One pair of scissors will not groom a dog properly. Straight blades cannot follow the curve of a rib cage, thinning shears cannot take bulk off quickly, and nothing with a sharp point belongs anywhere near a face that might move. Working with the wrong tool is how home grooming produces the step-cut look, the occasional nick, and a dog that learns to dread the sound of the drawer opening.

All five pairs here are hot drop-forged from Japanese high-carbon tempered steel, heat-treated at 1100°C and then ice-tempered, which is what keeps a grooming edge through a long coat rather than for the first ten minutes of it. The blade edges are serrated, so hair is gripped instead of slipping ahead of the cut, and slipping is the single biggest cause of a ragged finish when you are working on a damp coat.

• 8in and 6in straight scissors for general cutting
• 8in curved scissors for contouring the body
• 6in thinning shears for blending
• 4in ball-tipped safety scissors for face and paws
• Japanese high-carbon tempered steel, hot drop-forged
• Heat-treated at 1100°C and ice-tempered
• High-chrome finish

On sharpness and on care. These are professional blades rather than a starter kit. Use the ball-tipped pair anywhere near eyes, ears or paws, and never point a straight blade at a dog that is not settled. High-carbon steel takes a fine edge and rusts if it goes away damp, so dry and oil them after each session. Grooming scissors are sold by imperial length, which is why the sizes above read in inches.

Who it's for: Home groomers already confident with clippers, working on Cockapoos, Bichon Frises, Shih Tzus, Poodles and Yorkshire Terriers.