Red foxes adapt readily to the presence of humans. Dens are usually in the side of a slope, but may be found in the middle of a field, under a log, or even under a deck or garden shed.
The kits are full grown by their first fall when they disperse from their parents. Red foxes mate in mid to late winter, and four-to-seven kits are born in March or April. Red foxes are primarily nocturnal, but may be active during the day.
The red fox was well established in Virginia by about the early 1800s. The English foxes interbred with red foxes and spread south from Pennsylvania. They began to displace the native gray foxes as forest (which is favored by gray foxes) was cleared for farmland. English foxes were brought here and released for fox hunting. Adult red foxes weigh from 9-to-12 pounds.Īlthough native to North America, the red fox was not found in Virginia before European settlers arrived. They can be differentiated from their gray cousins in several ways - their tail is tipped white, they are usually a little larger, and they use more open habitats. However, they may have a lot of gray mixed into their fur or may be in a “gray phase” during which they can be a charcoal color. They are generally reddish in color with a fluffy tail. This should help them get accustomed to the sounds, movements, and smells of the wild, and maybe even kick-start some of their survival mode.Widespread in North America, Europe and Asia, the red fox is the most commonly seen wild dog in Fairfax County. Spending time outside with your dog to get them accustomed and comfortable with nature would be beneficial as well.
You can do this by learning how to train your dog to help you hunt. Instead, you'd need to train your pup to eat certain plants, bugs, and hunt down small game like rabbits, mice, and squirrels. That being said, there are things you can teach your dog (in moderation) that could help them adapt better to the wilderness should they ever escape.įor example, if you were hypothetically going to train your dog to live in the wild, the human commands you've taught them (i.e., sit, stay, lay down) would be no use to them. The neat thing about dogs is that, no matter how domesticated, they'll likely have some semblance of instinct left in them, so if your domesticated dog was ever left out in the wild, it's possible that they'd be able to adapt and learn how to survive.
Territory is huge in the wild, and if your dog knows how to mark his or her territory, they might be on the right path for wildlife living.Īdditionally, if your dog has a habit of burying bones, toys, or other prizes for future use, that's also a good indicator that they're equipped for the wild (like their ancestors). If your dog is territorial - or has a habit of marking trees, rocks, fence posts, and other sites - this is another huge indicator that they'd be good at surviving in the wild. Their incredible sense of smell is another tell-tale sign that doggos could live in the wild, as well as their amazing sense of hearing.
If you're wondering what semblance of instinct is left in your dog and how you can tell if they'd be well-equipped and prepared to live in the wild, you'll need to be on the look-out for a few behavioral signs from your dog.įor example, if your pup is able to detect small bugs, rodents, or other teeny animals pretty well, it's likely that your pup is good at detecting and hunting down food, a sign of their ancestors.