Which pet hair clippers for dogs you're going to buy will depend on a few factors. Knowing how you will use the clippers, what type of dog coat you're trimming and how often you plan to use them will help you to narrow down the search for the right set.
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Electric dog clippers (most common choice) are made for trimming dog body hair and are available in either cordless rechargeable or corded plug-in models. A clipper's blade size can be fitted for specific breed's coat type, and all clippers come with snap-on guide combs that keep the trim even across your dog's entire body.
Clippers made for people can work on some short hair dogs, but they are not made for long or thick fur (and especially not for double coat), so they will end pulling your dog's hair and go dull much faster than clippers designed to handle pet fur.
Today, there's a lot of high-grade dog clippers available for an affordable price, and most of them will do the job well and last for a long time. Ultimately, you can save a lot of money if you invest in a set of pet hair clippers for dogs instead of going to a groomer.
Pet Hair Clippers for Dogs: Buying Guide
A dog’s coat type is the first thing to consider when shopping for clippers. You’re likely to use clippers every four to eight weeks for heavy grooming needs, and once every one to two weeks for quick trimming (such as paws or face). Observe how tangled, matted and long the fur gets in those longer spans of time.
The length and thickness a dog's coat can help guide your purchase. If your dog has hair that is difficult to maintain, you will want heavy duty clippers. Difficult to maintain hair is the type that gets constantly matted, knotted or tangled, thus making the whole grooming processing being far less straightforward and smooth.
Note: Shaving dogs is not recommended; however, if for some reason you need to shave your matted dog or do anything similarly drastic, take the dog to a professional dog groomer instead to avoid mishaps. You can also get tips from the groomer and learn how to better groom your pet at home.
Pet Clipper Blades and Guards
Regardless of whether your dog's hair grows curly, wavy or straight, you will need a set of pet clippers with changeable blades so as to adjust to different areas of the dog's coat.
Unlike professional clippers, most cheap pet clippers come with only one blade, so if you need to purchase additional blades, know that they're sorted by numbers. The lower the number, the less hair you’ll be cutting. If you have a long-haired dog whose hair you want to leave long, select a blade with the lowest number.
The numbering system for pet hair clippers depends on the brand, though all of them are pretty straightforward. Most also come with instructions and additional information on the packaging that will explain the lengths of each blade and what type of fur it is best suited for.
Some clippers for pet hair come with plastic guards that slide over the blade to save you from changing the blade length all the time. These guards are numbered in the same way that the clipper blades are. The lower the number, the less hair you'll be cutting. This is a useful additional but it's not essential.
Types of Clipper Blades
The number of the blade is not the only thing to consider. The cut of the blade is also important, a factor that will best suit the natural shape of your pooch's coat.
For example, if your dog’s coat is naturally short, choose a blade type that will go with that short cut and won’t make any drastic changes. You will find most of this information on the packaging of the clippers.
Unlike with your own haircut, clipping a dog’s hair is always about maintenance, not about making a huge style change. There are three different categories of pet hair clipper blades that should be mentioned, which include:
Wide Clipper Blades (also known as T-blades). These are good for large breeds because the blades and the clippers themselves are larger. The wider the blade, the more hair it takes off with every pass. By using this size for a big dog, you cut down on the time needed to groom him. Likewise, if you have a smaller dog, you will want to use a more narrow set of pet hair clippers.
Skip Tooth Blades. They're good for cutting through hair that is dense or matted, and they are often used before bath time. You should not use a skip tooth blade on wet dog's fur, because it will be more apt to pull the fur and cause your dog pain.
Finishing Blades. As the name suggests, these are used after bathing to complete the haircut. If you have a dog that has a continuously growing coat, it’s important to switch between pet clipper blade types for each grooming session. The type of coat that your dog has will dictate how many clipper blades you will need and which types you will require.
Some of the best dog hair clipper blades are mentioned below:
| Preview | Product | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Oster Cryogen-X Pet Clipper Blade, 7F | 4,524 Reviews | Check Price |
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Andis (Pet) 64240 CeramicEdge Carbon-Infused Steel... | 13,713 Reviews | Check Price |
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Oster Replacement Blade for Electric Pet Grooming... | 3,361 Reviews | Check Price |
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WAHL Professional Animal 30 Fine Ultimate... | 1,429 Reviews | Check Price |
The Most Comfortable Pet Hair Clippers for YOU
When selecting the best pet hair clippers for dogs, the requirements of your dog's coat are of utmost importance, but no less important is to be mindful of how they feel in your hand because that could also dictate how well you'll cut the dog's hair.
You want your dog clippers to feel weighty but not too heavy. You need to feel like you have a solid, comfortable grip on the tool because it gives you grooming confidence. Clippers that are ergonomically unsound or that don’t feel “right” in your hand could cause you to drop them or have you struggle in handling them, which could lead to your and/or your dog being injured or simply a poor doggy haircut.
Pick a set of ergonomic pet clippers that won't cause arm, wrist or elbow strain.
Consider how quickly the clippers get hot. Most cheap clippers overheat very quickly, which means you have to keep stopping and restarting the grooming process. It's also a safety issue: when clippers get hot, not only it's uncomfortable for you to hold them but it also can cause pain to your dog. They will also stop working if you keep going.
Another consideration is the clippers' cord. Majority of clippers are corded, but some cordless clippers are rechargeable and come with their own set of benefits. Not only it's easier to maneuver with them, but dogs tend to be less afraid of cordless clippers. The downside is that these clippers need to be always recharged and they also tend to get hotter quicker.
Final thing to think about is the sound of clippers. Some are louder, and some are quieter. Majority of average priced clippers will sound the same, cheap ones are generally extremely loud and expensive brands tend to be quieter. The reason to consider silent clippers is most for the benefit of the dog and to reduce their grooming anxiety.
Once bought, before using clippers on the dog, test them by holding clippers like you would a pen, but with the blade pointing downward. If you're not comfortable holding the clippers in that position, then it isn't the right set of clippers for you.
Some of the most comfortable best pet hair clippers for dogs are below:
| Preview | Product | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Andis – 22330, Professional AGC Super 2-Speed... | 837 Reviews | Check Price |
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oneisall Dog Shaver Clippers Low Noise... | 86,650 Reviews | Check Price |
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Ceenwes Dog Clippers Low Noise Cat Clippers... | 23,841 Reviews | Check Price |
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WAHL USA Clipper Pet-Pro Dog Grooming Kit -... | 14,952 Reviews | Check Price |
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Oster A5 Hair Clippers for Dog, Cat, and Pet... | 4,039 Reviews | Check Price |
Final Tips on Choosing the Right Set of Pet Clippers
Choose clippers that not only conform to your pet’s coat condition and actual coat type, but that also have a high clipping speed. The clippers must keep up with the cutting and not get stuck in your pet's thick fur. Not only will this slow you down, but it will pull your dog's fur and cause them pain.
Paying attention to the actual make and structural integrity of pet hair clippers is never a bad idea, especially since this is probably going to be the most important investment in your array of grooming tools. Some of the best and well-known pet clipper brands today are Oster, Andis and Wahl. These companies make highest quality clippers.
As for the actual make of dog clippers, check to see that you don’t have to do a lot of internal maintenance (oiling the parts, taking it apart, cleaning stuck hair and so on). If you’re only going to be using clippers once every month or so, you don't want to sink large amounts of your time into rebuilding and re-configuring the clippers for your dog every single time, which is what tends to happen with cheap China made clippers.
Make sure that the motor on the electric clippers is powerful and runs smoothly yet quietly. A loud, roaring noise could scare your dog and make him very averse to being groomed in the future. Similarly, the unit that it runs on should be self-cooling and shouldn’t rely on fans or vents that will make more noise and be prone to being clogged or overheating.
When you're buying pet hair clippers, consider the same things that you would when buying any other item: quality and longevity for the purchase in question. Buying dog clippers is all about knowing your canine and his coat type. If you feel as though you’re unsure what to buy or that you’re a little confused as to where to get started, don’t be afraid to go to a professional dog groomer and ask for a little guidance.
READ NEXT: 8 Tips on Buying and Safely Using Dog Hair Clippers
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