In the 1950s, geneticist Dmitri Belyaev conducted a well-known animal domestication experiment at the Institute of Cytology and Genetics in Novosibirsk, Russia, in which he tamed silver foxes (Vulpes vulpes) by selectively breeding the friendliest ones.

A true domesticated silver fox is only available from Russia. Trying to acquire one can be difficult and can cost up to $10,000. These foxes have a dog-like disposition and very little smell. Some dog behaviors bred into silver foxes included tail-wagging when happy, barking and vocalization, and ear floppiness.

The silver fox domestication study is often lauded as one of the most important long-term studies ever undertaken in biology. Yet in 1959, the very year it commenced, the work came within a hair’s breath of being shut down by the premier of the Soviet Union.

While silver fox is most often used to describe attractive, older men, it can also be used to refer to older women. Attractive older women, especially those who have refused to dye their naturally graying hair, are sometimes called silver vixen, such as Helen Mirren or Jamie Lee Curtis.

Foxes are small members of the family Canidae, which also includes dogs and wolves. Unlike dogs, no foxes in the US have been domesticated. This is because foxes are undomesticated predators, which means they are considered “inherently dangerous” or potentially invasive in most states.

Unlike dogs, no foxes in the US have been domesticated. All species of fox are considered wild animals, including red, gray, arctic, and Fennec foxes. This means that, in the US, the answer to whether you can own a fox is more than likely “no.” Only 15 states allow private individuals to own foxes as pets.

Foxes in captivity can live up to about 14 years. However, in the wild, foxes usually only live a few years.

Fox is a word that has not just one positive anthropomorphized quality, but two: cleverness and attractiveness. A term with a more specific positive connotation is silver fox, generally meaning “an attractive middle-aged man having mostly gray or white hair.” Smoldering look not required.

To be domesticated, animals must meet certain criteria. For example, they must have a good disposition and should not panic under pressure. Zebras’ unpredictable nature and tendency to attack preclude them from being good candidates for domestication.