Taking your dog for a haircut can be time-consuming and expensive at times. Having the right tools at home can help you groom them while at home, and for some dogs, this is the only option they will be okay with.
Don’t know where to start from when Grooming your dog, check our How to Groom a Dog from A to Z? guide.
Most dogs are anxious about a stranger with sharp tools handling them in a strange place they have never been before. They would much prefer to be groomed by their human – the one they live with and like.
And while dog grooming is not easy for many, if you choose your tools wisely, they can make a huge difference. I have tried, tested, and reviewed dozens of dog grooming scissors in my years as a pet owner.
The ones I’m recommending here are based on uncompromising standards of quality, safety, comfort, and functionality. I have narrowed them down to only five to make the decision-making process easier for you.
Table of Contents
List of the Best Shears for dogs in 2021
- The Best Pet Grooming Scissors Kit – Best Overall
- Galdog Grooming Scissors Kit – Best for Shorthair
- Freewindo Dog Grooming Scissors Kit – Best for long hair
- Chibuy dog grooming scissors – Best on a budget
- 7.0in Titanium Professional Dog Grooming Scissors – Best for professionals
Comparison Table
| Scissors | Best for | Buy it for |
|---|---|---|
| Best Pet Grooming Scissors Grooming Kit | All breeds | Versatility and quality |
| Galdog Grooming Scissors Kit | Short-hair breeds | Quality and safety |
| Freewindo Dog Grooming Scissors Kit | Long-haired dog breeds | Durability and silence |
| Chibuy Dog Grooming Scissors | On a budget | Comfort and Control |
| 7.0in Titanium Professional Dog Grooming Scissors | For professionals | Quality and effectiveness |
The 5 Best Dog Grooming Shears in 2021
1. Best Pet Grooming Scissors Kit – Best Overall
If you want a dog grooming scissor kit that has everything you may need, this is the one to pick.
The shears are made from high-quality stainless steel that is durable and sharp. The edge line is polished and the slightly rounded tips ensure the dog’s skin remains unharmed.
The scissors themselves feel nice and have a good grip on them, and the nice touch of a finger rest under the handles is something you find only in professional pet scissors.
The combination of the three stainless steel scissors (including the thinning shears) makes this kit quite versatile. They are good for all essential grooming needs and you can even use the curved scissors to give your dog some awesome haircuts, too, along with the thinning shears for any adjustments.
The sound muffler is great and it’s a must-have if your dog is afraid of the metal-clicking of grooming tools.
For those of you who are looking for something that stands out, you can get the gold version which is gold-plated (real gold), and doesn’t cost nearly as much as you’d expect.
Pros VS Cons
Pros:
- High-Quality Stainless-Steel scissors
- Comfortable grip with ergonomic design and finger rests
- Comes with a grooming comb and a nice case
- Different colors available (with a gold-plated version available)
- Work equally great for professional groomers and non-professionals
- Silent & perfect for anxious dogs
Cons:
- The screw is not adjustable
- Lacks tension control
Bottom line
If you’re looking for an all-in-one grooming kit that you will get the job done and is safe for your dog, this is the grooming kit to get.
2. GLADOG Professional Grooming Scissors – Best for Short Hair
This dog grooming kit is a great option for those with short-haired dogs and cats. They have three scissors; straight, curved, and thinning scissors included in the kit and a comb. All of the tools are made with high-quality stainless steel.
The blades are sharp but thanks to the rounded tips, they are safe to use. The ergonomic handles, finger holes, and finger rest makes it easy to handle the scissors for dog grooming for long periods of time without feeling strained.
. Their best feature, in my opinion, would have to be the adjustable screws that make tension control easy so you can use them on dogs of different sizes and on different coats with the same efficiency.
The silicone inside the holes is removable, so in a way, you can say the finger holes themselves are adjustable which doesn’t only make it easy to use for people with larger hands, but also makes holding the scissors at strange angles much more comfortable.
This is important when grooming areas such as the back of your dog’s legs when you’ll need to hold the scissors tightly at strange angles to get the cut right.
Pros VS Cons
Pros:
- High-Quality Stainless Steel dog grooming scissors
- Three dog grooming scissors cover all your needs
- Comfortable and easy to handle
- Removable silicone for adjustability
- Easy tension control thanks to the adjustable screw
- Silent thanks to the absorbent silicone tips
- Curved scissors for trimming sensitive areas and for haircuts
- Thinning shears with squared edges for squaring off hair while trimming
Cons:
- The thinning shears are not as sharp as needed.
- Adjusting the screw requires some effort and skill
Bottom line
If you’re looking for an all-in-one dog grooming kit for your short-haired dog, or if you want something that will work for your cats as well, this is your go-to option.
3. Freewindo Heavy-Duty Dog Grooming Kit – Best for Long Hair
If you have a larger dog with a thick or wire coat, this is your go-to option. This heavy-duty kit has everything you need to groom a large dog as it comes with one straight scissors, one curved one, and thinning shears. It also contains a dog nail file, a cleaning cloth, and it comes with a black leather case.
All of the tools are made with heavy-duty stainless steel that is powerful enough to go through any mats or tangles. This also makes them a good option for professional dog groomers that are looking for something that can withstand constant loads.
They also come with a muffler pad, finger rests, and rounded tips to make it comfortable for you to use and tolerable for your dog if they’re anxious.
The nail clippers have an elaborate design to ensure the dog’s safety, it has a protective guard on one side and a safety lock on the other to prevent accidents.
Pros VS Cons
Pros:
- A complete kit for dog’s coat and nails
- Heavy-duty dog grooming scissors that work on thick coats
- Safe dog nail clippers and file
- Sharp and efficient Stainless steel grooming shears
- Curved scissors excellent for haircuts and face trimming
- Excellent thinning shears that work even on double-coated dogs
Cons:
- More expensive than competitors (thanks to the inclusion of nail clippers)
Bottom line
If you have more than one dog, or if you have a large dog with thick, double-coat, this is the best dog grooming kit for you. It’s also a great choice for professional pet groomers who are looking for something that can be used on a daily basis without getting dull or loose.
4. Chibuy Professional Pet Grooming Scissors – Best On a Budget
If you’re looking for grooming scissors on a budget that can still get the job done, the Chibuy scissors are really your best option. The value they offer for the price is unmatched.
They are also good for grooming the dog’s sensitive areas such as around the eyes, paws, face, and nose thanks to their rounded tips.
The stainless steel blades are sharp enough to cut through any mats or tangles with ease, and the outside of the blades is dull so your dog is not harmed accidentally.
Pros VS Cons
Pros:
- Great value for the price
- Basic dog grooming scissors for basic grooming needs
- Efficient and safe thanks to the sharp stainless steel blades.
Cons:
- The plastic feels a bit cheap
- Can get slippery and uncomfortable if you use it for long
- Not suitable for larger dogs
- The screw is not really adjustable
Bottom line
Despite its shortcomings, the chibuy remains a solid choice that brings really good value for the price. They are a good option if you have one small dog and are looking for something that will get the occasional grooming job done with ease.
5. 7.0in Titanium Professional Dog Grooming Scissors – Best for professionals
If you’re a professional pet groomer or if you’re looking for a set of grooming shears that professionals could use, this should be on the top of your list. This kit comes with 7.0 professional dog grooming shears with sharp blades that can cut through any heavy coats and give you a smooth cut in the process.
The stainless steel blades are hard and sharp but the tips are rounded and dull to not harm the dog.
The thinning scissors work perfectly on any dog coat and deliver great results every time. Each dog shear is as sturdy and strong as you would expect from something really heavy-duty, but they have not sacrificed looks in the process. I actually really like the looks of the grooming shears and I have found the case to be equally nice-looking.
The kit comes with curved scissors for haircuts, straight scissors for smooth cuts, thinning scissors for thinning your dog’s heavy coat, and standard scissors for your usual grooming needs.
Pros VS Cons
Pros:
- Effective thinning shears that work on any dog breed
- Powerful dog grooming scissors that can cut any mats or tangles
- Stainless steel blades that will stay sharp for years
- Safe and comfortable to use
- Classical look that you’ll admire
- Heavy duty and will stay sharp and strong for years to come.
Cons:
- Doesn’t include a grooming comb
- More expensive than most competitors
Bottom line
If you’re looking for the best dog grooming scissors kit you can get and are okay with paying a premium for something that is very well-made and heavy-duty, this is the choice you should consider first.
Despite their higher price tag, these grooming shears will pay for themselves over the long run, and they will be your best option for dog grooming if you have more than one large dog at the house.
How to Pick the Best Shears for Your Dog
There are 5 main points you need to consider when choosing shears for dogs, and these are comfort, quality, safety, blades type, and control. Making the right choice will save you a lot of hassle in the future.
Comfort
Depending on the size of your dog and their coat type, a grooming session might take a long time. Spending a long time holding uncomfortable scissors will lead to fatigue and potential mistakes.
What would make for comfortable scissors?
- Lightweight
- Finger rest
- Having large loops
The large loops and lightweight will make it much easier to hold the scissors at strange angles more confidently for trickier coats and sensitive spots.
Choosing the right shear for the fur length also affects comfort.
For big dogs with long hair, you want shears with longer blades and wider angles so you can get the job done more quickly.
For dogs with shorter fur, you should use smaller shears that are narrower so you work more accurately and be able to access stubborn pieces of fur more easily.
The Quality
Investing in high-quality shears will pay off in the long run and actually save you more money than buying cheaper ones. Shears with inferior blades will become useless once the blades become dull and unable to cut hair properly.
Shears that are high quality will also have tension adjustability so you will be able to use the same shear on different types of coats with the same efficiency.
Look for blades with Stainless Steel blades as these don’t rust. Hardened stainless blades also mean that the grooming scissors can be used more often and for longer without losing their effectiveness.
Safety
Grooming accidents are not uncommon, and if you’re untrained in using shears, especially so around sensitive areas such as the eyes and areas, painful accidents can take place.
To prevent such accidents and ensure the safety of your dog, you should be looking at scissors with rounded tips on the blades. These rounded tips make grooming accidents less likely.
If your dog is a bit jerky and his reactions are a bit hard to predict, you should definitely choose shears with rounded tips.
Blades type – Straight scissors vs curved ones
There are two types of blades; straight and curved. Each of them has its own advantage but in the end, it always comes down to four things;
- Dog Breed
- Size
- Areas you want to trim
- Personal preference (if you have experience with dog grooming)
The general consensus is that straight blades are better for larger dogs. Straight blades are generally better for clipping large areas such as the legs and fee. Curved scissors are better for haircuts and creating curved looks on the head.
Control and Adjustability
The better control and adjustability the dog grooming scissors give you, the easier it is to groom your dog. It’s best if you can find a pair of grooming shears that have an adjustable screw. By being able to adjust the screw at the connection of the shears or scissors, you will be able to tighten or loosen the connection easily.
If you can undo the screw completely, you will be able to pull apart the scissors and clean the blades more easily which is important if you want to keep your high-quality stainless steel blades sharp for years to come.
A grooming comb with double space works as two grooming combs, so it increases your contro as well.
A word about accessories
Being a certain color or having some brand name on your dog grooming scissors will not make them the best dog grooming kit you can get. Often times, people find themselves paying extra for things that can only be described as accessories. I don’t recommend doing that at all.
It’s important here to distinguish between what really makes grooming scissors good and what doesn’t and should not have strong influence over your purchasing decision.
Here are some examples of what can be considered essential in a dog grooming scissors kit and what can be considered an accessory:
- Stainless Steel Blades → Essential
- Thinning Shears → Essential
- A grooming comb → Important, but not a must
- Mufflers → Important if you have anxious dogs
- A dog grooming guide → accessory
- A good case → important, but not essential
- A fancy box → accessory
- Colors → accessories
There are a lot of factors you need to consider when choosing the best dog grooming scissors for your dog, and I totally get that. But you should try to focus on what matters most, like stainless steel blades and good thinning shears, and not get distracted but what is not important.
The best dog grooming kit for you can be different from the best kit for me. Everyone has different needs, and we each should focus on what matters most for our individual needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What brand of clippers do professional dog groomers use?
Professional Dog Groomers use different clippers for different dogs. Depending on the dog’s size and coat, the groomer will pick the clipper that has just enough power and versatility to do the job easily.
While there are lots of brands out there, we recommend the Homegroomer for its versatility and low noise – which has been a game-changer for dogs that are anxious and scared of clippers. Check it out.
Can you use human shears on dogs?
No, you can’t use human scissors on dogs because they’re too weak. Dog Grooming Scissors made specifically to be used on dogs are much stronger so they can go through their thick coats, while human hair doesn’t need much strength to go through. They are often made with hardened stainless steel that can handle heavy work much better than grooming scissors.
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