Dogsey

That does sound frightening poor dog glad it seems ok after surgery.

That is VERY scary!

We've holidayed twice now in the Forest of Dean with Tai and Ben ... each time we were warned about the wild boar, although we did not go at this time of year when they have young. Wild boar are extremely intelligent and very vigilant parents and will protect their babies vigorously. I personally would not take a dog through the Forest at this time of year, or at least only in the busier places. You cannot outrun a wild boar, a dog like a spaniel would not be able to. It is all about commonsense and respecting our fellow animals who are living in THEIR territory after all - we are the visitors and should respect their right of domain! Having said that, these poor people must have been terrified and as for the poor dog, it does not bear thinking about.

When we lived in the middle of a huge forrest in Czechland we sometimes met a forrest ranger (complete with his gun) who always warned us to keep away when the wild boar had young with them (That was in the Spring) there were certain areas where they were large numbers and we tended to keep away from them, not just in Spring but all year.

We go to the Forest quite often living not far away.
I love it there and have never seen a boar but know they are around.

We have wild boar in the woods beyond the village that we've sometimes seen crossing the lane we go along to get to town. Fortunately we've always been in the car and have only to slow down to let them cross the road.!

It's just common sense, isn't it. Wild boar are very dangerous if cornered accidentally, even when they are without young. With young they are lethal, so it behoves us humans to respect their territory and be very careful.

We used to go out for night-time walks when staying in the Forest of Dean, and we would make sure that we never went off the main path, that we made plenty of noise and that we carried a very bright torch. The dogs were kept on the lead on these night forays. During the day, we were mainly on our mountain bikes with the dogs attached to OH's bike via a hitching spike, so again we were not going through any deep undergrowth where the boar might be lying up.

I cannot feel anything but sympathy of course for the poor dog and traumatised owners, but neither can I feel any resentment for the boar - we are the intruders in their world.

Reminded of lines from an old folk song I learned as a kid

"There was a wild boar in the Wood
Dillum don dillum
There was a wild boar in the wood
He'd eat men's flesh and drink their blood"

did google and found this
https://maxhunter.missouristate.edu/...on.aspx?ID=288

There's a wild hog in these woods
Kim-a-li-kee, quital-li-quaw
There's a wild hog in those woods
Kim-a-li-kee, quaw
There's a wild hog in those woods
They'll kill ya an' suck your blood
Kim-a-li-kee, quital-li-qee, quaw

VERSE 2
I rode around that wild hog's den
Kim-a-li-kee, quital-li-quaw
Rode around that wild hog's den
Kim-a-li-kee, quaw
Rode around that wild hog's den
Spied th bones of a thousand men
Kim-a-li-kee, quital-li-qee, quaw

I seem to remember a further line about
"rot with the bones of the thousand men" . . .

Pig hunting is not for the faint of heart, and seems to be something like lion hunting to the traditional Maasai in parts of both the US and Australia. Pigs are an invasive species in many parts of the world, and much as I dislike blood sport, wild pigs do need to be managed. . . though they deserve respect in their native habitat . . . but I diverge.