Best For Small Dogs: Casfuy Dog Nail Grinder Upgraded

If your dog has sharp nails, a dog nail grinder is a helpful tool that prevents a costly trip to the vet or groomer for nail trimming. 

And if you are afraid of using a dog nail clipper (we understand), a grinder is a good alternative.

Before you use a dog nail grinder, keep in mind these tips:

• Start slow. Don’t just use the grinder without warning! First, show the grinder to your pet. Turn it on to let him or her get used to the noise level and smell. Take your time introducing it to your pooch.

• Give treats throughout. Again, going slow is helpful—giving your pet a treat when you turn on the grinder (without using it) helps your dog associate the experience with something positive! Try it on one nail, give a treat. And so on.

• Trim long paw hairs before using the grinder. That’s because they can get caught in the grinder (ouch!).

For the best nail grinder for small dogs, we thought Casfuy’s model N10 was the best bet for most folks. It worked well in our tests and was quieter than others we tried. 

Here’s more:

What We Liked

• Low vibration.

• Affordable.

• Quieter than others we tested.

• Lightweight.

• Easy to use.

• Helpful instructions included.

What Needs Work

• Battery doesn’t last long. The maker claims two hours of battery time, but in the real world we got about 45 to 60 minutes (depending on the speed). 

• Not as ideal for larger dogs. That’s because this tool takes a good amount of time to grind down nails. Good for small dogs, not so great for bigger ones. For bigger pooches, we’d recommend this next pick.

Best For Large Dogs: Casfuy Dog Nail Grinder with 2 LED Light

While this model is similar to the top pick in this article, it does have two major differences: first, it has two LED lights. These are most helpful for seeing your dog’s nails up close.

Second, we got longer battery life out of unit we tested. As a result, we picked this model as a good bet for larger dogs—you need more time to get the job done when the nails are longer/bigger!

What We Liked

• Good instructions.

• Easy to use.

• Quiet.

• Lights are helpful.

• Affordable.

Best Tried & True Brand: Dremel PawControl Dog Nail Grinder and Trimmer

Yes, Dremel’s dog nail grinder is from the same company that has been making rotary tools since 1932. If you want a tried and true brand, this would be our pick.

Here’s what makes this dog nail grinder different: it has variable speed control. Most dog nail grinders have just two speeds—this works ok, but variable speed lets you start out slow and then increase as needed. This helps sooth skittish dogs, based on our testing and reader feedback.

Here’s more:

What We Liked

• Good battery life. We got about 2 hours of use from a single charge.

• Variable speed control.

• Online instruction videos are helpful.

• Great for bigger dogs.

• LED battery life indicator.

• USB charging port and dust cap.

What Needs Work

• Pricey.

• Not as quiet as others tried.

• No light.

Best Budget-Friendly: GHG Dog Nail Grinder Upgraded

If you don’t need any fancy accessories and just want a dog nail grinder that is easy on the wallet, we thought this GHG model is a good budget model. Very quiet and yes, it even has a light.

What We Liked

• Diamond bit.

• Easy to use.

• LED light is helpful.

• Quiet.

• Low vibration.

• Long battery life.

What Needs Work

• Can take some practice to get the right angle.

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do extensive research, evaluating products with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability. When we purchase a product for hands-on testing, we do so with our own money. 

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!