Wahl Tool Electric Nail Grinder

The reason to grind rather than clip is the quick. Clippers cut, and if you misjudge where the blood vessel inside the nail ends you find out immediately and so does the dog — and a dog who has had that happen once is often a dog who will not let you near their feet again. A grinder takes the nail down gradually, so you can stop at the point where the nail changes and you can see what you are doing.

This one files nails quickly, and Wahl aim it at trimming, shaping and smoothing rough nails on small and large dogs alike. The kit contains the grinder, a large grinding stone and a small one, a filing drum, 3 x 60 grit filing bands, 3 x 100 grit filing bands, a felt polisher and an instruction booklet — so the coarse grit takes length off and the finer grit and the polisher take the sharp edge off afterwards.

• Electric nail grinder for small and large dogs
• Large and small grinding stones
• Filing drum with 3 x 60 grit and 3 x 100 grit bands
• Felt polisher for finishing
• Instruction booklet included

Go slowly, and introduce it before you use it. A grinder makes a noise and a vibration, and most dogs need to meet both before they will accept it near a foot — run it in the room for a few days first. Take a little at a time and stop the moment the cut surface changes appearance, because that means you are approaching the quick. Grinding also generates heat if you hold it in one place, so keep moving. If your dog's nails are long enough that the quick has grown out with them, several short sessions over weeks is the way, and your vet or groomer can show you where to stop.

Who it's for: owners whose dog will not tolerate clippers, anyone who has caught a quick before and lost their nerve, and dogs with thick nails that clippers crush rather than cut.