I found it challenging trimming my small dog’s nails with a clipper ever since she was a puppy. I was never sure that I was cutting her too close to the quick.
So, I would let her nails grow. They’d snag on the carpet, which she didn’t like at all. That’s when I made the happy discovery of dog nail grinders.
A nail grinder for dogs is a hand-held tool with a grinding drum that runs on electricity. Sanding wheels of varying coarseness are mounted on the drum. Like a sander, the tool gradually shortens and smooths your dog’s long nails.
Dog groomers generally use a nail clipper specifically designed for dogs. But dog owners have discovered the benefits of using a grinder at home.
Instead of making the dog (and you) nervous by slicing the nail, the rotator is gentle. Your dog will be far less likely to be hurt by an unlucky cut.
If your dog is nervous around clippers but doesn’t mind the loud noise of a grinder, a dog nail grinder may be a perfect choice.
Does your dog have thick nails that are difficult to cut? Use the grinder’s coarsest sanding wheel. Then, use the fine sander to smooth and shape.
I’ve shopped around and tested several grinders on my dog. Each one can be considered the best dog nail grinder, at least for different dogs and owners. Each has some minor drawbacks, but I picked them for the qualities that make them appropriate for a variety of dogs and owners.
If you have several dogs with tough nails and you enjoy using a battery-operated grinder, the Pecute Rechargeable Electric Nail Grinder may be your best bet. On a full charge, this grinder will run for an astonishing 14 hours.
The Pecute is a lightweight dog nail file. And with its mute motor and brass shaft, it’s less noisy than other models. You’ll find it easier to manage your skittish dog. For dogs who hate nail clippers, the Pecute may be a lifesaver.
This grinder has three different ports designed for small, medium, and large dogs. If you have a variety of dogs in your household, this flexibility alone may be just what you need.
The Pecute is more pricey than most pet nail grinders, but the savings your receive from not having to buy more specialized grinders or taking them to the dog groomer may make the higher cost worth it.
However, it does take longer to grind extra-long, tough nails to the desired length than other models. You may need to cut part of the nail off before proceeding with grinding.
For my small dog, I didn't notice much difference. But for an owner of several large dogs, this might not be the best option.
This dremel dog nail grinder is a superb example of Dremel's excellent selection of pet nail grinders. Its light weight and ergonomically shaped handle make it easy to trim your dog's nails.
It may not be as long-lasting as some models of nail grinders in that it uses a sanding wheel instead of a diamond-tipped tool, but it only takes 5 to 10 seconds to grind each nail with it.
With all the nail dust it produces, I found it easier and less messy to bring my dog outside when I was ready to do her nails.
The motor makes a soft purring noise that doesn't alarm dogs who can't handle nail clippers. My dog actually enjoyed having me work on her nails with this. I was happily surprised.
This dremel dog nail grinder has 5 different sanding disks with a variety of coarseness. You'll have complete control over how fast you grind your dog's nails and how polished you want them to be.
It holds a charge for only 3 hours, but that’s far more than enough time to grind all four nails. But not long enough for more than two dogs. If I had several dogs, I'd get a plug-in model.
If you have a long-haired dog and are nervous about getting near her paws with a grinder, the Oster Gentle Paws Grinder comes with an adjustable plastic safety guard. It will prevent the pain of tangled hair snagging in the mechanism. It also catches nail dust.
This grinder is not as durable as other models, but its light weight makes it easy to handle. Its soft noise could make it perfect for you and your smaller dog. My dog didn’t mind the soft noise at all.
It has a powerful enough motor to handle nail grinding on small dogs and comes with a coarse sanding band and two finer-grained bands. Its high speed allowed me to take less than half the time to grind my dog’s nails compared with other models I tried.
This pet nail grinder is easy on the budget. It costs less than several other pet nail grinders on the market.
I was impressed by the design of the grip of the Casifor grinder. It stayed in my hand no matter which way I turned it. I enjoyed the comfort. It was easy to use one-handed.
It's also surprisingly quiet. I turned it on and my dog just sniffed it. It didn't frighten her a bit. I had to check it when I was doing her nails. Its sound was so soft I wasn't sure it was working. Its diamond bit trimmed the nails in no time. But, it will not file down a large dog’s overgrown nails quickly at all. And it did emit a slight high-pitched noise just as I would start grinding a nail.
Its battery can last up to 10 hours. It's rechargeable so you don't have to buy new batteries. Just use any USB port. It was perfectly compatible with all my USB chargers.
One unusual and welcome feature is its dial speed regulator. Just turn the device up or down a bit for a slight adjustment in speed.
This grinder is surprising economical, considering its high quality of construction. It costs less than several other models.
Unlike some of the other models of nail grinders I tried, the Casfuy includes an LED light. It’s bright enough for me to quickly determine where the quick of the nail begins. Ambient light didn’t affect the LED light at all. I made no mistakes with it. My little dog didn't yelp once.
It's equipped with a diamond grinder and a strong motor, a superb bit of engineering that permitted me to grind my dog's nails in no time. It also permitted me to smooth and polish the rough parts of her nails quickly.
This grinder is one of the quietest models around. But it has no guard. The manufacturer suggested using a small sock with holes cut out for each nail. This will work for large dogs, but no sock is small enough to protect my little dog’s paws from snagging.
Any USB charger will quickly recharge the battery in this product.
The Casfuy is affordably priced, another reason to put it on this list.
The Conair is a professional-grade device with a powerful motor that permitted me to gradually and safely trim my dog’s nails without hurting her at all. It trimmed each nail in 4 to 6 seconds.
It makes noise but is quieter than other models I’ve used.
It comes complete with 2 interchangeable finishing stones, 4 replacement bands, and a removable safety guard that prevents overgrinding. But even with the safety guard, I’d recommend trimming your dog’s hair on her paws before using the device.
However, it has no batteries and must be plugged into a wall socket. The cord is long enough for easy use. And I never worried about a battery running out of power in the middle of grinding nails.
Another problem: The device has only one grinding speed.
Each attachment is easily changed. Simply press down while holding the red triangle button. A small silver wrench comes with the Conair. Use it to rotate the head when you want to replace an attachment.
The Furminator is a bargain at less than half the cost of other models. It’s powered by 4 AA batteries for 100 hours of use. I didn’t worry about running out of power in the middle of grinding.
This product is useful for all sizes of dogs.
Its LED light helped me see what I was doing. I found it easy not to over-grind my dog’s nails. It also includes a guard for further protection from over grinding and hair snags.
An unusual, but a welcome feature of this product is its antimicrobial plastic handle. It helps keep bacteria away from you and your dog.
It has two-speed settings for handling those tougher nails. However, I found the lower speed to be not powerful enough to do a good job. The higher speed was noisier. It bothered my dog.
Furminator offers affordable replacement grinding bands. The old bands are easy to remove and replace.
This is a new version of an earlier product. Hertzko added the LED light to make it easier to see the quick on your dog’s nails. I turned it on as I trimmed my dog’s nails. She was not hurt at all.
I enjoyed holding it. Its ergonomic shape and lightweight made it a pleasure to move around as I grinded.
The Hertzko head is tough. It’s made out of diamond. It trims each nail in seconds. The finer head is reserved for smoothing and polishing.
I used the smallest of the three ports. They worked fine on my little dog’s tiny nails. For large dogs, Hertzko recommends you remove the cover to expose large nails for faster grinding.
The 2-speed grinder runs on a strong, but quiet motor. It produced very little vibration. My dog showed no fear of it, even when it ran at a higher speed.
The Andis comes with a 13-piece kit in a handy zipper bag. This includes large and small sanding drums and replacement bands.
This lightweight and powerful grinder safely shapes and polishes jagged edges. It will file down even the largest and thickest nails. The motor never sounds like it’s straining. It’s powerful enough that you won’t even have to use the higher-speed setting.
It has no batteries, but the cord was long enough to allow me to work easily with it. The advantage of a plug-in is you won’t have to worry about running out of power right in the middle of grinding a nail.
Its silicon, slim, ergonomic sleeve fits in the hand easily and is well balanced, making it a favorite of professional groomers.
The Andis is more on the pricey side, but groomers swear by it.
One drawback is the head’s tendency to slide. This can be adjusted with a Philips screwdriver.
This 3-speed, professional pet nail trimmer comes with a pair of nail clippers. You can clip off enough of the nail so that you will only have to use the grinder for smoothing and polishing if you prefer to work that way.
It comes with an LED light that shines downward. I found that I could see my little dog’s nails easily and spot the quick well before grinding too close. When you don’t need the light, you can turn it off.
The advanced diamond grinder provides faster, more precise trimming than most models.
My dog didn’t fear the quiet motor and grinder at all. Even dogs who fear nail clippers and other models of nail grinders won’t mind having their nails done on this device.
The GHG comes with 3 grinding ports making it suitable for all sizes and breeds.
It’s rechargeable. The battery supports 10 hours of work. It comes with a USB charging cable. A warning light will flash when you’re running low on a charge.
Your dog’s size is important. Some grinders are better for large animals and others for small animals.
What is your dog’s temperament? Is she skittish or placid? How well does she respond to noise? What are her nails like? How fast do they grow? Do they grow exceptionally fast, hard, and thick? The answers to these questions will lead you towards some products and away from others.
Did your dog ever have bad experiences previously with nail clippers and grinders? You might need to consider buying the softest sounding grinder on the market.
If you have several, a durable product with a long-lasting charge will be more suitable for you.
If you have one, the extra expense of a durable grinder will not be enticing.
Are you nervous about grinding your dog’s nails? You’ll want to find the safest product for your own peace of mind.
Would you prefer a battery-operated device, a rechargeable, or a plug-in?
What kind of fit and weight would appeal to you and permit you to move freely while grinding?
Which ones appeal to you the most? Which ones will likely prove useful as you work with your dog?
Engage in comparative shopping. Price each device you are considering buying. Which one would best fit in your budget?
If cost is less of a concern, would a higher-priced grinder need to have certain features to justify the extra expense? Will the savings of not having to take your dog to the groomer more than offset the cost of a new grinder?
Show your dog that it’s nice to have her paws handled by petting them and playing “shake hands.”
Call your dog. Lay the pet nail grinder down near her feet. Let her sniff it. Touch her feet with it turned off. Turn it on for a short time. If she’s startled, turn it off. Desensitize her to the sound by doing this over several days before you intend to grind her nails. Reward her with a treat when she settles down.
Have your dog lay down on her side.
Turn on the dog nail file and let it run for a few seconds before using.
Use short strokes while talking softly to your dog. If your dog is nervous, keep the grinding sessions short. You don’t have to grind every nail in one session.
Begin with a coarse bit, then polish with a fine bit. Never apply to any nail longer than 5 seconds at a time. Wait a bit for it to cool between applications.
Pet your dog and give her a treat for being good when you’re done.
It depends on your dog’s disposition. If you have a large dog who has long, tough nails, you may be better off using nail clippers.
And if your dog is nervous around noises, again you may be better off with clippers.
They normally use clippers. But more of them are using professional grinders.
Yes. If they have a strong enough motor and a diamond grinder.
Only if you cut too far in and touch the quick.
Every 3 to 4 weeks should be often enough.
The best nail grinder for dogs will be the one that fits you and your dog’s disposition. Shop around. Ask your dog-owning friends. With due diligence, you’ll find the best dog nail grinder for you.
