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9 Best Dog Nail Clippers for Thick Nails in 2024 – Reviews & Top Picks

Nicole Cosgrove Profile Picture

By Nicole Cosgrove

Using a pair of dog nail clippers Nail trimming can be stressful, but it can be even worse for dogs with thick nails that may need an axe to cut through. Some breeds simply have thicker claws due to genetics, so it’s important to find a pair of nail clippers with a sharp blade.

While there are a lot of products available on the market with the promise of having the cleanest cut, it’s hard to tell which nail trimmer is right for your dog. Thankfully, we’ve researched for you and made an in-depth list of reviews. Here are our picks for the Best Dog Nail Clippers for Thick Nails:

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A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites (2024 Update)

Rating Image Product Details
Best Overall
Winner
GoPets GoPets
  • Easy to use Plier-style nail clippers
  • Sharp stainless-steel blade
  • Ergonomic handle
  • Best Value
    Second place
    Millers Forge Stainless Steal Millers Forge Stainless Steal
  • Less expensive
  • Adjustable guard
  • Stainless-steel blade
  • Premium Choice
    Third place
    BOSHEL BOSHEL
  • Ergonomic non-slip handle
  • Stainless-steel blade
  • Comes with nail file
  • Epica Professional Epica Professional
  • Semi-circular sharpened blades
  • Rubber coated handles
  • Easier to handle
  • Fur Goodness Sake Fur Goodness Sake
  • Extra-long handles
  • Can be locked in closed position
  • Prevents cutting too deep
  • The 9 Best Dog Nail Clippers for Thick Nails

    1. GoPets Dog Nail Clippers – Best Overall

    GoPets

    Check Price on Chewy

    If you’re looking for the best dog nail clippers for thick nails, the GoPets Nail Clippers are high-quality, grooming salon-grade nail clippers that are lightweight and easy to use. These clippers are strong enough to cleanly and precisely trim your dog’s nails, without leaving them splintered and split. These nail clippers are made with a sharp stainless-steel blade made to cut through any nail type, including thick dog nails. They also are great for dogs with dark nails with a built-in safeguard, so you’ll minimize your chances of cutting into the quick.

    GoPets Nail Clippers are plier-style nail clippers, so they’re easy to use. They’re made with a non-slip, ergonomic handle for safety, so you can trim your dog’s nails in confidence. The only issue we found is that the built-in locking mechanism will malfunction and jam once in a great while, but it’s rare and can’t hurt your dog. Otherwise, we recommend GoPets as the best overall pair of nail clippers.

    Type: Plier

    Pros
    • Clean & precise cut
    • Easy to use Plier-style nail clippers
    • Sharp stainless-steel blade to cut through thick nails
    • Safeguard to protect the quick
    • Plier-style with an ergonomic handle
    Cons
    • Locking mechanism may jam

    2. Millers Forge Stainless Steel Dog Nail Clippers – Best Value

    Millers Forge MF743

    Millers Forge MF743 Stainless Steel Dog Nail Clippers are dog nail clippers made with high-quality craftsmanship, without the premium price tag. These pliers are less expensive than other clippers, which can save you a lot depending on other clippers on the market. The adjustable guard is designed to prevent overcutting, so you don’t need to worry about cutting into the quick. Millers Forge Dog Nail Clippers uses a sharpened stainless-steel blade for a clean cut, leaving your dog’s nail splinter-free. These clippers are plier-style clippers, with red plastic-dipped comfort grips for easier handling.

    One issue we found is that these clippers are smaller than others, so they’re better suited for small and medium breeds regardless of nail thickness. However, these clippers may not work for large and extra-large dog breeds because of nail size, even if the nails are thin. As long as your dog’s nails aren’t huge, we recommend Millers Forge as the best dog nail clippers for thick nails for the money.

    Type: Plier

    Pros
    • Less expensive than other clippers
    • Adjustable guard to prevent overcutting
    • Stainless-steel blade for a clean cut
    • Plier-style with red plastic comfort grips
    Cons
    • Smaller than other clippers
    • May not work for extra-large breeds

    3. BOSHEL Dog Nail Clippers

    BOSHEL BA-NCOO3

    The BOSHEL BA-NCOO3 Dog Nail Clippers are premium plier-style nail clippers made for both professional and at-home use. The BOSHEL nail clippers come with an ergonomic non-slip handle with a tension spring, which helps open and close the clippers properly. These nail clippers have a sharp stainless-steel blade, so you’ll get a clean cut each time. The BOSHEL Dog Nail Clippers come with a safety guard to prevent over-clipping, so you don’t have to worry about hitting the quick.

    One neat feature these nail clippers have is the free nail file included, which stores into the handle for convenience. These clippers are premium-quality and on the expensive side, but the investment may be worth it for you and your dog. One issue that we noted about the BOSHEL nail clippers is it may not work on larger dogs with bigger nails, so this won’t work for your gentle giant. For higher-quality and more versatility, we recommend trying the GoPets Nail Clippers first.

    Type: Plier

    Pros
    • Ergonomic non-slip handle with tension spring
    • Stainless-steel blade for clean cut
    • Safety guard prevents over-clipping into the quick
    • Comes with nail file that stores in handle
    Cons
    • On the expensive side
    • May not work on larger dogs

    4. Epica 42 Dog Nail Clipper

    Epica 42

    Epica 42 Professional Pet Nail Clippers are plier-style nail clippers with a spring-loaded opening and closing mechanism. These clippers only need a light squeeze to cut, so they’re easier to handle than other pliers. The semi-circular blades are sharpened for clean clipping, avoiding split and splintered nails. These clippers can also be locked in the closed position for safe storage, so you don’t have to worry about accidentally cutting yourself on them. Epica Nail Clippers have rubbed coated handles to ensure a firm grip, so you can trim in confidence.

    The problem with these clippers is that they’re not strong enough for bigger dog nails, even if they’re on the thin side. The guard can’t be adjusted, so it’s sometimes not short enough to be effective. If you’re looking for an ergonomic pair of nail clippers or need the cleanest cut possible, we recommend trying other clippers first.

    Type: Plier

    Pros
    • Easier to handle than other pliers
    • Semi-circular sharpened blades for clean clipping
    • Can be locked in closed position for safe storage
    • Rubber coated handles for firm grip
    Cons
    • Not strong enough for bigger dogs
    • Guard is not short enough to be effective

    5. Fur Goodness Sake Dog Nail Clippers

    Fur Goodness Sake

    Fur Goodness Sake Dog Nail Clippers are plier-style nail clippers made for large breed dogs. These clippers have extra-long handles for hands of all sizes, with a nail file stored inside. If you need to store your clippers away, you can lock the Fur Goodness Sake nail clippers in the closed position. There’s also a safety guard to help prevent you from cutting too deep, which is good if you have a hard time finding the nail bed.

    The main problem we found with the Fur Goodness Sake Dog Nail Clippers is the blade, which may not be sharp enough for extra thick nails. The handles also feel loose and a bit flimsy, as if it’ll break from continual use. Another problem we kept running into with these clippers is that it kept getting stuck in the locked position, which can be even more annoying to unlock. For better quality and a safer pair of nail clippers, we recommend trying other clippers instead.

    Type: Plier

    Pros
    • Extra-long handles with nail file stored inside
    • Can be locked in closed position
    • Safety guard to prevent cutting too deep
    Cons
    • Blade may not sharp enough for extra thick nails
    • Handles feel loose and flimsy
    • Will get stuck in locked position

    6. Safari Professional Large Nail Trimmer

    Safari W6107

    The Safari W6107 Professional Large Nail Trimmer is a plier-style nail trimmer that can be used at home or professionally. The stainless-steel blades are quite sharp on this nail trimmer, so it can cut cleanly and efficiently. The Safari Professional Large Nail Trimmer has non-slip grip handles for stable trimming, so you won’t slip and cut deeper accidentally. These trimmers work great on small and medium dog nails, but it’s not suitable for big dogs or extra-thick nails. Safari Professional Nail Trimmers are made with low-quality materials, and they feel as though they’ll break after a few trims. The blade guard is another issue on this nail trimmer, as it doesn’t do much while you’re cutting. We recommend trying other nail trimmers for much better quality and stronger blades.

    Type: Plier

    Pros
    • Non-slip grip handles for sturdy trimming
    • Very sharp stainless-steel blade
    • Can cut small and medium-size nails
    Cons
    • Not suitable for big dogs or extra-thick nails
    • Low-quality materials
    • Blade guard doesn’t work

    7. Resco Dog Nail Clippers

    Resco PF0752

    Resco Dog Nail Clippers are guillotine-style nail clippers that can work for most small and medium-sized dogs. These dog nail clippers have a metal loop that your dog’s nail goes in, guiding you as you cut to the desired length. Resco Dog Nail Clippers have a powder coat finish for a sleek look, with plastic dipped grips to keep your hands from slipping as you trim. The best feature of these clippers is the replaceable blade system, saving you money instead of having to buy new clippers over and over again. However, there are some problems with this product that keep it from being ranked higher on our list. Even with the replaceable blades, these clippers don’t seem to get sharp enough to cut as clean as other clippers. There’s also no safeguard to prevent overcutting into the quick, which can be extremely painful and traumatic for your dog. The Resco clippers seem to be made with lower-quality materials compared to other clippers, so we recommend trying other clippers with better quality first.

    Type: Guillotine

    Pros
    • Metal loop helps guide you as you cut
    • Powder coat finish & plastic dipped grips
    • Replaceable blade system
    Cons
    • Doesn’t cut as cleanly as other clippers
    • No safeguard to protect nail quick
    • Low-quality materials and design

    8. Hertzko Professional Pet Nail Clipper

    Hertzko

    Hertzko Professional Pet Nail Clippers are plier-style dog nail clippers, suitable for smaller dogs’ nails. These feature anti-slip handles with comfort grips, helping you cut your pooch’s nails safely. Honestly, the best feature is the bonus nail file it comes with to smooth out your dog’s nail edges.

    Unfortunately, there are more problems with these clippers than benefits. Hertzko Pet Nail Clippers are poorly designed with low-quality materials, so it feels cheap and easily broken. The blade isn’t sharp enough for thick nails, so it may not work at all. Another major issue is that the safety guard moves too easily to help, which can increase the chances of you cutting into the quick. Lastly, the cheap lock doesn’t work well, popping open or locking randomly. If you’re shopping for plier-style clippers with a working safeguard, we recommend trying one of our Top 3 picks first.

    Type: Plier

    Pros
    • Anti-slip handle with comfort grips
    • Bonus nail file to smooth out nails
    Cons
    • Poor quality and design
    • Not sharp enough to cut thick nails
    • Safety guard moves too easily to help
    • Cheap lock doesn’t work

    9. Shiny Pet 12 Dog Nail Clippers

    Shiny Pet 12

    Shiny Pet 12 Dog Nail Clippers are plier-style clippers featuring a sleek and comfortable design. They have an ergonomic handle made of rubber and plastic, with a metal locking clasp to keep them closed. The first problem we encountered with these clippers is the dull blade, which was not sharp enough to cut most nails. Shiny Pet Dog Nail Clippers have a cheap quality and overall flimsy design, so don’t expect these to stay sharp for long. Another issue is these tend to split and splinter nails more often than the brands we tested, which can lead to damaged and broken nails. Lastly, the tension spring to help make the clipping smoother breaks too easily, coming off within a few squeezes. If you’re looking for a great value or reliable dog clippers, we recommend trying the GoPets Nail Clippers for the best results.

    Type: Plier

    Pros
    • Ergonomic handle with metal locking clasp
    • Made for small to medium-sized dogs
    Cons
    • Not sharp enough to cut most nails
    • Cheap quality & flimsy design
    • Tends to splinter and split nails
    • Tension spring breaks easily

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    Conclusion

    After going through each review and comparing each product, we found the GoPets Nail Clippers to be the best dog nail clippers for thick nails overall. These clippers have the cleanest cut and made with high-quality materials that can handle cutting thick nails. Our pick for the best value is the Millers Forge Stainless Steel Dog Nail Clipper. These clippers are affordable without sacrificing on design or quality while being the second cleanest cut for thick nails.

    Hopefully, we have made shopping for the best dog nail clippers easier if you have a dog with thick, tough nails. We looked for clippers made with sharp, sturdy blades and durable design for long-lasting use. If you’re not sure, ask your veterinarian for a recommendation based on your dog’s nails.

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