There are lots of things that we need to purchase when we own dogs – the obvious things include dog beds, food, toys, and leashes.
For the most part, the needed items for dogs do not require multiple purchases, except for dog food of course! Treats and food are all very important for sure, but there are other things that every good dog parent needs.
One of the important things to think about when rounding out the items you may need to purchase for your dog includes grooming supplies.
There are so many choices for grooming supplies that sometimes it can be overwhelming. Before you start to look at the different shampoos, comb, and other grooming options, think about what part of grooming that you want to tackle at home.
You can choose to learn to completely groom your dog, from the bath and cleanup to the clipping and grooming – it all depends on how comfortable you are with trying to give your dog the full-doggy treatment!
Most dog parents fall in the middle somewhere, either finding comfort in giving their dog an occasional bath, to clipping their nails. If you opt for clipping your dog’s nails at home, be sure that you have a set of either new or newly sharpened clippers to make the job easy and painless.
How to Sharpen Dog Nail Clippers
If you have never sharpened dog clippers before, use this easy guide below to ensure that they are ready for use before you start this grooming task with your dog.
Once you decide that you want to tackle clipping your dog’s nails, you want to be sure to start with good, reliable tools.
Nail clippers for dogs come in a variety of options, so you want to do a little research and review the options before you purchase them – think about it, clippers for a small dog such as a Cockapoo are going to be very different than clippers you would use on a Golden Retriever. 
By finding the correct tools, the nail cutting process will be easier for both you and your furry friend.
Once you have decided on the type and style of your clippers that you want to use for your dog, try them out!
If you feel that they are a good match and do the job, then they will serve you well if you take care of them.
Remember to think about things like the thickness of your dog’s nails, the grip and the strength of your hands, and how big the clippers are before purchasing them.
You are the one that needs to use them, so be sure that you are comfortable with what you purchase.
Once you have chosen and have used them with your dog, be sure that you keep track of how often and how much use they get.
Clipping nails with dull clippers can cause your dog discomfort and if they are dull, they can cause the nail to twist and shift, instead of cutting through.
This may hurt your dog, which in turn, can cause them to become fearful of the process, so always check the blades before use.
Sharpening Clippers at Home
If you determine that your clippers need sharpening, you can use a professional service to improve the quality of your tool.
However, sharpening dog clippers is not that complicated, so here are a few ways that you can do this at home, which can save you both time and money.
- When sharpening clippers, you want to be sure to clean them first – use alcohol to clean the blades completely, then take them apart so that you have two separate pieces if using the scissor-style clippers (most common type).
- Once apart, use a rounded file to improve the edge on the clippers.
- Start by sliding the clipper blade edge at an angle along the file, using the same direction every time. Never move it in the opposite direction.
- Repeat the process with the other side of the clippers, ensuring again that you only work at an angle to match the clipper and going in one direction.
- If you have a Dremel tool, you can also use this with a medium to finely rounded tip to sharpen your dog clippers. Following the same instructions as with a manual round file, clean the blades, then lightly run the blade along the Dremel bit in one direction.
Although this is slightly less labor-intensive, be cautious that you do not over-correct the blade, which can cause it to not meet up with the second blade and dull the nail cutting process.
Whichever way you choose to sharpen your tools, be sure to check them for proper alignment and sharpness before you use them on your dog.
A small stick or another small item can be used to clip before using it on your dog – you want to be sure that they are in good working order so that you do not inadvertently injure your dog and make them scared of the nail clipping process.
Bottom Line
Whether you choose to sharpen your nail clippers by hand or with a Dremel, either way, staying up on maintaining the clippers will help to keep them sharp and ready to go.
When you have nice sharp clippers ready to go, you won’t worry about accidentally injuring your dog while making sure that they are groomed and ready for everywhere life takes you!
Lisabeth
Lisabeth has been a content blog writer for almost 10 years. She had fostered many dogs in that time, including 11 Golden Retrievers. She recently adopted an Australian Shepard named Shadow.
