You can’t stop instinct, but you can outsmart it. First, watch the tail—if it’s wagging with that evil gleam, grab the leash. Second, keep stinky distractions handy, like a squeaky toy or cheese. (Yes, cheese trumps fox poo in most dogs’ brains, but not all. Some have no taste, pun intended.)
If they do the deed, don’t use tomato juice—that’s an old wives’ tale that just makes your dog smell like a tangy poo. Instead, try a mix of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and dish soap. Or just accept that your dog will smell unforgettable for a week.
The hilarious truth
Here’s what I’ve learned after surviving three such incidents with my own terrier: Dogs don’t care what we think. They are pure, chaotic joy wrapped in fur. Rolling in fox poo is their love letter to wildness, a middle paw to modern life. It’s the equivalent of you doing a belly flop into a pile of free croissants—except the croissants are rancid and everyone is horrified.
So next time your pooch emerges from the bushes wearing a reeking crown of fox dung, take a deep breath (from your mouth, not your nose). Laugh, because they’re having the best day of their life. And remember: in their world, that stench is a badge of honor. You? You’re just the sucker who has to wash the badge off with a garden hose.
