As we read on the Facebook profile of Nadleśnictwo Bolesławiec:

You probably already know that #KOCHAMPSY….

I have a representative of this species. It is a typical dog of the kind often kept by foresters ;). Meet Frodo, a shih tzu, a lapdog and armchair dog, a connoisseur of sweets and other treats, a fan of the series “How to Train Your Human,” and very often mistaken for a cat (sic).

Looking at him, I cannot imagine that, while in the forest, he would be capable of lunging at forest wildlife.

Are you sure? Could my little, 8-kilogram — all right, 9.5-kilogram — Kulek do it? Really?

But forest wildlife includes not only the doe, which would probably deliver him a mighty kick, but also a frog, a slow worm, a hare, or the helpless fawn of the aforementioned battle-ready doe. And that is wildlife, I would say, within reach of my pet’s tiny teeth.

Could deeply buried remnants of hunting instinct suddenly emerge in my dog when faced with such animals?

They can — oh, they really can, more than you know.

The foresters add:

There is a reason, then, for the rule that dogs may be walked only on a leash or wearing a muzzle.

Because even if my Frodo causes only minor damage (but he would cause some), hunting dogs, crossbreeds and all other larger dogs can frighten, exhaust, injure or even kill wildlife.

So let us be responsible for our beloved dogs, which have been domesticated through evolution, have human families and eat balanced dog food. The forest ceased to be their natural environment long ago.

It is not their fault that they retain more or less of their primitive hunting instinct, and that some of them, unlike Frodo, love chasing things and racing after the unattainable. Frodo and a chase — now that would be a laugh….

And they emphasize:

Our task is to keep our charge safe so that it does not harm wildlife or itself :) WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT.

Even a walk is more relaxing when we do not have to call the dog for the hundredth time or, worse still, start searching for it.

Code of Petty Offenses:

Article 166. Anyone who lets a dog run loose in the forest, except in activities related to hunting, is subject to a fine or a reprimand.

Foresters on dogs in the forest