"Fox" vs. Fox Newly Updated

edited July 2009 in Shiba Inu (柴犬)
Ok, I have been told that we have foxes in the immediate vicinity of the house. My mother saw one once. My father has sees one every once in a while, but I have never gotten to see one. It's been years and I had sort of given up hope.

Recently, a poo war has started within the last few weeks between Tosca and something roughly Tosca's size (judging from what I've been picking up) in a part of our front yard. I had been thinking it was one of our neighbors being rude and piggish and not picking up after their pet, but tonight I may have found my culprit. About a half hour ago, Tosca and I when for our nightly walk and just after she made her evening deposit and did her usual victory dance that follows these thing something sounded off.
At first I thought that it may be the dog (lab/pit mix) that the boarding facility down the street lost (yes, LOST! Idiots.) a couple days ago who, we were told, does not like other dogs. Isn't that lovely - Tosca doesn't like other dogs either and would be on the war path if one randomly gave her a problem on her turf completely oblivious to the obvious size difference. Needless to say I've been on the alert, but with trying to start a business I've also been preoccupied and I forgot to buy batteries for our walk flashlight and we had to go out without it tonight. I figured the outdoor lights were enough for Tosca to do her thing by.
When I heard this thing yowling at us (rather angrily I thought) it was very close behind us and I couldn't see it at all. I didn't know what or where exactly it was. I felt what little color there is in my face drain from it - bad reaction, I know - and Tosca picked right up on it, puffed out, and charged into the black stopped only by me locking her retractable leash which is thankfully rated for a dog nearly double her weight. See would've been upset in I hadn't been scared but I know it didn't help. Anyway I give the leash a tug and start talking loudly to Tosca and whatever was out there as I quickly made for the relative safety of our well lit driveway. And I walked quickly keeping and eye on the bristling, yodeling, multi-colored fur-clad, ball of hellfire behind me, I started to think that I'd heard that sound before and now knew that it wasn't a dog, but I wasn't sure and still didn't want to risk a fight in the dark. When I got in, hellfire in tow, I went on YouTube and found the sound. It was one of the foxes I've been hearing about for ages. So I still haven't seen one, but one told me off. This is a video of the sound plus one I just thought was cute.







Comments

  • edited November -1
    Foxes also have a very strong odor. Their pee is almost like skunk, but not as powerful. Keep your nose alert too!
    They can be a vector for rabies and mange (at least, here they have been), so tell Tosca don't be a hero!
    eek! careful walking you guys!
  • edited November -1
    *munches on popcorn* and on the next episode of "fox" vs fox...
  • edited November -1
    We saw some foxes at the animal park in Big Bear, CA on my vacation and I said to myself "that looks nothing like Miso, people are crazy!"

    image
  • edited November -1
    Wow, scary...that thing sure can scream.
  • edited November -1
    Jason saw a fox at work yesterday. He came home and said to me "Miko looks nothing like a fox. She looks like a little coyote."

    I have had a few instances of meeting foxes on our walks. They always kept a safe distance but would "talk" to my dogs.

    Be careful. But take pictures if you do see one please.
  • edited November -1
    That cry is beautiful... do be careful! The foxes around here (north east PA) also have a mange/rabies issue - or so I'm told..
  • edited November -1
    That's pretty scary but super cool. I would've pissed my pants and screamed like a little bitch if I heard that while walking the dog. Be careful though. I don't want to have to come up there to kick some fox ass if they try anything with Tosca.
  • edited November -1
    I think I've mentioned on here before that Nemo and I have run into a fox or two before on our walks. One stalked us a bit, from about 30-40 yards away, then scurried off after a little bit. The other times they just take off as soon as they see me.

    I'm not positive but I think I saw a Coyote yesterday morning. A Coyote in the neighborhood would explain the slaughtered baby deer I came upon one morning last week.

    I think it's interesting that the Fox is trying to mark territory in your yard.

    Those foxes on the trampoline are really cute.
  • edited November -1
    The first morning in the cabin at Big Bear I went outside to call Chris to check on the Shibas (it was about 5:45am California time) and I was standing on the porch and this big dog came walking down the street and then I really looked at it was a Coyote! A HUGE ONE, it was probably about the size of a Husky or Malamute. I wish I had my camera on me.

    He just walked on by, glanced at me and kept walking. It was pretty cool.
  • edited November -1
    Foxes jumping on trampolines are hilarious.

    We do not have too many foxes around here, but we do have coyote. And they are rather brazen, walking around through neighborhoods instead of staying in the rural areas and parks. Just another reason why the pups are rarely outside alone.
  • edited November -1
    The reason I'm not a lot more worried is that I heard that in a sort of suburban setting, if you have resident foxes and a decent bunny/critter population, then you don't have coyote in your immediate area. I wouldn't want Tosca to get into any sort of kerfuffle with either species, but if I had to choose what wildlife I deal with, I'll take Foxy Fox over Wile E. Coyote any day even if they do scare me every once in a while. Tosca, for what it's worth, is taking this security breech very seriously. She's been patrolling all night and has started up again and is still puffing herself up. I played the video of the fox cry and she came out of my bedroom ready for battle and started looking for her opponent.
  • edited November -1
    Tosca looks so cute ready to defend her house.
  • edited November -1
    Your dog can take a fox. The problem is, the fox should know this and not make an issue of it, unless it isn't thinking clearly, for example if it had rabies.
  • edited November -1
    Maybe it had something to defend (like some babies or a fresh catch)
  • edited November -1
    :) Rina!!
    "*munches on popcorn* and on the next episode of "fox" vs fox..."
    you forgot to add
    "Tonight on FOX..."
  • edited July 2009
    Maybe people thinking our pets are foxes is because...







  • edited November -1
    We have foxes/coyotes and it all really. Be careful on your walks and carry a flashlight to scare them off. They do have an extremely high rate of rabies and can act unpredictable at times.

    I'm not sure what could ward the fox off, but you really don't want them marking in your yard. You just never know what they can carry, parasites etc.
  • edited November -1
    Ummm... Did anyone else notice the animal (racoon?) skin behind the fox in that second video??? Creeeeeepy. Makes me wonder if that little red fox might be next. :(
  • edited November -1
    yeah, we had coyotes but luckily i never saw them. be careful!
    and those foxes on the trampoline are SO cute! >_<
  • edited November -1
    I did notice that Casey, but his "pet" fox is actually from an exotic animal breeder who breeds foxes for "pets". He paid a lot of money for Ron the fox and has raised him since a pup (is that the right word?)

    I won't even get into how yucked out I am by people breeding and selling foxes like that.
  • edited November -1
    woow foxes in america really have long legs, perhaps they think shibas are foxes thinking about the european Rotfuchs :) he has shorter legs an and some kind of urajiro as well :)

    love the jumping foxes, hate the foxselling guy, and the dead racoon!!!
  • edited November -1
    A fox update.

    Last night Tosca and I were inside last night and we heard that creepy fox cry again only in sounded "smaller" like a juvenile. I think there's a den somewhere on our property. That might explain the moodiness of the fox we startled. Now I want to see one.
  • edited July 2009
    My grandmother has a foxes in her backyard where her garden used to be, right before the woods start. They lay right outside their den to sunbathe when it's nice out. If she moves around too quickly they scurry back inside. But she always keeps her distance since foxes in daylight are a little suspicious.
  • edited November -1
    I FINALLY SAW A FOX THIS MORNING!

    Tosca really had to go, so I got up early and took her for a walk. We had just left the driveway and turned a corner and about 25 feet away, silhouetted against the very beginnings of a rosy sunrise, was a very well-fed looking fox crossing the road. It stopped and so did we and just watched each other for a minute and then the fox continued across the road, heading for the dense brush behind mine and my neighbors homes. After 12.5 years here, I've finally seen my first local fox.
  • edited November -1
    Thats awesome, and did you totally say to yourself "so, yeah, like no resemblance at all" when looking back at Tosca?
  • edited November -1
    congrats. Real foxes are pretty cool, only half as cool as our "fauxes" though. Glad it was a peacful encounter.
  • edited November -1
    LOL to the "fauxes." I'll have to try and use that in conversation today.
  • edited November -1
    make sure to use air quotes. when using a pathetic pun like that air quote always help.
This discussion has been closed.