body for any length of time can cause distress. After all, human clippers work on your head. Your skull has some of the thickest bones, and it absorbs that vibration. Imagine how you’d feel if you moved the clippers over your arms or legs? Not fun. That’s how it would feel for your dog. Dog grooming clippers use a softer vibration your dog tolerates.

Finally, the lower motor keeps the blades from heating up. Hot blades BURN skin. Your hair professional doesn’t use their clippers very long (hopefully). Again, you only have hair on your head, so those clippers don’t stay on. Your dog’s coat covers their entire body. And if there are mats, the work goes into overtime. Dog grooming clippers prevent excessive blade heat-up.

All of these safety precautions are why you need to reach for dog grooming clippers, avoiding human clippers at ALL costs.

Choosing a Dog Grooming Clipper

Regardless of your reason for picking out dog grooming clippers, you want to make a wise investment. Consider every feature carefully, looking at your dog’s hair coat and your level of experience. A good groomer can always fix a bad haircut, but you want to avoid a trip to the emergency room (for you or your dog).

  • Cord vs. Cordless: You’ll find both corded and cordless dog grooming clippers. Neither one’s better than the other. This is where you need to consider your dog and situation, though. How cooperative is your dog in the grooming process? Do you need to chase them down? Do they have hard-to-reach spots? Cordless makes that easier. However, you have to keep the batteries charged. Corded clippers never run out of power.
  • Accessories: Some dog grooming clippers come as sets with different size blades, scissors, combs – you name it. If you’re looking for a complete package, this may work out for you. If you only want to do quick trims, you may not feel it’s worth the investment.
  • Spare Parts: Clippers vibrate. That means parts wear down and fall apart. Having replacement parts on hand saves you from having to replace the entire clipper.
  • Quiet: Is your dog one that panics when you take out the vacuum? Then you want the quietest dog grooming clippers you can find. The larger your dog, the longer those clippers have to run, and you don’t want the process to turn stressful.
  • Lightweight: Be kind to YOURSELF. You have to hold those clippers up throughout the grooming process. The vibration WILL begin to irritate your arm as time goes on, so try not to compound the problem by adding heavy lifting to the equation.

Clipper Maintenance

You want your dog grooming clippers to last as long as possible. Picking one of the choices from our list is the best place to start, but you also need to take proper care of your investment. Every clipper comes with proper care instructions you should follow, but there are necessary maintenance items you need to remember.

  1. Brush out the hair after every use. If you let the debris build up, your clippers will break down faster.
  2. Use an approved blade wash once a week (more frequently if you use your dog grooming clippers often). Always hold the clippers vertically down into the wash.
  3. Vacuum out the air vents on your clippers every week. This prevents clogging.
  4.  Oil your clipper blades twice a month. Again, hold the clippers down as you apply the oil, or it’ll leak into the motor.

If you take proper care of your dog grooming clippers, they’ll last a long time. Otherwise, they’ll break down, and you’ll need to buy another set.

Best Dog Grooming Clippers

Do you want to space out those trips to the groomer? Or are you trying to learn how to take care of your dog’s coat on your own? Maybe you even passed a groomer certification program, and you’re starting a business of your own. Whatever the reason, quality dog grooming clippers are the first step. We have the best options used by groomers, veterinary offices, and show staff alike. You’re sure to find a clipper that suits your needs.

Best Corded Dog Grooming Clippers

If you have a calm, patient dog who knows the grooming drill, a corded dog grooming clipper works fine. Your dog may have a long, thick, or complicated coat, and you need that unlimited power supply. As long as you monitor the heat coming off that blade, you’re golden. As soon as you feel warmth, it’s time to take a break and let the blade cool down. No grooming session is worth a burn. Brushing your dog’s coat out FIRST will solve the problem of excess loose hair, too.

Andis may not be as recognizable as other dog grooming clipper brands, but they’re still common in the grooming world. Their two-speed dog grooming clippers feature an ergonomic design that’s lighter in weight than the A5. You get a full 14 feet of cord, promising you’ll reach your entire dog – even if they’re a giant breed. You get a single blade in the kit, but you can purchase and swap out others if you need to shape and trim. I worked with this clipper in the vet setting, as well, and we weren’t as impressed (in comparison to the A5).

Downsides? The housing is supposed to be shatterproof, but if you drop it, it WILL break. (I can confirm that – several broke in our hospital) The blade also heats up faster than other clippers. You have to stay on top of it, even on the low setting. (Which is why we stopped using them)

The Good

The Bad

Oster is a widely recognized name in the dog grooming business. The A5 provides a low- and high-speed option. The housing doesn’t feature the lighter plastic of other models, but the heavy-duty construction holds up better to abuse (not that dropping it serves the clipper well). Both speeds move through even the thickest coats, solving pesky mats. I’ve used this clipper in a veterinary hospital setting, and it’s a workhorse of a dog grooming clipper.

The downsides? Once you drop the clipper, the blades forever rattle around, and they can start to cut skin as a result. If you’re gentle with them, that won’t happen. The blade DOES heat up on that high setting the longer you use it. Monitor things closely.

The Good

The Bad

Oster’s Clipmaster dog grooming clipper combines power and quiet to allow you to tackle the thickest coats without upsetting your dog. There’s a single-speed motor, promising easy usage by even newcomers to the grooming game. The set includes two blades, a brush for cleaning, and oil for the blades.

So what are the downsides? Oster made the plastic more lightweight to ease the burden on your arm, but people found problems with the housing breaking. Try not to drop the clippers if you can help it. There are mixed reviews on how quickly the blade heats up: some say the blade stays cooler longer, but others say no. Just keep an eye on things.

The Good

The Bad

Best Cordless Dog Grooming Clippers

You can’t always corner your dog in the bathroom. And what happens if your bathroom doesn’t have an outlet? Or maybe you need to trim off that tiny patch of sticky SOMETHING your dog decided to roll in. Cordless dog grooming clippers make sense in a lot of situations. They’re portable, allowing you to bend in weird positions to reach every part of your dog (when they refuse to cooperate with you). As long as you stay on top of the battery, you won’t have a problem.

Are you looking for a small clipper for those delicate areas? Ruri’s is the perfect solution. This little dog grooming clipper provides a stainless-steel blade designed for the delicate parts of your dog: ears, face, and between the paw pads. You get an ergonomic design that’s easy to hold, and your dog gets a muted motor while the clipper works near their eyes and ears.

Downsides? This dog grooming clipper runs on two AA batteries – which aren’t included. And you’re only going to use this clipper on small areas. If you try to use it on your entire dog, you’re going to get exhausted.

The Good

The Bad

Wahl’s Bravura dog grooming clipper allows you to choose up to five different speeds. The intelligent motor detects when you’re moving through thicker fur, automatically increasing the speed (though maybe try to skip relying on that feature). The Lithium battery charges fully in one hour, and it’ll last up to 90 minutes. The clipper itself doesn’t weigh much, taking the burden off your wrists.

The downsides? There’s only plastic anchoring the blade to the clipper, so guess what happens if you drop it? Yup – it breaks. Be gentle with these clippers. The power switch is also in a strange place, making it easy to turn them on accidentally. Watch your hand placement.

The Good

The Bad

Wahl’s Arco works well for touch-ups and occasional trims. You can switch between five blade sizes, creating beautiful looks for your dog. The NiMH rechargeable battery lasts 80 minutes, and you get two in the package – letting you keep one charged at all times. The clippers don’t weigh much, and the blades stay cool throughout your work. Best of all, you get a one-year limited warranty with your purchase! We kept these clippers on hand at the vet where I worked for placing catheters. They were quiet and worked quickly on that task.

So what are the downsides? Lightweight, unfortunately, equates to breakable with these dog grooming clippers. Keep a firm grip on them at all times. Also, they’re great for trim work, but they’re not up to the task of heavy grooming.

The Good

The Bad

Best Dog Grooming Clipper Sets

When you’re just starting with dog grooming, a set may work better than a single dog grooming clipper. You receive everything you’ll need and then some. Or you may move in show circles, where breeds demand specific cuts. One blade may not allow you to perfect that look. Rather than hauling around fifteen different clippers, a set with interchangeable blades, scissors, and combs makes more sense.

Bousnic bridges the gap between corded and cordless dog grooming clippers. Rather than chasing down the charger all the time, their clippers easily plug into any USB charger, making it a cinch to keep things running. You get four different blade covers, a pair of scissors, and a comb, in addition to their provided USB charger. The clippers are lightweight and whisper-quiet, keeping your dog calm during the grooming process.

Downside? While fantastic for most options, these clippers can’t get through more than medium coats. Anything thicker, and the blade doesn’t have the power. If you’re just looking to trim, though, you’re good.

The Good

The Bad

You may not recognize the oneisall company, but don’t miss out on this dog grooming clipper kit. You get six clipper blade covers, scissors, a comb, a brush, and a charger. The single-speed clipper handles hair types of all kinds without making more noise than necessary, keeping your dog stress-free.

The downsides? You need to stay on top of the battery. Supposedly, the battery lasts 80 minutes, but heavy use only lasts 20 minutes. Also, this clipper doesn’t work with universal blades, so finding replacements gets tricky.

The Good

The Bad

Wahl’s U-Clip grooming kit sets you on the right foot. You get sixteen pieces, including various blade covers for different trimming lengths, a comb, scissors, a brush and oil for the blades, and even an instructional DVD. The single-speed dog grooming clippers ease you into trimming your dog’s coat, working you up to more complicated cuts.

So what are the downsides? The kit’s on the pricier side, but you DO get quite a bit for the cost. The clippers are heavy, and they’re LOUD. Hopefully, your dog doesn’t mind the noise.

The Good

The Bad

The Usual?

We feel amazing after a trip to the barber or salon. Our dogs may put up a fuss at the door, but they feel just as fantastic after the groomer. If you want to give them that same feeling at home, dog grooming clippers give you that freedom. It may lessen the stress, or it could save your wallet a little expense.

Make sure you brush their coat first to remove the loose hair. ALWAYS monitor the heat coming off the blade. And NEVER use a human clipper. If you take those precautions (and check with someone who knows what they’re doing), your dog will come out looking fresh as a daisy.

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Andria Kennedy

Andria Kennedy

Andria grew up in a pet-friendly household. On weekends, the family made trips to zoos and aquariums in the area. So it wasn’t a surprise when she gravitated toward a career with animals.

After six years working among the background operations at the Philadelphia Zoo, she gained a unique insight into the veterinary world. The vet staff provided her first lessons in terminology, the identification of medical equipment, and glimpses of radiographs (x-rays). She also enjoyed plenty of opportunities to talk with everyone, including the veterinary technicians. And they offered an alternative for someone NOT interested in surgical pathways: Namely, their course of study.

Andria enrolled at Harcum College. Philadelphia boasts two programs for vet techs, but only Harcum works with the Ryan Veterinary Hospital and New Bolton Center (University of Pennsylvania’s small and large animal facilities, respectively). Harcum’s vet tech students receive six months of hands-on teaching and experience alongside Penn’s vet students.

With the opportunities and connections available with one of the top veterinary schools, the decision was easy for her to make.

New Bolton Center: Large Animal Medicine
Andria ended up trudging through snow up to the knee and shivering in subzero temperatures during her winter semester, but she wasn’t disappointed with her choice. New Bolton provided a thorough grounding in large animal medicine. A horse-lover as a child, the experience renewed those old emotions.

And a few memories stood out and remained to this day:

  • Standing alongside a Clydesdale and feeling TINY
  • Holding the reins of a horse galloping at top speed on a treadmill
  • Nursing tiny foals through the first days of their life

Ryan Veterinary Hospital: Small Animal Medicine
Veterinary students can legally work at a practice while studying. Andria took advantage of the opportunity, gaining “real life” experience while attending class. It provided a slight advantage when she entered her three months at the small animal hospital.

However, as Ryan Veterinary Hospital offers treatments unique to the veterinary community, she continued to gain valuable experience. For instance, she spent a day working alongside their Chemo Team. The positivity of everyone she encountered – staff, clients, and patients alike – left a lasting impression.

Additional standout moments included:

  • An afternoon spent with the head of the feline kidney transplant program
  • A day serving as the anesthesia technician in their new radiation unit
  • Recognizing a radiograph of a giant elephant shrew (applying her previous zoo knowledge)

Emergency/ICU Veterinary Technician
Accompanying her Associate of Science in Veterinary Technology, Andria received a passing score on the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE). The two led to her certification/license as a veterinary technician – first in Pennsylvania (CVT) and later in Virginia (LVT).

Emergency medicine appealed to her from the beginning. The flux of ailments, injuries, and even species kept her mind sharp at all times. The knowledge required to handle cats, dogs, exotics, and even wildlife is highest in an ICU setting. When a vet tech never knows the patient’s stability coming back to the treatment area, skills and the ability to respond in an instant always stay in peak shape.

With treatments evolving at a constant basis, Andria sought out the best Continuing Education opportunities. She attended the International Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society (IVECCS) Conference whenever possible. This allowed her to discuss the latest wound treatments, medications, and advancements in diet formulations.

Cardiology Veterinary Technician
With the increased knowledge and experience, Andria noticed gaps in her abilities. Her grasp of cardiology remained at the basic level. She wanted to boost her skills and understanding as much as possible, improving her patient care. When an opportunity within the practice arose to move into the cardiology department, she accepted.

She sharpened her ability to read ECGs, recognizing arrhythmias of every type. Speaking with the cardiologist, she learned to read echocardiograms, picking out the most common disease processes. And, courtesy of her position in the department, she took in everything she could regarding the grain-free diet concern.

And throughout her ten-year career, she built her store of client interactions. She learned stories of heartbreak and hope. In the middle of the night, she shared touching and humorous conversations. Every moment taught her to engage with people. And the skill blended into her writing ability, capturing the interest of pet-lovers everywhere.

Check out Andria’s LinkedIn here

1 Comment

  1. Dear Mrs. Kennedy, Hello to a fellow Virginian! Hope you and your family are we’ll.
    I rescued a Morkie, and I am having difficulty keeping mats out of her hair. I want to keep her fine hair fairly long, 3″, but don’t know what comb size and clippers would be best. Don’t want to spend a lot of money, if I can use a less powerful, longer comb set-up rather than the Oster and Andis brands that cost so much. But if I should get the best I will. Just not sure if I need that. She is mat free at the moment.
    Thanks so much for all of the good that you do, and I appreciate you helping me very much!


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