Best Dog Grooming Scissors

Sharpness, smooth cutting, comfort, durability and suitability are all key components to a great pair of scissors that will work for you for years to come.

Dog grooming scissor kits offer great value so we highly recommend them, especially for at home users. However if all you need is a single pair we have you covered there too with individual recommendations for professionals and at home groomers alike.

ProductDetails

Best Home Use Kit

Featured Best Home Use Dog Scissor Kit

Titanium Coated Stainless Steel Set By Gimars

  • Incredible Value
  • Very Sharp
  • Fully Adjustable Tension

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Best Pro Use Kit

Featured Best Professional Dog Scissor Kit

Titanium Professional 4pcs Set By Kingstar

  • Available In 4 Colors
  • Fully Adjustable Tension
  • 56 Rockwell Hardness

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Best Home Use Strait Scissor

Featured Best Home Use Straight Dog Grooming Scissor

Hertzko 2pcs Set With Safety Round Tip

  • 6" Serrated And 6.5" Smooth Included
  • High End Hertzko Brand
  • Round Safety Tips

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Best Pro Strait Scissor

Featured Best Professional Straight Dog Grooming Scissor

Kenchii Scorpion 8" Straight Pro

  • Top Brand In Pro Grooming
  • Very Smooth Cutting
  • 54-55 Rockwell Hardness

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Best Home Use Curved Scissors

Featured Best Home Use Curved Dog Grooming Scissors

Lilys Pet 7" Curved Round-Tip

  • Perfect For Face/Feet Trimming And Clean-up
  • High Quality Stainless Steal
  • Rounded Tips For Safety

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Best Pro Curved Scissors

Featured Best Professional Curved Dog Grooming Scissors

Sharf Gold Touch Curved

  • Quality 440c Japanese Stainless Steal
  • Rubber Comfort Rings
  • Ultimate Sharpness

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Best Home Use Thinning Scissor

Featured Best Home Use Dog Grooming Thinning Scissors

COOLALA Pet Thinning Scissors

  • Stainless Steel Titanium Coated
  • Tension Adjustable
  • Comfortable Ergonomic Design

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Best Pro Thinning Scissors

Featured Best Professional Dog Grooming Thinning Shear

Sharf 6.5" Gold Touch 42-Tooth Thinning Shear

  • High-quality 440c Japanese Stainless Steel
  • Removable Comfort Rings
  • Cuts Effectively And Smoothly

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Taking your dog to the groomer every four to eight weeks can get expensive. Clippers are great if you want to shave your whole dog, but even then, you often need scissors to trim the hairs around your dog’s feet and face.

If you just want to give your dog a trim, you should definitely invest in a decent pair of dog grooming scissors. But, there are so many dog grooming scissors on the market and you don’t want to throw away money on junk scissors that don’t work.

What Makes Good Dog Grooming Scissors?

How do you know which dog grooming scissors you need? There are so many different types of scissors, not to mention a wide variety of brands that make each type.

First, let’s talk about the different types of grooming scissors and what they’re best suited for and then we’ll talk about the things you should look for, as you shop for each style.

Straight shears

While each individual has their own preferences, straight shears are typically the best all-around dog grooming scissors you can buy. If you only want to invest in one style of dog grooming scissors, they should be straight shears.

Why are straight shears the most multipurpose style of dog grooming scissors? Well, while you can eventually get a rounded cut with straight shears, it’s nearly impossible to get a straight line with curved shears.

You can use straight shears on any area of your dog’s body, while curved and thinning shears have more specific purposes.

Curved shears

While it is possible to get a curved look with straight shears, it isn’t very easy. Curved shears can help you get a rounded look on your dog’s face and feet. Curved shears are also more likely than straight shears to come with a rounded tip, so they’re safer to use around your dog’s face.

Thinning shears

Thinning shears are also sometimes referred to as blending shears or chunkers. While straight and curved shears tend to leave blunt lines in a dog’s fur, thinning shears can go back over certain areas to create a smoother, more blended look. Here are a few common uses for thinning shears:

  • Going back over a trimmed face, to make it look more blended and natural
  • Trimming the feathers on medium-length, double-coated dogs, like Golden Retrievers and Pomeranians, to look more natural instead of blunt
  • Cutting out small mats without leaving a noticeable hole in your dog’s fur
  • Blending the skirt line of a dog with a pattern cut, in which the back is shorter than the skirt and legs, like with a Westie or Cocker Spaniel
  • Removing bulk from a dog with a very thick coat, like a Chow Chow

What to look for in dog grooming scissors

Now that you know which types of dog grooming scissors there are, let’s talk about what to look for in the shears you’re thinking about purchasing.

Stainless steel

While the cheapest dog grooming scissors often have plastic handles, the sturdiest shears are made entirely of stainless steel and may even be coated with titanium. The best shears will have a Rockwell hardness rating listed in the product description. The higher the hardness rating, the longer the dog grooming scissors will last, especially if you don’t get them sharpened very often.

Offset handles

Offset handles may look strange, but they actually reduce hand fatigue and are more comfortable to use than shears where the thumb hole and ring finger hole are right next to each other.

Removable finger rings

Removable finger rings allow you to customize how the shears fit on your fingers and in your hand. While this isn’t a crucial feature, it can make a big difference in whether or not your hand cramps up while trimming your dog, especially if you need to trim multiple dogs.

Tension adjusters

Tension adjusters are also a nice feature to have. While less tension may be easier to use, it may not cut as well, so scissors that allow you to set the perfect balance are a blessing, compared to pairs with factory-set tension.

Sizes

Shear size is also important to consider. If you have a small dog, shears that are too long can be unwieldy. If you have a big dog, though, you don’t want dog grooming scissors that are too short because that means the haircut will take much longer.

With all these features in mind, let’s look at our picks for the best dog grooming scissors of the year.

Product Reviews

#1 Titanium Coated Stainless Steel Set By Gimars:

Best Home Use Scissor Kit

  • Kit includes: straight shears, curved shears, thinning shears, metal comb, cleaning cloth, case
  • Colors: Steel (as pictured)
  • Adjustable tension

PROS:

  • Good value and affordable
  • Very Sharp

CONS:

  • Some quality control problems, especially with thinning shears
  • Finger holes are very small

If you’re looking for a cheap, basic set of shears to start grooming your dog at home, these will probably do the job, although you may need to return the first set due to variable quality control. For serious grooming, you’ll probably want to upgrade to higher-quality shears, down the road.

#2 Titanium Professional 4pcs Set By Kingstar:

Best Professional Scissor Kit

  • Sizes: 7”
  • Kit includes: 1 straight scissors, 1 thinning scissors, 1 up-curved scissors, 1 down-curved scissors, 1 case, 1 cleaning cloth, 1 adjusted-key
  • Colors: Black, Blue, Gold, Rainbow
  • Rockwell Hardness Rating: 56

PROS:

  • Affordable and great value
  • 4 colors to choose from
  • Very sharp

CONS:

  • Thinning shears tend to lock up
  • Small finger holes don’t fit some men’s hands

These are a great set of starter shears to groom your dog at home. While they’re priced for home use, the quality is high enough for professional groomers to use them as a backup set. The biggest downside is that the finger holes are too small for large hands.

#3 Hertzko 2pcs Set With Safety Round Tip:

Best Home Use Strait Scissor

  • Sizes: 6” & 6.5” in set
  • Colors: Purple handle
  • Round safety tips

PROS:

  • Very affordable
  • Rounded tips for safety
  • Sharp

CONS:

  • Average quality won’t last forever
  • Very short, best for faces and feet

If you’re looking for a simple set of shears to maintain your dog’s face and feet between full haircuts at the groomer, these will do the trick. They’re too short to do full haircuts efficiently, but they’re sharp and the rounded tips make them safer for beginners to use around their dog’s face.

#4 Kenchii Scorpion 8″ Straight Pro:

Best Straight Shears

  • Sizes: 8”
  • Colors: Silver
  • Rockwell Hardness: 54-55

PROS:

  • Kenchii is one of the top names in grooming
  • High quality for a reasonable price (for Kenchii)
  • Cut smoothly

CONS:

  • A bit expensive for home groomers
  • Some find the shears a little heavy

Kenchii is one of the top names in dog grooming shears and they are even used by competitive dog groomers in the show ring. These entry-level Kenchii shears are more affordable for beginner groomers or people who groom their dogs at home.

They are of high quality and should stay sharp and cut smooth for a long time. In terms of value, they’re worth the extra money, compared to the cheaper shears on our list.

#5 Master Grooming 5200 Rainbow Series:

Runner Up Best Straight Shears

  • Sizes: 6.5”, 7.5”, 8”, 8.5”
  • Colors: Rainbow
  • Rockwell Hardness: 52

PROS:

  • Short shanks and offset handles reduce hand fatigue
  • Removable finger rests and silencers for comfortable, quiet operation
  • Includes a black leatherette case
  • They stay sharp a long time

CONS:

  • Some shears arrive defective or don’t stay sharp
  • Fragile – may break if mishandled

If you don’t want to invest tons of money in a set of shears, these are good quality for the price. They aren’t quite as sharp or sturdy as the Kenchii shears, but they’re a sturdy set of shears for the average home groomer.

#6 Lilys Pet 7″ Curved Round-Tip:

Best Home Use Curved Shears

  • Sizes: 7”
  • Colors: Silver
  • Round tips for safety

PROS:

  • Very affordable
  • Usually sharp
  • Good value

CONS:

  • Occasionally fold hair instead of cutting it

If you just need a basic pair of curved shears for trimming around your dog’s face and feet in between haircuts, these are a great choice. They may not be sturdy enough to do a full haircut, but they’re still good value for the price.

#7 Sharf 7.5″ Gold Touch Curved:

Best Pro Use Curved Shears

  • Sizes: 7.5”
  • Color: Steel And Gold (as pictured)

PROS:

  • Quality 440c Japanese Stainless Steal
  • Rubber Comfort Rings
  • Ultimate Sharpness

CONS:

  • Thumb hole may be a little snug for some

If you are after an extremely sharp and durable professional curved shear, its hard to look past these 7.5″ Sharf’s. They hold a great reputation among groomers as being reliable, comfortable and long lasting. This makes them incredibly good value for the money.

Rubber finger grips, fully adjustable tension and includes a really nice snap closed case for storage and transport.

#8 ShearsDirect 6.5″ Curved Ball Tip:

Runner Up Best Curved Shears

  • Sizes: 6.5”
  • Colors: Blue handle
  • Curved ball tips

PROS:

  • Affordable
  • Curved ball tips for safety
  • Finger rest for comfort
  • Good value

CONS:

  • Variable quality control

While the plastic handles give these shears a cheap look and feel, most people love how sharp they are (as long as they don’t receive a defective set), and the curved ball tips are great for trimming faces.

#9 COOLALA 6.8″ Pet Thinning Scissors 27 Teeth:

Best Home Use Thinning Shears

  • Sizes: 6.8” with 27 teeth
  • Color: Steel And Blue (as pictured)

PROS:

  • Stainless Steel Titanium Coated
  • Tension Adjustable
  • Comfortable Ergonomic Design

CONS:

  • Not suited to extended use

Possibly one of the best value for money dog grooming scissors on the market, these 27 toothed thinners offer a tough titanium coated and stainless steel blade that will stay sharp for a relatively long period of time for the money. Many people find them to be extremely comfortable and safe to use as a beginner and find they cut clean and smooth through even the thickest of dog hair.

They look great out of the box and they come with a 30 day no questions asked money back guarantee, so really no risk in giving them a try.

#10 Sharf 6.5″ Gold Touch 42-Tooth Thinning Shear:

Best Thinning Shears

  • Sizes: 6.5” with 42 teeth
  • Color: Rainbow

PROS:

  • Made from high-quality 440c Japanese Stainless Steel
  • Very sharp
  • Removable comfort rings
  • Cuts hair effectively and smoothly
  • High quality for the price
  • Includes a case

CONS:

  • So sharp that many people report cutting themselves
  • Heavy

While the price may seem a little high, these shears perform as well as thinning shears that cost more than $100, so they are great value. They will last a long time with minimal sharpening.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I invest the money in expensive dog grooming scissors?

If you’re just starting to groom your dog at home, it’s OK to start with cheap shears. If you only need dog grooming scissors to trim around your dog’s eyes and feet in between grooming appointments, then cheap shears should be fine.

However, if you plan to scissor your entire dog for the rest of its life, especially if you have a larger dog, it’s definitely worth the investment to buy more expensive shears. Higher-quality shears will cut faster and more smoothly, they’ll stay sharp longer, and they should maintain their quality for a much longer time than cheaper shears.

Do I need more than one type of dog grooming scissors?

Not necessarily. You can do a lot with just one type of grooming scissors, especially if your dog only needs minimal trimming. However, each type of shears has its own strengths and your grooming may benefit from having a variety of tools.

How do I hold dog grooming scissors?

Great question! A common mistake that people make is to use their thumb and their middle finger. This actually isn’t the most efficient or comfortable way to hold grooming shears. They are intended to be used by your thumb and ring finger.

Final Thoughts

Finding the best set of shears for grooming your dog at home can be complicated, but we hope this list helps make your search for the best dog grooming scissors a little bit easier.

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