At a distant glance, both dog grooming clippers and human clippers look similar, but they are different in term of their uses and features. Knowing which one to use for a particular purpose (whether for dog or human), as well as the differences between them is very important as it will help you achieve your desired result.
Pets, such as dogs, need a more specialized and tailored set of grooming tools for this purpose. The barbershop is one common place you can find human clippers, and they are driven by tools that are compatible with the human hair and not animal hair.
It is not recommended that you use a human clipper to groom your dog, as the teeth of the blade are usually aligned close to each other, as opposed by dog clippers.
In this article, you will learn about the differences between human clippers and dog grooming clippers, as well as the benefits of not using them interchangeably.
What Are the Differences between Human Clippers and Dog Grooming Clippers?
Here are some of the differences between dog grooming clippers and human clippers you need to know before you set out to use a human clipper on your dog.
The Motor of the Clipper
A human haircut does not take so much time; it only takes a couple of minutes if carried out by a professional. Then the clipper will be shut down and allowed to cool down before the next customer takes over. Grooming your dog’s entire body is a different thing altogether, and it takes more time than a human haircut.
As a result of this, dog grooming clippers are designed for longer use without getting hot in the hand of the groomer or overheating. The motors in a dog clipper are much lighter than that of humans, and they have baffles that help to minimize both sound and vibration.
This helps to reduce fear factor and stress for your dog, as dogs tend to get scared of the vibration and noise, and a powerful motor can be harsh on a dog’s skin resulting in their skin being cut.
Blades
The human clipper blades are designed with finer teeth. A lot of human clippers come with a standard size blade (No. 000) that cuts hair 0.2mm to 0.008-inches away from the scalp. A fine blade of this nature will get caught up in the air of a dog, pulling it out.
A lot of dog grooming clippers come with No. 10 blade size, and this leaves hair 1/16-inches from the body of a dog. So next time you want to get a clipper for your dog, you should opt for size number 10 as it is the ideal blade size for pets and it is far different from that of human clippers.
Both pet grooming clipper blades and human clipper blades come in skip tooth of fine tooth varieties. For animals, skip tooth blades are designed with wider teeth for clipping through mats without pulling the fur. For humans, skip tooth blades texturize the hair.
On the other hand, fine tooth blades are designed to leave a smooth texture on dogs, and the letter F is written after the size of the blade. Whereas, the letter F is not written on fine tooth blades for humans.
Clipper Kits
In dog grooming clipper kits, you will find special grooming accessories, such as combs and brushes, that will help you deliver an even cut. Pet combs are designed to cut from 1/16-inches to 2-inches, and you can find them in the kit of a dog grooming clipper.
The human clippers come with accessories that are more suitable for humans, and they usually come with one-inch brushes or less. As a result of this, if you end up purchasing a human clipper for your dog, you will still be required to spend more on the basic accessories you need to groom your dog – which is an unnecessary expense.
Why Can’t I Use A Human Clipper On My Dog?
First, the teeth of the arrangement of the teeth of the human clipper is quite different from that of pets.
The arrangement of a dog grooming clipper is opposite that of humans. When you use a human clipper on your dog, it will result in the jamming of the clipper, and this will traumatize and cause discomfort to your pet.
Also, the human clipper does not have the required speed to pass through the majority of thick hair, especially for thickly coated dogs, and this can damage the human clipper and also injure your dog. Hence, human clippers are only designed to cut lighter hair, and can’t be used on dogs.
How Do I Maintain My Dog Grooming Clipper And How Often Should I Clean It?
Every set of clipper comes with its specific instructions. But generally, it is recommended that you brush your clippers thoroughly after every use, getting rid of all the hair and debris in it. How often you use the clipper will determine how often you use the blade wash on them.
But to maintain your clipper blades and make sure they last longer, you need to use the blade wash more often. Every two months, you should oil and grease the clipper blades, you should also vacuum or clean the air vents once a week.
You also need to be careful not to let the oil drip into the casing – so while oiling or cleaning the blade, make sure you hold the clipper pointing down.
Corded And Cordless Dog Grooming Clipper, Which Is Better?
Cordless dog grooming clippers give you a lot of flexibility when grooming your dog. It lets you assume any position when cutting your dog’s hair, and it is ideal for a less spacious environment. This is because it does not have a wire attached to it that will restrain your movement or take up more space.
The downside, however, is that it uses batteries as its source of power. Cutting through dogs with thick hair require more power, you will need more power to do the job.
On the other hand, corded clippers take up some extra space, and they don’t give you flexibility like cordless clippers do. However, they do not need batteries, and they are ideal for grooming dogs with thick hair – which requires a lot of power to cut through.
Conclusion
While both human clippers and dog grooming clippers seem to have the same use, the both of them differ in a lot of aspects, including functionality and features. The human clipper is not suitable and should not be used on dogs and other pets for the following reasons:
- They can injure your dog
- The noise, as well as the vibration, can scare your pet
- The blades, motor, and power of human clippers are too high for pets to bear.