Choosing the right clipper for your lad can be hectic. Our buying guide will assist you in selecting the best dog clippers that will meet your dog’s grooming requirements.
What Features to Keep in Mind When Buying a Dog Clipper?
Multiple factors influence your decision to buy dog clippers. Here are the key features to keep in mind when purchasing a dog clipper:
Type of Coat
The type of coat your dog has tells you about its grooming requirements. Some heavy-coated dogs need minor grooming sessions every month to avoid fur matting and tangling. On the other hand, dogs with thick coats may need multiple grooming sessions with a heavy-duty clipper throughout the week.
Thickness and Length
Thick coat dogs are hard to maintain because their hair are easily matted. On the other hand, short coat dogs may need a monthly grooming session to filter out dead hair and clean those little paws. So always pick something that can help you effectively manage the grooming sessions at home.
Sound
The sound your dog clippers make depends on the quality of the product. Cheaper ones usually make a lot of sound in contrast to branded ones that are silent. Dogs can get anxious during the grooming process, so a dog clipper without sound may keep them calm and organized.
Wiring
Clippers usually come with a long wire. Even in professional doggie grooming centers, they use wired clippers. However, there are cordless clippers available in the market too. If you do not have enough switches around the house, consider buying rechargeable cordless clippers. Although they allow you to work comfortably without a wire, cordless clippers tend to get hotter and run out of battery. Thus, they are a good choice for short-haired dogs.
Climate of Region
Your region's weather and overall climate play a fair share in the type of grooming that your dog needs. Dogs in a hot environment need more grooming to keep them comfortable. Contrary to this, dogs in cooler regions only need a trim to keep their fur healthy and in good shape.
Overheating
While using, your clippers can get hot. This depends on the quality of your clippers. Hot clippers are uncomfortable and disrupt the grooming process as you stop and restart after intervals. Some of them also tend to shut down after reaching a specific temperature limit. Buying good-quality branded clippers can help you avoid all of this.
Weight of Clippers
Dog grooming should be a smooth and comfortable process. You may not be able to achieve a certain level of comfort if the clippers are way too heavy for your hand. You may struggle with a clipper that is hard to handle. This could result in a poor haircut or injuries to you and your furry best friend.
Speed
Your dog clipper needs to be speedy enough to keep up with the grooming process as it helps keep the process smooth. Clippers with a slower clipping speed result in poor grooming and can cause your dog pain by sticking and pulling their fur.
What Type of Dog Clippers are Available in the Market?
Dog clippers are required for everyday maintenance because no one likes visiting the vet every other week (especially not your dog). To choose the best dog clippers, you must know about the types.
T-Blade Clippers (Wide-Blade Clippers)
Just like the name suggests, the clipper comes with a broader blade.
- Suitable for larger breeds
- Take more hair off
- Take less time to groom big dogs
- Unsuitable for smaller dogs
Skip Tooth Blade Clippers
These clippers come with more space between the teeth of the blade.
- Suitable for a matted and heavy coat
- Unsuitable on wet dog/light coat
- Used before bathing
Finishing Blade
Clippers These clippers are used to finalize the overall look of your dog after a detailed shower.
- Provide a more refined finish to the coat
- Used on light coat dogs
What are the Types of Dog Coat, and How are they Groomed?
Regardless of the type of coat, the right grooming products will quickly help you maintain your dog. Following are the dog coat types and their grooming requirements:
Smooth Coat
Smooth coat dogs have a sleek, silky coat that does not require regular grooming. However, they do need quality products to keep the coat shiny and smooth. You can easily groom them by using a bristle brush to detangle that beautiful coat and may only need a finishing blade clipper to groom them properly.
Double Coat
Double coat dogs have either short or long-haired coats. However, you will be doing a little more work on these types of dogs than the smooth-coated ones because of their fur. You can use skip tooth clippers and finishing clippers for a smooth, refined look.
Wire Coat
Wire coat dogs have soft hair under the coat, while the top coat is finished with wiry hair. You need a stripping comb and finishing blade clippers after bath to define the overall look of your dog.
Curly Coat
A curly dog coat is the toughest one as it requires regular bathing and grooming. These dogs have thick curly hair that are often very hard to brush and get matted very quickly. A slick brush with skip tooth blade clippers will help you eliminate the tangles and matted fur, leaving the dog looking beautiful and comfortable.
Is it Safe to Groom Your Dog at Home?
It is entirely safe to groom your dog at home, given that your dog behaves well and obeys your commands. However, you still need to take care of a few things:
- Buy a shampoo that matches your dog’s coat
- Invest in an appropriate clipper as it helps you groom and keep the coat smooth and healthy
- Groom your dog every two weeks to avoid a hectic session that leaves you confused and your dog in pain, along with a terrible haircut
Conclusion
Dog grooming is an essential part of maintaining the physical health and look of your dog. Most dog owners now consider investing in dog grooming clippers that easily let you do the task at home. Buying a dog clipper requires attention to detail and an understanding of your dog’s grooming requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do older dogs require more grooming than younger dogs?
A: Yes, older dogs require more grooming than younger dogs as they are more prone to skin conditions and infections.
Q: How much time does dog grooming take?
A: It usually takes 2 to 3 hours to fully groom a dog, but it all depends on your experience and the quality of clippers.
Q: Do dogs get anxiety with clippers?
A: Dog anxiety is natural, but one bad experience can totally put your dog into trauma, so be very cautious when using clippers.