What are Animal Clippers for Dogs?

Animal clippers made for dogs are a high-powered device used to shave a dog's coat at various lengths. Animal clippers are easy to use; even dog owners can use them to clip their dogs, but getting precise-looking clips takes practice. A professional dog groomer uses animal clippers to achieve a particular breed look or clip the hair down to the skin if a dog's coat is too matted to untangle.

  1. Power and Speeds

    • Animal clippers come in electric and rechargeable styles. Rechargeable clippers are ideal for those times when you are out of reach of an electrical outlet such as at a show or when you just want to do a quick touch-up. Bigger jobs are better done with electric plug-in-style clippers so consistent power is available. More expensive clippers often have two or three speeds so you can adjust the power as you need it. This gives you the ability to use lesser speeds on the facial areas, or spots with thinner hair, and higher speeds to cut through heavily coated areas, or spots that have heavy tangling.

    Blades

    • Clipper blades are made of stainless steel and, when used correctly on a clean tangle free coat, will last through several uses before needing to be sharpened or replaced. The blade size determines the length of hair that will be left behind when you clip your dog's hair. The common blades run from #5 to(, which is a surgical cut leaving only skin. Even a #5 blade will leave little hair (roughly 1/8 inch of hair) on the body. There are attachments that can be added to the blade on the clipper that will further increase the amount of hair remaining. These attachments are made of plastic and do not actually clip the hair, the blade underneath them does, they simply guide the clipper at a further distance from the skin.
      A thin film of clipper oil should be placed on the cutting edge of the clipper blade after each use to keep it rust free and lubricated. Wipe off any excess oil before starting to clip your dog's coat.

    Coolant

    • Keep a can of coolant on hand to spray on the clipper blades during use because the friction of steel moving against steel creates a hot surface that will be uncomfortable and possibly even burn your dog's skin if not kept cool. Change blades often if you have a lot of clipping to do. Spray the coolant on the handle of the clipper as well to alleviate the heat under long term use so it is more comfortable for you.

    Brands

    • Wahl, Andis and Oster are the two most commonly found brands of animal clippers. All three have models that allow for interchangeable blades so you can select the proper cut length. Wahl and Andis also have cheaper versions that have set blades. Wahl also has a three-in-one blade that can be adjusted with a slide bar on the clipper itself rather than changing blades for each size.

    Cost

    • Prices for pet clippers run from $35 for a basic clipper to $160 for a professional quality clipper. Most pet owners who just want to be able to do a little touch-up in between grooming appointments are fine with a cheaper clipper. If you wish to do all of your dog's grooming, you will be better off with a professional level clipper that will perform more reliably, last longer and have more power.