A Guide to Buying Dog Hair Clippers and Blades
If you’re tired of taking your furry friend to a professional groomer and want to save time and money by learning how to groom your dog yourself, you can do so by buying pet grooming supplies. Dog hair clippers are a great purchase for at-home use. While grooming your dog with hair clippers is pretty straightforward, there are a few things you need to consider when choosing the right set. There’s a wide range of clippers available nowadays, so you’re bound to find one that works well for your dog’s specific fur type.
The most common dog hair clippers among home groomers are electric, both cordless and corded. Cordless models use batteries and are rechargeable, whereas corded plug-in models require an outlet. These clippers usually come with different blades that can be fitted to groom specific breeds’ coats, and they’re available with snap-on guide combs that help keep the trim even. A lot of people wonder whether clippers for people can be used on dogs. While they can work for some short hair breeds, they aren’t suitable to be used on long or thick fur, as they’ll pull your dog’s hair and go dull much quicker than clippers that are specifically designed to handle dog fur.
The first thing to consider when shopping for clippers for dogs is the type of coat your dog has. You’ll probably use the clippers every 4 to 8 weeks for heavy grooming needs, and once every week or two for quickly trimming the face or paws. Pay attention to how matted, tangled and long the fur gets in these longer time periods. The thickness and length of your dog’s coat can help you decide which clipper is right for you. If your dog has difficult to maintain hair, you’ll want more heavy-duty clippers. Difficult to maintain hair gets constantly tangled, knotted or matted, making the grooming process less smooth and straightforward.
But no matter whether your dog’s hair grows wavy, straight or curly, you’ll need clippers with interchangeable blades in order to adjust to different areas to your pet’s coat. Cheap pet clippers come with only one blade, whereas professional, more expensive clippers come with multiple. But even if you get cheaper clippers, you can purchase extra blades that are sorted by numbers. The higher the number, the more hair you’ll be cutting, and vice versa. The numbering system for clippers can vary from brand to brand, but most are similar and pretty straightforward. Additionally, most will come with instructions and information explaining the lengths of each blade and the type of fur it’s suited for. Some clippers come with plastic guards which slide over the blade in order to save time on changing blade length all the time. The guards are numbered the same way as blades are – the higher the number, the more hair you’ll be cutting.
There are a few different types of clipper blades that differ in how they cut. The type of clipper blade is an important factor when deciding which one best suits the natural shape of your dog’s coat. For instance, if you have a short-haired dog, a blade that will go with the short cut and won’t make drastic changes should be ideal for you. Unlike human hair, clipping dog hair is almost always about maintenance, not making drastic style changes. That being said, there are three basic categories – wide clipper blades, skip tooth blades and finishing blades.
Wide clipper blades are also known as T-blades, and they’re ideal for large breeds as the blade and clippers are larger themselves. The wider the blade is, the more hair you’re cutting with each pass. This allows you to cut down on the time needed to groom your large breed dog. If you have a smaller breed dog, however, you’ll want a more narrow set of clippers. Skip tooth blades are great for cutting through hair that’s matted or dense, and they’re best used before bath time. Don’t use a skip tooth blade on wet fur, as it can pull fur and cause pain. Finishing blades are used after bathing your dog to complete the look. If you have a dog that continuously growing fur, it’s important to swap between blade types for every grooming session. The type of fur your dog has will dictate which types of blades you need and how many.
Lastly, you have to consider which clippers are most comfortable for you. You want the clippers to be weighty, yet not heavy, and they should provide a comfortable grip. Clippers that aren’t ergonomically sound and don’t feel right in your hand can have you struggling when grooming your pet, or even drop them and injuring your dog. Also, consider how quickly the clipper gets hot. If they get hot quickly, you’ll have to take breaks to avoid potential injuries and discomfort.
