Best Dog Nail Grinders For Comfort & Effectiveness

It’s almost never a fun experience to trim your dog’s nails. The process involved lots of squirming, fidgeting, and sometimes even little yelps that make your heart skip a beat. Lots of dog owners that use nail clippers for their dogs experience these problems every single time, but there’s a good chance that they haven’t looked into dog nail grinders.

Grinders present an alternate and safer way to shorten your dog’s nails, and this method is often favorable for dogs that are squirmy when held or have had a bad experience with a bloody nail trimming in the past. Regardless of your experience with trimming your dog’s nails, a grinder may be a great option for making this process a lot less of a struggle.

Image

   Product

OUR #1 RATED

Dremel​7300-PT

A 4.8 volts nail grinder that has two speeds and is an industry leader in the space through its effectiveness and reliability.

HertzkoElectric Pet Nail Grinder

Utilizes nail guards to ensure a clean and safe grind, a USB charger for easy charging, and is overall very quiet.

URPOWER​Rechargeable Pet Nail Grinder

An effective nail guard helps you prevent accidents while grinding very quietly and charging with a USB cord.

FurminatorNail Grinder

A built-in light makes it easy to see your dog’s nails, and nail guards and a solid grip make the grinding process easy.

OsterGentle Paws Nail Grinder

2 grinding speeds and included attachments allow you to trim your dog’s nails in the optimal way for both of you.

Do I Need To Trim My Dog’s Nails?

Surprisingly, and luckily, not all the time! Dogs need their nails trimmed when they get too long and they can start breaking or being at risk for infection. However, if a dog is taken on frequent walks on hard surfaces such as concrete, then their nails will gradually wear down with each walk, keeping them in check and removing the need for a manual trim most of the time. You will want to keep their dew claws in check, though, as they aren’t seeing much action on the pavement.

You should use a little bit of judgement when deciding if your dog needs their nails trimmed, though. If they are starting to curl too far inward or splitting at the ends, a trim would probably be in order. Over time, you’ll start to figure out the frequency at which you should be cutting your dog’s nails.

What Is A Dog Nail Grinder?

Dog nail grinders are a type of grooming tool that serve as an alternative to nail clippers for dogs that don’t respond well to clippers. The big difference between nail grinders and clippers is stated in the names of the two tools. While clippers cut away part of the nail, grinders slowly grind away at the dog’s nail with a high-speed rounded grinder made of a material similar to sandpaper.

These grinders tend to be compact in size and easy to grip and use on different-sized nails to allow dog owners to easily grind the nails down on their own. While the description of dog nail grinders may sound intimidating, they are actually preferred (after a proper introduction) by many dogs and owners alike.

Pros And Cons Of Dog Nail Grinders

While dog nail grinders come with plenty of benefits that many people would love, there are also a few downsides. It’s important to know both the pros and cons of the tool to know what to expect when you invest in one for yourself.

Pros Of Dog nail Grinders:

• Much better for unsteady hands – If you’re concerned that your hands aren’t steady enough to comfortably use clippers to trim your dog’s nails, then grinders are a much safer option. While you will still need to hold your dog in place as your grind their nails, grinders require much less precision and are generally harder to cause harm with.
• Better for scared dogs – If you’ve accidentally cut into your dog’s nail’s quick and caused it to bleed, there’s a good chance they’ll grow fearful of clippers. Grinders present an alternative that your dog wouldn’t have had a bad experience with.
• Cleaner job – With clippers, nails are pinched and can crack or split. Grinders gradually grind away at the nail, usually providing a finished product that’s a lot smoother, rounded, and cleaner than you would achieve with clippers.

Cons Of Dog Nail Grinders:

• May still be scary – Some dogs simply don’t enjoy having their paws grabbed and held, so using a grinder usually won’t solve this problem. Additionally, the sound that the grinder makes may scare a dog or make them feel uneasy.
• Produces odor and dust – Nail grinders grind the nails down, and this process creates a generally unpleasant smell and dust in the air. This problem is usually dealt with by grinding a dog’s nails outside.
• May still hit the quick – Using a grinder may be very easy, and because of this, it can be easy to not realize that you’re starting to hit the quick of your dog’s nail, especially for dogs with darker nails. Using grinders slowly and being observant of your dog’s nails is the best way to avoid this.

How To Grind Your Dog’s Nails

Using a nail grinder isn’t always a walk in the park, and there are a few steps that you’ll have to take to get your dog comfortable with the grinding process. Don’t expect these steps to go by in a day or two – it may even take a few weeks for your dog to become fully comfortable! However, the payoff is well worth it, especially if your dog is strongly anti-clipper.

• 1Show your dog the grinder and give them a treat as a reward. Placing treats by the grinder when it’s off is very effective.
• 2Hold the grinder in your hand and turn it on and off quickly. Reward with treats again. This starts to make your dog aware that the grinder does make noise but it’s absolutely harmless.
• 3Keep the grinder running as you reward your dog with treats. This should get your dog very comfortable with the sound of the grinder and its overall presence.
• 4Hold your dog and lightly tap their nail with the grinder while it’s on, giving it treats and praise. Repeat this until your dog is comfortable enough to let you hold the grinder to their nail for a long period of time.

What Are The Best Dog Nail Grinders?

With so many dog nail grinders available on the market, it can be intimidating trying to find a grinder that would properly take care of your dog’s nails. That’s why we’ve analyzed and compiled the best dog nail grinders on the market to make it easy for you to choose the right one for your pooch.

our #1 rated

OUR TOP PICK

Dremel

7300-PT

Quality​

Value​

Our Rating

The Dremel 7300-PT is a nail grinder made by the industry leader in grinders. In fact, most grinders are called Dremels even when made by a different brand because of the fact that Dremel is so widely known. This grinder lives up to the high expectations for it, providing numerous features and benefits for owners and dogs alike. The 7300-PT features two rotational speeds, a cordless and rechargeable power system, a 2-year warrant, and compatibility with many other Dremel attachments.Owners of this nail grinder have great things to say about it. First of all, it’s a very durable grinder, with little if any quality concerns. Additionally, the rechargeable battery pack is a great feature, with owners liking the convenience of no batteries or cables. Sound-wise, the Dremel isn’t obnoxiously loud, meaning that most dogs aren’t terrified by it.A downside to this Dremel is something that makes it great – the battery pack. Some customers have reported that the battery pack starts to fail after a decent period of use. Fortunately, the Dremel is covered under a 2-year warranty, meaning that if a battery pack does fail, it can easily be replaced.

PROS​

• Variable speed
• 2-year warranty
• High-quality build

CONS

• Battery pack fails sometimes

our #2 rated

Hertzko

Electric Pet Nail Grinder

Quality​

Value​

Our Rating

This dog nail grinder by Hertzko is colorful, effective, and pretty affordable for most if not all dog owners. The grinder features a diamond-bit grinder that provides for a smooth, strong grind for a dog’s nails. A resizable nail port is present that allows you to safely grind small, medium, and large nails without risking harming your dog. Additionally, the grinder is designed to be low noise, low vibration, and easy to charge up with a simple USB cable.The compactness of this grinder is commonly praised by its owners, as they say it’s very easy to handle and maneuver. The guard is also well-liked by owners, while some even opt to easily remove it to make cleanup a bit easier.The one problem that a few owners tended to have was that the grinder sometimes wasn’t powerful enough to remove a significant amount of nail in an adequate time, making it better for nail shaping or slight trimming. However, most owners found it adequately strong for their dogs.

PROS​

• Quiet and vibration-free
• Light and maneuverable
• USB charger

CONS

• Sometimes isn’t strong enough

our #3 rated

URPOWER

Rechargeable Pet Nail Grinder

Quality​

Value​

Our Rating

The URPOWER Rechargeable Pet Nail Grinder is definitely one of the sleekest and stealthiest nail grinders available, which makes it a great choice for skittish dogs. In addition to being notably more quiet than other grinders, this grinder features a nail guard to prevent slipping, and small and large grinding holes for different nail sizes.Owners of this grinder most commonly talk about how quiet the grinder itself is. URPOWER took the quieter and friendlier approach to grinders, and a lot of owners (and their dogs) appreciate it. Additionally, the device is simply to use and easier to recharge for later use.Some owners have noted the directions for this grinder are a little hard to follow. They are also left wishing that there was at least another option for grinding speed. In order to achieve a quieter, friendlier sound, this grinder is slightly slower than the alternatives, and some owners have made note of this slower speed.

PROS​

• Very quiet
• USB charging
• Effective nail guard

CONS

• One speed setting
• Grinding is fairly slow

our #4 rated

Furminator

Nail Grinder

Quality​

Value​

Our Rating

Furminator is another powerhouse within the pet care space, meaning that they know what pets need and cater to those needs. This nail grinder by Furminator does a great job at grinding down dogs’ nails accurately and efficiently. Along with two different speed settings and a safety nail guard, this grinder comes with an LED built in to allow you to better see the nail that you are grinding.Owners of this grinder are big fans of the LED – a feature that almost no other nail grinders have. This feature is a must-have if your dog has dark nails that make it hard to see the quick. Additionally, the battery life is decently long and the tool is simply easy to use.The main downside to this grinder is that it is fairly loud, with a noise level right behind that from the Dremel grinder. Additionally, some owners with larger dogs stated that this grinder wasn’t very effective at grinding down their nails. Other owners with large dogs didn’t have this problem, meaning that it’s effectiveness will depend on the makeup of your dog’s nails.

PROS​

• Variable speed
• Added automatic LED
• Nail guard

CONS

• Fairly loud
• Uses 4 AA batteries
• Struggles with large dogs

our #5 rated

Oster

Gentle Paws Nail Grinder

Quality​

Value​

Our Rating

This grinder by Oster presents yet another strong option in the dog nail grinder space. Boasting two speeds that allow you to adjust to your dog’s needs as well as several band attachments for customization abilities, this nail grinder is also extremely quiet, making it a great choice for scared dogs.Owners of this grinder love how quiet it is, noting that it keeps their dog’s stress levels low and still grinds decently well. Additionally, the several attachments it comes with allows for a varied experience depending on the dog that it’s being used for, and many owners are fans of this feature.A prominent downside to this grinder is that the nail shavings fall out through the holes of the guard, making for quite a mess. Luckily, the holes can either be taped up or the grinding can be done outside. Some owners of large dogs also note that the grinder can struggle sometimes.

PROS​

• Very quiet
• Several band attachments
• Variable speeds

CONS

• Messy with trimmings
• Struggles with large dogs
• Rare quality issues

Our Choice

As dog owners ourselves, we know how important it is that your dogs get the best care possible. Keeping your dog’s nails trimmed and healthy is very important, so getting the right tool for the job is equally as important.

After analyzing all of the nail grinders available on the market, we’ve determined that the best dog nail grinder is Dremel’s 7300-PT.

Crafted by an industry leader in the market, the 7300-PT is high-quality, safe, and reliable as a means of keeping your dog’s nails healthy. This is actually the grinder that I personally use for my dogs, and I have had great experiences with it.