Fox attacking little dog! Advice please

[SilverMachine]

Mil's King Charles Spaniel Hanna has been attacked four times in the last couple of weeks by a fox in the back garden. This has happened in the day time and on one occasion when Mil was also in the garden, the fox seems completely fearless. Thankfully Hanna has not been hurt, other than having some fur pulled out of her tail, but she is obviously terrified She is nervous of going into the garden and when she does, is completely spooked, running about, barking and jumping even if she sees a bird.

We think the fox has a den in next doors garden. We obviously don't want to harm it in any way but does anyone have any advice on steps we can take to stop it coming into the garden? I have seen fox deterrant sprays advertised but am wondering if using these would distress Hanna even more as presumably she would be affected by them as much as the fox?

Any advice much appreciated, TIA.

[gomowthelawn]

Council pest control. The fox is fearless of humans, and next time it could be someone's child.

Poor dog

[SilverMachine]

Thank you gomowthelawn

It is worrying how brazen this fox is, it has come right up to Mil's patio doors and hasn't reacted at all when she has tried to scare it away. I will contact pest control and see what they advise.

[hellymelly]

I think this is possibly a vixen with cubs, and that is why she is behaving so aggressively towards the dog. You can electric fence the garden, or make the current fences higher and dig proof at the bottom. Where is your MIL? Is she in a city? (country foxes far more timid usually).

[LowRegNumber]

Unfortunately it will almost certainly have cubs, however, not reacting to humans is not a good thing. I second rspca or a local rescue. If she is brazen enough to behave like this then she could be or become dangerous. A good rescue place may be able to move them hopefully.

Foxes are amazing creatures but are only 'safe' when living within certain bounds. Many urban foxes are pretty brazen but are not an issue so long as they retain respect for humans. Ones who have lost this are a problem and need to he dealt with. It is a shame as she is probably only this confident because of some human forgetting/ignoring the boundaries she feeding her.

[gomowthelawn]

I lost my 'fluffy bunny' approach to foxes when I saw the horrific scarring on a toddler's face caused by a fox that had gone into the house through an open back door, upstairs and into her bedroom, where it had attacked her whilst she was asleep.

Pest control. If she is moved out of the area by a rescue she will just come back again. Foxes are territorial.

There are too many foxes, which is probably why they have become brazen and aggressive. The numbers need to be controlled even if this is contrary to how we might like things to be.

I agree in open countryside where they are not competing with us they are lovely. I saw the cutest cub yesterday in a straw barn, and I was happy for it to be there.

[clam]

Am sure I read on here that you need to get your dh to pee against the boundary fence! And preferably all his friends too. Something about testosterone scent putting the foxes off???

[suburbandream]

clam! A pee-party! I'm not sure that would go down well with the neighbours!!

[SilverMachine]

Thanks everyone

Yes, we are in a large town so it does make sense that the fox may be fighting for territory, there does seem to be a lot of foxes in the area although up till now the worst they have done is dig up our carrots. Raising the fences is a good idea hellymelly, will definitely look into this, although I don't think we could electrocute them as we are in an urban area and there are also cats about.

at pee party. Given a few beers I suspect DH and his mates could mark the bounderies quite thouroughly.

[hellymelly]

The electric fencing wouldn't kill cats, just give them a shock so they wouldn't return.