Frequently Asked questions

Q: Why  should my dog be bathed or groomed every 4-6 weeks? I thought frequent bathing was bad for their skin.  

A: First, only shampoo and conditioners specifically formulated for dogs should be used on  your pet. Secondly, bathing removes  dirt and debris, dander, urine, and saliva from their coat.  Bathing gets rid of things dogs transport  like pollen, mold, spores and other allergens, which won't go away with brushing.   Bathing can help to heal infected, itchy, inflamed skin and regular bathing and brushing helps remove dead hair which means less hair on your floors.  In double-coated dogs, removing the undercoat (soft downy fur) leaves room for new hair growth and keeps the skin healthier. And lastly, the most pleasant benefit is it makes them feel and smell good! Frequent grooming gives you all the bath benefits! Keeping your pet in a maintained trim will  not only be more manageable for you, but there is usually less brush out time and the use of our variable speed high-velocity drying will help keep an eye on skin and coat issues.  

Q: Why don't you express anal glands?   

A: Emptying the anal glands or sacs has long been considered to be a courtesy, but the downside is that pets were never meant to have those anal glands recurrently  expressed. By repeated squeezing or  "expressing", one can create trauma to this area which could have long-lasting effects. Our philosophy is that this procedure is best left to the experts (your vet). If we see anything out of the ordinary in this area, we will bring it to your attention.  

Q: How long will a grooming session take?   

A: Grooming sessions vary by size of dog and the needs of the dog.  A well-cared for, routinely bathed and groomed dog should be an hour and a half and two hours for a bath and brush.  Haircuts and brushing out dogs with double coats will likely take 2-4 hours.  We strive to set expectations for the duration of your session upon your arrival and in seeing your dog.  It is especially important with puppies and geriatric dogs not to rush the process. This time also allows us to evaluate the dog's skin and coat, perform  the bath, fluff dry and hairstyle. Remember, your dog's comfort level and our stylist's safety are very  important.   

Q: Why  can't I be with my pet while it's being groomed?

A:  We have an open environment and you are welcome to wait quietly in our lobby.  If your dog hears you and will not "settle in" we may not be able to perform our services due to excessive wiggling and jumping as they try to get to you.   For liability  reasons, our insurance company will not allow anyone other than Exclusively Dogs  KC team members in our grooming area.  

Q:  Should a double-coated breed be shaved for summer because they are hot?  The short answer is:  No.  Double-coated dogs are dogs that have a heavy undercoat. The lighter, softer coat that sheds naturally does not need to be shaved.  Unless the dog has passed the point of no return in the matting department, the best type of grooming for these dogs is a vigorous undercoat raking with a special tool that helps remove the undercoat. This raking, followed by a bath, and a blow dry, will help separate the hair so the groomer can get to the rest of the undercoat.  Once the undercoat has been thinned out, the dog does feel cooler. The guard hairs on the top, which do not shed out, provide protection against the sun’s rays and actually insulate the dog from the heat. However, shaving a strip on their belly, so that they can lay on cool surfaces, and get maximum coolness may be considered. 

Any pet that comes in with fleas is immediately put into the tub for a flea bath and charged an extra $5.00. Your pet will also be given a CAPSTAR pill immediately which will begin killing the fleas usually within 30 minutes. This prevents fleas from getting on other pets in our salon. Capstar pills are charged at $8.00 each and is a must. If your pet came in with fleas. It will be on your bill.

Fleas happen by just taking your dog for a walk outside or visiting other places with dogs. If you know how to treat fleas and your pet properly, you can have a FLEA FREE pet and environment and a happier healthier pet and family as well.

We have developed this new FLEA POLICY because we want to keep the cleanest salon in the town of Grain Valley. We want you to have piece-of-mind that we do everything possible to prevent your pets from bringing home fleas. 

We use only natural flea type products here such as shampoos etc...no harsh flea dips are used.  Capstar and Frontline Plus is enough after using a gentle natural flea shampoo.

When we check in your pet, it is sometimes difficult to tell if there are fleas present until we get the animal wet. We would appreciate if you would tell us if you suspect your pet needs flea treatment before coming in. We do flea comb every pet when checking in and talking with our clients. You will get a phone call first if we didn't notice a problem when checking in before it is just added to your bill. We take a lot of pride in our salon and keeping it clean and free of fleas is a must! Not all salons take these steps to prevent your pet from bringing home fleas. It is worth it, as pet owners, to do so and charge accordingly. We take the extra time to sanitize everything after a flea infested pet has come in and make sure it is kept separately from the other animals. Extra flea bathing and combing out of the fleas takes time.

Frontline Plus is a topical flea medication and is available here for you to apply after their groom session. It is safe to apply after giving the Capstar pill for the fleas and will continue to kill fleas for 30 days.

We can only take care of part of your flea problem. The rest happens at home and in the yard (grass spraying if necessary, etc). Wash the pets bedding, your bedding, spray behind the doors, empty the vacuum bag and toss after vacuuming etc... This is a lot of work but well worth getting a handle on before you have a real problem.

You must be responsible for treating the environment your pet lives in. Ask your VET about some types of flea bombs or call out an exterminator to treat your home while the pet is getting groomed. Often there is a window of time required before re-entering the home. 

Most fleas that you see on your pet are in the adult stage. What you don't see are the thousands of eggs a single adult flea can produce. An adult female flea can lay up to 2,000 eggs in her lifetime which will be bothering your pet as adults soon. With CAPSTAR® (nitenpyram), almost all your dog's adult fleas will be gone within four hours.