Difference in Human Clippers and Dog Clippers

Dog clippers are designed to trim a dog's nails.

You trim your nails to keep your hands looking neat. In the same way, trimming your dog's nails is part of grooming your pet. Different clippers are used on human and dog nails.

Clippers

Human nail clippers work by bringing together two flat, sharp surfaces to cut through a nail. The most popular dog clippers are guillotine-style; the dog's nail fits inside the circular slot of the clipper and a sharp blade shears through it.

Strength

Dog clippers are considerably stronger than those for humans. They can more easily cut through thicker dog nails, according to "Dog Tricks and Agility For Dummies."

Considerations

While human clippers might work for taking the edge off the nails of very small dogs, if used on a larger dog, they could cause the nail to splinter. This could damage the nail and cause the dog pain, according to "Guide to Home Pet Grooming."

References

• "Dog Tricks and Agility For Dummies"; Sarah Hodgson; 2010.
• "Guide to Home Pet Grooming"; Chris C. Pinney; 2005.