Top 5 Best Grooming Tools for Dogs (DIY Pet Grooming Kit)

More pet owners are realizing that grooming dogs at home is not only significantly cheaper but also presents a good opportunity to bond with their dogs. And it's simply fun. Use this list below to build your DIY dog grooming kit for home practice with some of the best grooming tools for dogs and cats alike.

There's a lot of freely available information online on how to groom dogs at home, which dog grooming equipment to use, and how to do it all safely. I recommend you to first start by browsing Top Dog Tips' dog grooming category for hundreds of articles with advice on pet grooming.

For more, here are a few other great resources on grooming dogs:

• Grooming tips with videos
• All different dog coat styles
• Free grooming PDF

When you and your pooch are ready, use the above resources on pet grooming to do everything right and avoid potential mistakes. The below five essential best dog grooming tools will help you build your own “do it yourself dog grooming equipment kit” so that you can save some money and get to work right away.

NEED MORE HELP? Dog Grooming Supplies 101 – The Ultimate Buyers’ Guide

TOP 5 Best Grooming Tools for Dogs

1Dremel 7350-PT 4.8-Volt Pet Grooming Kit

The first one on our list of best grooming tools for dogs is an essential part of any do-it-yourself dog grooming kit. Pet owners can make it easy to trim their dog's nails with Dremel’s 7350. This rotary sanding tool is a compact, safe, and effective alternative to clipping a dog's nails.

READ OUR FULL REVIEW: Dremel Grooming Tool Review

It has two rotary speeds that can be adjusted between high and low for precision control to suit your pet’s comfort level. When it comes to dog grooming supplies, you want something that won't hurt your Fido. Dremel gently grinds long, hard dog nails, so there’s no over-trimming or accidentally hurting paws. The do-it-yourself dog grooming kit comes with a rechargeable 4.8-volt battery pack, a 3-hour battery charger, and a 2-year warranty.

• Dremel reviews: Read Amazon customer reviews

According to multiple Dremel reviews, one thing that endears this dog nail trimmer to pet owners is its comfortable vibration when operated. Even in high mode, Dremel's sander emits a mere hum, unlike previous versions of the product. Many pet parents who were looking for the best grooming tools for dogs found Dremel to be compact and light and essentially a clever solution to grooming their dogs' paws. The nail-sanding sessions are relatively quick, relaxed, and easy, unlike nervous experiences with other do-it-yourself dog grooming kits before.

Due to the popularity and ratings of this dog nail trimmer, it's clear that dog owners generally love the Dremel 7350-PT 4.8-Volt Pet Grooming Kit and swear to buy another one if their present equipment wears out. After a year or so of normal use, the first thing that most users noticed about this pet nail trimmer was that the battery started draining more quickly than before. Many buyers were given replacements for their batteries when those were returned because of defects, couldn’t hold a charge, or stopped working within the warranty period.

Most helpful customer review (full Amazon review): “I purchased the short-lived previous version of this product, Dremel 765-01 Pet Nail Grooming Kit, and liked it so much that I bought the Dremel 7300-PT for friends. There are two differences between the 765 and the 7300- the casing of the 73000 is gray…”

2Safari 770045 Professional Nail Trimmer

The second product on our list of best grooming tools for dogs is yet another tool to trim your dog's nails that will do the job quicker than Dremel – regular dog nail clippers from Safari. These are some of the cheapest dog nail clippers available to purchase today, yet one of the best, too.

READ OUR FULL REVIEW: Safari Nail Clippers Review

The Safari Professional Nail Trimmer is designed for durability – with sharp blades made from high-quality stainless steel and rubber-coated handles for a secure grip. It is small and lightweight, which is ideal for those do-it-yourself dog grooming kits and for professional use on small- to medium-sized dogs. The locking blades and safety stop features make this a safe and effective pair of dog nail clippers.

• Safari trimmer reviews: Read Amazon customer reviews

As most dog nail clipper reviews from pet parents show, taking aged pets to professional pet groomers is often a challenge to most, so they resort to this reliable dog nail trimmer as their go-to alternative. The majority of dog owners found this pair of pet clippers rather easy to use, and it does not require heavy pressure to cut through thick nails. It opens up wide to allow big nails to slide inside and cuts them clean with its sharp edge – no crushed nails.

The guard or safety stop bothers some users, especially the professional groomers who perform pedicures to an average of 20 dogs weekly, but sliding it to the side quickly puts it out of the picture. Cautious pet owners who choose to home-groom their dogs with Safari 770045 Professional Nail Trimmer, however, think that this is a very functional and preemptive feature. At its price, this is a must-have for pet owners, even those who regularly take their dogs to the pro, for situations that call for quick grooming. This is easily one of the most popular, best grooming tools for dogs and cats alike.

Most helpful customer review (full Amazon review): “My poor old spaniel is getting up there in years. Blind as a bat, going deaf, and his hips are giving out. All he has left is his appetite and tummy rubs. Taking him to the groomer is stressful for him–and sheer anguish…”

3Cardinal Laboratories Remedy and Recovery Professional Groomer’s Styptic Powder for Pets

This is not only one of the best grooming tools for dogs but also one of the most essential for pet parents who groom their pets often. You don’t want to cut your dogs' nails too close to the quick, but accidents do happen. When the claw is accidentally clipped too far back, it can nick the blood vessels and potentially cause profuse bleeding.

This Styptic Powder from Cardinal Laboratories should stop the bleeding quickly (and it does). The blood-clotting powder contains ferric subsulfate, bentonite, and other ingredients but no anesthetic or antiseptic. Professional groomers and vets have this in their do-it-yourself dog grooming kits, and it would be to the advantage of pet owners who opt to home-groom their dogs to have this nearby as well.

• Styptic powder reviews: Read Amazon customer reviews

After researching, it's clear from all the styptic powder reviews that an overwhelmingly positive response comes from dog owners. Most customers didn’t expect or hope ever even to need this part of their do-it-yourself dog grooming kits, careful as they were in trimming their pets’ nails, but were glad they had this on their first-aid shelf. Pets with dark-to-black nails often get hurt in trimming because it’s difficult to see where their tender spot is through the black color, even if you try to use the best, most high-quality grooming tools for dogs that are safe. Pet owners could only sigh with relief because this dog styptic powder stopped nicks and gashes, especially when they couldn’t get to the vet fast.

While the Cardinal Laboratories Remedy and Recovery Professional Groomer’s Styptic Powder for Pets is applied on the pet’s paws, customers are advised to cover it with gauze or use an Elizabethan collar to keep the pet from licking it off. This product stops bleeding really fast, but it will not work on deep wounds. The powder doesn’t stain or expire, and it’s economical to use, too.

Most helpful customer review (full Amazon review): “We trim our Dog's nails and in the past have accidentally hit the vein as his nails are black. The bleeding was hard to stop, which always worried us. This styptic powder stops the bleeding almost instantly. It's a must to have nearby if you…”

4DakPets Pet Grooming Tool & Pet Grooming Brush

Our fourth pick for the best grooming tools for dogs list is another essential item to deal with your dog's shedding problems. This one of the best deshedding tools is a combined trimmer and comb from Dakpets, 4 inches long, and made of stainless steel with a blade cover and sturdy handle.

It is designed for dogs with single or double coats and is definitely a handy tool to have for removing loose dead hair and keeping topcoats shiny. This is guaranteed unbreakable, or your money back. The tool comes with two eBooks – Cat Training 101 and Dog Owners Handbook.

• Dakpets tool reviews: Read Amazon customer reviews

The majority of Dakpets dog deshedding tool reviews are overly positive. Dog owners can’t help but compare this product with other dog shedding tools and are happy that it is as good at removing unwanted fur as the more expensive brands, such as Furminator. They are mostly surprised at the amount of hair that they’ve de-shed the first time and after a few minutes only. It seems like pet owners of dogs and cats are the happiest customers – purring and loving the experience. It seems this can be a good option for one of the best grooming tools for dogs and cats alike.

READ OUR FULL REVIEW: DakPets Brush for Dogs Review

After 3-4 brushings, what was highly noticeable for these pet owners who were trying to build their own do-it-yourself dog grooming kit with DakPets Pet Grooming Tool & Pet Grooming Brush was the absence of fur around the house, on the furniture, on the car’s upholstery, and on clothes. The pets looked different, too – from being thick-furred and unkempt before to their shiny and thin-coated selves now. Dog owners noted how they can turn the tedious pet de-shedding task into an enjoyable bonding time with their dogs and cats using this no-fuss pet grooming tool and brush from DakPets.

Most helpful customer review (full Amazon review): “I would highly recommend this product! It is so much cheaper than the Furminator, which my mother owns, and does just as good! It works wonders for thinning out the undercoat. I can't believe how much fur I got off of my poor cats, I feel like I've…”

5Pro Pet Works Oatmeal Dog Shampoo & Conditioner

The last one on the list of best grooming tools for dogs is, of course, another essential item – a dog shampoo. We all know that pet shampoos, which are made from non-toxic ingredients, are highly preferred, not only for the health benefit of our dogs but also for the safety and protection of the dog owner. This dog shampoo from Pro Pet Works is made from oatmeal, Aloe Vera, Shea butter, jojoba oil, and other ingredients carefully listed on the product label.

Cats and dogs will love the natural scent of this pet shampoo, which will clean, condition, and moisturize their scalps and coat. It's a perfect addition to any do-it-yourself dog grooming kit at home. The Aloe Vera content will help soothe itchiness and pain in the dog's skin. Keep your canines smelling clean and feeling good with these vegan ingredients. That way, you’re being good to yourself, your family (including the furry ones), and the environment as well.

• Oatmeal dog shampoo reviews: Read Amazon customer reviews

Most of these dog shampoo reviews are very positive, as you can see from the above link. Pet parents who purchased this shampoo and conditioner for dogs were mostly those who recognize the importance of getting the best grooming tools for dogs that are all-organic and paraben-free when it comes to pet washing products and those who own sensitive dogs or cats. Because of the mild nature of this product from Oxgord, the soap-less shampoo did not irritate their pets’ eyes and skin, and bathing was usually quick. While the oils and extracts worked out a rich lather, rinsing off was easy.

READ OUR FULL REVIEW: The Best Dog Shampoo

Dog owners were highly pleased with the results of Pro Pet Works Oatmeal Dog Shampoo & Conditioner – smooth and silky coat and wonderful smell that lasted days. Those who expected it to smell medicinal were pleasantly surprised that this dog shampoo had a pleasant scent instead and that it was not overwhelming at all. That makes it a very reasonably-priced shampoo for dogs or cats, plus all the benefits that come with it being medicinal yet organic and natural for pets.

Most helpful customer review (full Amazon review):“My favorite dog shampoo ever! I've had dogs in my life for the last 25+ years or so, and despite all of the dog shampoos I've used, none of them smelled as amazing as this one. I even told my husband, I'm thisclose to using this as a body wash. I won't, but…”

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