I've been looking at several Dremels and it seems they aren't all created equal, but neither is their pricing. I've looked at the multi-pro and the pedipaws and am torn on if the extra money of the multi-pro is really worth it when the pedipaws is a 10 minute drive to petco and I have a coupon. I don't want to spend a fortune but I do want it to work and not crap out on me in 6 months. Does anyone have any insights or suggestions on brands or perhaps what to look for in speeds and such since it seems many dremels work fine for small dogs but the reviews get cloudy for larger breeds on some of the more cost effective brands. I also know nothing about the tips that are best for dogs and have noticed that some "kits" online don't include the tips as the word kit would suggest. The only dremel I've ever used was for fabricating in cars and they are just way too loud and powerful for my dogs toes.

From my experience:
 
1. Get one that plugs into the wall, and NOT a battery operated one.
 
2. We tried the Pedipaws first to save money, then returned after a few months it as it didn't really work well (nail trimmings would take FOREVER), and it would run out of battery power fast. We bought a Dremel and have had it for 5 years now with no issues.
 
3. Review these 2 links to educate yourself on Dremel details (attachments/tips, models, speeds, etc.) and usage, as they are what I first read to educate myself when I bought mine, and they helped me a great deal:
 
http://www.doberdawn.com/doberdawn/dremel.html
 
http://www.dremel.com/en-us/customerservice/ManualsAndLiterature/Documents/DogNailGroomingInstructions.pdf
 
Hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions! Good luck.

Rechargeable model (the cords just get in the way), duel speed works very well or variable speed, get which ever one is less expensive, you really only need the drum sander attachment and the sanding bands, medium and fine. Do get a real Dremel, most of the other rotary tools aren't going to be as good a quality.

Hughie wrote:

Rechargeable model (the cords just get in the way), duel speed works very well or variable speed, get which ever one is less expensive, you really only need the drum sander attachment and the sanding bands, medium and fine.  Do get a real Dremel, most of the other rotary tools aren't going to be as good a quality.  

Yes! The cord will definitely get in the way sometimes. I've got it figured out now where the cord doesn't bother us, and my dogs just lay there until I'm done. In the beginning it was a slight problem. I tried the Pedipaws (battery-operated) first, and it would run out of battery power in the middle of a nail trimming, which would drive me crazy. That's why, when I switched to a Dremel, I bought one with a plug. If the rechargeable Dremels can maintain battery power for a long time, then try that one to avoid cord tanglements! Haha. I have 4 dogs, and I usually Dremel all of them in a row. Not sure if the battery would last that long. If it didn't, I would probably switch it up to doing 1 a day and recharge overnight.

And yes! Get a Dremel and no other brand. They're all cheap replicas and don't work as well as the real thing. It's worth the extra money, as it will last years instead of months. The heads (tips) last a long time too on the Dremel. The Pedipaws grinder did not last very long as I remember.

I have a Proxxon rotary tool (pretty much another brand of rotary tool just like the Dremel brand). Proxxon is neither cheap or low quality. We love our Proxxon rotary tool and it is indeed a very solid, good quality tool. We actually went with Proxxon after hearing people recommend it over the Dremel, although those recommendations were not based on using it for a dogs nails. Nevertheless, it can be used for filing nails. A word of warning though, the Proxxon is a powerful little piece of machinery...at least the model we have anyway.

I also have the Pedipaws, given to me by someone who could not use it. It is lacking in the power department and therefore makes filing a large dogs nails take longer than it would with a more powerful tool such as the Dremel or Proxxon. But aside from that, I have been quite happy with the Pedipaws. I find the plastic safety cover to be more of a nuisance than an aid so I always remove it before use. I would also say that I feel safer and more confident using the lower powered Pedipaws than my beast, the Proxxon. I have had the Pedipaws for several years and it's still going strong.

I own a Dremel rotary tool and it works wonderfully. I have a corded one, I don't like having to wait for the cordless batteries to charge. As luck would have it anytime I need to use my 18 volt cordless drill the batteries are all dead and I have to wait. I'm not patient.

I worked at Lowe's for 5.5 years and most people always preferred the actual Dremel brand.

I haven't used any other brand of rotary tool... but knowing that "Dremel" is also a nickname for rotary tool should say something. Kind of like "Chapstick" and "Qtip" are brands that did so well it replaced "lip balm" and "cotton swap" in regular conversation.

If you get a dremel brand dremel it should work just fine and be pretty high quality. I have a friend who is a groomer and she has had her's for a few months and has had no issues. I also have one cordless and have had no issues with battery life. They are nice with the muliti speeds so when you are getting used to it you can go slow so you don't mess up and then speed it up when you are more comfortable.

Which ever way you decide will be best for you, Id make a bet that once you get the hang of it you'll be hooked. As a side note, if anyone has hairy paws to deal with(my Springer had extra feathery feet) a simple solution for keeping the hair from getting wrapped up is to slip a nylon stocking on the dogs foot and then poke the nails through to grind. I think Ami might be the only husky I know of at the moment who might be fluffy enough to need a sock!

Hughie wrote:

Which ever way you decide will be best for you, Id make a bet that once you get the hang of it you'll be hooked.  As a side note, if anyone has hairy paws to deal with(my Springer had extra feathery feet) a simple solution for keeping the hair from getting wrapped up is to slip a nylon stocking on the dogs foot and then poke the nails through to grind.  I think Ami might be the only husky I know of at the moment who might be fluffy enough to need a sock!

Hughie - thanks for the hint. With the warm weather, Ami is walking more in gravel and less on surfaced road so his nails are getting longer (and after what he did to the laundry room stained pine door) I really need to get his nails trimmed. I have been slowly trying to accustom him to the dremel - he at least now stays in the room while its running  Husband gave me a suggestion - use the battery powered rather than the corded because the battery powered is much much quieter!

And I need to find more of that stain so I can at least make the scratches the same color  

I figured I would give an update on what I ended up doing. Saw the mini mite mentioned in one of the links and then again on another thread so I decided to give it a try since it had good reviews and didn't cost an arm and a leg. It's worked great! Keno has settled to it and I just role him onto his back and buzz away. Kenzi isn't a fan, though she wasn't a fan of clippers either, but at least now whether she struggles or not I can still get some nail work accomplished. Hubby's been holding her and feeding her treats while I buzz her. I had concerns about it being too weak but since I've stepped up to the coarser sandpaper it doesn't take near as long. One day I'll get brave enough to use it on the higher setting and then I'll really be cookin'.

Looks like Im a little late but I bought the mini dremel from harbor freight for about $7 and it works perfect. Its small and came with a full set of bits.

I got this (the dremel) and overall I'm extremely pleased with what I've received.. but I've been working on accustoming the dogs to the noise (and not biting it when it comes close to their paws) so I'll have to keep you updated when I can finally get around to that..

My boy Kilo, HATES nail clippers and generally likes to fuss and nip at the clippers and my hand, so I needed to find another way cut their nails that I could do myself- because I am impatient and don't like waiting for someone to help me with cutting nails.. and I'd like him to at least tolerate the dremel

Plus for 35.00 (with taxes and shipping) I can't go wrong..
http://www.amazon.ca/Dremel-7300-PT-Nail-Grooming-Kit/dp/B003TU0XG4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422210150&sr=8-1&keywords=dremel+dog

JAM wrote:

I got this (the dremel) and overall I'm extremely pleased with what I've received.. but I've been working on accustoming the dogs to the noise (and not biting it when it comes close to their paws) so I'll have to keep you updated when I can finally get around to that..

My boy Kilo, HATES nail clippers and generally likes to fuss and nip at the clippers and my hand, so I needed to find another way cut their nails that I could do myself- because I am impatient and don't like waiting for someone to help me with cutting nails.. and I'd like him to at least tolerate the dremel

Plus for 35.00 (with taxes and shipping) I can't go wrong..
http://www.amazon.ca/Dremel-7300-PT-Nail-Grooming-Kit/dp/B003TU0XG4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422210150&sr=8-1&keywords=dremel+dog

Good luck with the dremel...I am trying with Ami, but as soon as he sees it or hears it..."I'm outta here, Jack" and under the table he goes

I use the dremel for a lot of things, unhusky, and it is a very handy tool. Like for cutting off the snap shackles of a wrecked vinyl wrapped tie out for one thing.

amymeme wrote:

Good luck with the dremel...I am trying with Ami, but as soon as he sees it or hears it..."I'm outta here, Jack" and under the table he goes

I use the dremel for a lot of things, unhusky, and it is a very handy tool.  Like for cutting off the snap shackles of a wrecked vinyl wrapped tie out for one thing.

I guess I got lucky, Kilo and Loki see it as a game, tilting their heads and barking at it. That's good to know though! I'm very hopeful though that it will work for Kilo and Loki and they wont be afraid of it..once it touches their nails...

Dremel tools are excellent to have around.
This new one is great, just picked one up last week:
http://www.amazon.com/Dremel-8050-N-18-Rotary-Accessories/dp/B00JGB054A/ref=sr_1_15?s=power-hand-tools&ie=UTF8&qid=1422307098&sr=1-15&keywords=dremel

And I have three of these:
http://www.amazon.com/Dremel-8220-1-28-12-Volt-Cordless/dp/B008DRY5AI/ref=sr_1_12?s=power-hand-tools&ie=UTF8&qid=1422307098&sr=1-12&keywords=dremel

One note - the cordless is much quieter than than the corded. And does nails just fine (I tried it on myself before attempting on Ami. Also did a few of Archer's...but he wanted to play with the thing like a squeeky toy )

So years ago I got a pet grinder like a dremel a rotating drum with a plastic shield around the drum. It was loud and terrified two dogs. But one was okay at petsmart when they do it the other dog was not able to handle it at petsmart either. I gave it to a friend. So I got petzoom which is not rotating sand paper it is a metal disc with textured surface and that disc vibrates. It did not rotate so it was smoother and did not create as much panic. But It did not work well for taking of length but rounds. Both did not work great with my dogs. I wil probably not try any others. I would recommend a cordless unless you are used to corded grooming like with clippers.