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Pee Feathers
Pee feathers (or furnishings) are the area of belly hair just in front of
a male dog’s organ. This hair is under attack when the dog urinates. If
care is not taken, the urine salts remain in the hair and can cause it to
break and emit a gamey smell. English Setter males have white pee feathers
that can become stained yellow if not tended to.
For pet males or retired show dogs, the simple solution is to keep the
belly hair short so it doesn’t catch the urine. Pet dogs can be
occasionally wiped down with a wet washcloth between baths to keep the
gamey smell at bay.
For show males, the secret to beautiful pee feathers is that there is no
secret. You simply keep the area very clean and well conditioned and don’t
ever allow it to begin to turn yellow.
At least every other day, a male ES show dog needs to have his pee
feathers washed and conditioned. You can do it on the table with a little
shampoo in a basin of warm water and a sponge. Put the basin under the
soiled area and saturate the hair with the sponge. Then do the same with
warm rinse water and a little conditioner in another basin. Blot out the
excess water with a towel and brush the hair very gently with a pin brush.
You would never brush dry pee feathers if there is urine in them because
the hair would surely break. If the dog’s hair lacks moisture, spray with
a leave-in conditioner. It’s best to do this ritual at night after the dog
has gone outside for the last time. Drying is optional.
Or, do the whole routine in a bathtub where you can use a sprayer to wet
and rinse the hair. Some dogs hit the back of their front legs when they
urinate, so be sure to clean anyplace that is in the path of the dog’s
urine.
Various “garments” can protect hair from urine, especially at shows where
you don’t want to give table baths every time the dog urinates. Some
people use stretchy tube tops that they put around the dog’s middle and
tuck the pee feathers inside. Others use an extended bib that ties around
the neck and goes under the belly and ties around the back. You sometimes
see these at vendors’ stalls at dog shows.
Some show sites have only cold water. Not only is a cold water bath very
uncomfortable for the dog, especially in cold weather, but you risk
getting a case of “cold tail” where the tail goes numb and dead and just
hangs limply for a couple of days. A dog with cold tail cannot be shown
because he just doesn’t look good. Many people travel with an electric tea
kettle to warm the water for their dogs’ table baths if needed. Bitches
appreciate this touch during ring prep too!
Some folks have magic potions and different routines that work for them,
but all you really need is water, shampoo, conditioner, a brush, and
diligence. Don’t let yourself go to bed unless your male show dog’s pee
feathers are clean and conditioned. You will be rewarded with a dazzling
white underline without a big hole near the loin where the pee feathers
should be.