Deter urban foxes

[hel_is_heaven]

Now don't get me wrong, I do like wildlife, however the foxes are getting on my last nerve. I don't even mind the poo (we have a dog who does it much worse) but the screeching, fighting, and scrabbling over the fences are just killing me.
They wake me up at 4am almost every night, and I can't get back to sleep sometimes at all after they have woken me up, not their fault I know.
There must be something that would help just to deter them somewhat? They are not shy creatures the urban foxes. I have a big dog who leaves his mark all over our garden but that doesnt stop them. I have even tried putting our floodlights on during the night (feel terrible about the neighbours) but it doesn't make any difference.
I have heard that lion dung might deter them, but then it has also been suggested that it wouldn't work because foxes have never met lions in this country so won't associate it with something to be scared of.
I don't want to kill them, I just want to restrict their "usage" of my garden!
I know there are some posts similar to this in the forum, but I couldn't find anything quite the same.
Any ideas would be most welcome.
Thanks.
Helen

[Dogghound]

Other than enclosing your garden no. In your situation I would be glad to be woken up by foxes. This behaviour is unlikely to go on all year round, so for now I would plug my ears or close the window.

[Gaina]

There's a plant you can get from garden centres now known as 'Scaredy Cat Plant' or Coleus canina.

Not sure how impressed your dog might be with it mind you, but it is supposed to deter foxes.

[Words]

Helen, The Fox Project give advice on deterrence. Check the home page and a link there to more details. It's difficult to make a garden fully fox-proof (if a cat can get in, so can a fox), but make sure there's nothing attractive to them if possible. Their movements tend to alter during the year, so if the noise is recent it may quieten down again.