Standard hair clippers are based on the same principles and have the same blades as most hair clippers made specifically for dogs, meaning regular hair clippers are fine for grooming your dog. That said, their effectiveness will depend on the dog's breed, since different breeds have hair of different thickness. For example, dobermans and boxers have smooth hair that should be trimmed regularly with a shorter trimmer, while breeds with curly hair, such as Irish water spaniels, need their hair trimmed only every few months, using a trimmer with a larger surface area. In all cases, however, when using clippers, make sure to go with the grain, not against it.

On the Other: Dog Clippers

Dog clippers offer a better cut than hair clippers, mostly because they are designed especially for dogs. Dog clippers tend to heat up less quickly than regular hair clippers, which is important when considering the amount of grooming a dog needs compared to a person.

Bottom Line

You can always use regular hair clippers on your dog, but it may not be the most effective way to cut the dog's hair. How effective a regular hair clipper will be will depend on the breed and size of your dog. If you have a small dog with little hair, using regular clippers should be good enough. But if you have a large dog with thick hair, you may be better off investing in a set of clippers made especially for your canine friend.

Source:

Dummies.com: Grooming Your Dog's Hair

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