The question of whether or not your dog could be considered a restricted breed is one we cannot definitively answer. *
The various BSL cantons follow different practices. ZH famously says 10% DNA, others go by appearance, some using unspecified ‘comparison points’. Bottom line, though, is that none of this matters. If you suspect your dog has some AmStaff in him, as a loving and responsible owner you must rule out living in any of the BSL cantons. Err on the side of caution - as it would be your dogs who pay the price.
So to make it safer for your dogs, let’s just assume that you would fall under restricted status in the BSL cantons and go from there.
Were it me, I would only consider ZG, SZ, SG or LU among the cantons surrounding Zürich. Yes, AG, SH, and TG ‘only’ restrict the listed breeds, GL ‘only’ makes multi dog households jump through some hoops. But honestly - do you really want to live that way? Would your dog lead a decent life under those restrictions? Why put him and you through that when you can live elsewhere?
You may have heard about the cost of housing in ZG and Ausserschwyz. Yes, it’s generally more expensive in those cantons. However - with two dogs who may or may not be crossed with listed breeds you are not going to want to live in a flat anyway - you will want a single family home with private garden. So you are going to need to be looking in that part of the housing market, and honestly, for a single family home commutable to Zürich city the difference isn’t gong to be all that much anyway. If your income is above average you will likely see tax benefit in ZG and Ausserschwyz, (but not much in the rest of SZ.), potentially offsetting some of the cost.
When we have dogs, we have to make their welfare primary consideration in all our plans, pure and simple.
Here is a summary of the dog laws in each canton, compiled by the Tier Im Recht Foundation, with links to the actual text of the laws at the top of each page. If you don’t read German well enough to understand please let us know and we can translate for you.
https://www.tierimrecht.org/de/recht/hunderecht/
If you decide to move into one of the cantons where some sort of Wesenstesting is required for a listed breed, you would be wise to research what the various test would require, start working on these exercises now. For instance, here is the AG test:
https://www.kvak.ch/ausbildung/kvak-hundehalterbrevet
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Is this a corporate relocation? If so, start negotiating with the need for more pricey housing as a bottom line. Additionally, if your company offers housing search assistance as part of the relocation absolutely insist on a relo agent who is dog friendly and knowledgeable about the challenges dog owners face. Many relo agents do not have sufficient understanding or empathy wrt this issue. Do not accept someone who is not well placed to help you find what you need. You or your company are paying a lot for expertise, don’t accept less.
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You should not have trouble at the airport, as there is no federal BSL, only cantonal. I highly doubt you would be questioned, but if you are simply explain that you will be living in canton X.
Were it me, I’d go a step further and use a professional shipping firm to organize your dogs’ travel. One with a good reputation is ACE Pet Moving:
http://www.acepetmoving.com/en/about-us.html
Yes, this will make the travel more expensive. But if this is a corporate move, make this too a negotiation point. And even if not, IMO and IME the extra expense of a good pet shipping pro is money well spent, especially if you have multiple dogs moving at the same time. A professional shipper will organize the paperwork, get your dogs through customs, etc. Peace of mind, IMO and IME.
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Do you need info on the federal paperwork needed to import your dogs into Switzerland and the federal requirements for registration in the national database and with the local community? If so, let us know and we can give you the relevant links. A word of caution though - there is a lot of bad information out there in cyberspace. If you have questions, always go to official sources. Federally that is the BLV:
https://www.blv.admin.ch/blv/en/home...frettchen.html
For matters that are governed by the canton, go to the cantonal Veterinäramt. If you can’t find the right office, ask here, we’ll point you in the right direction.
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One thing that should be said:
Switzerland has strict animal law, both for better (animal welfare) and for worse (BSL). However there is too often rather a large gap between laws on the books and enforcement of those laws. Much depends on local attitudes, local interpretation, and local resources. Some laws in some places by some bureaucrats are enforced strictly, some selectively, some ignored. So as we explain laws to newcomers, you will always find someone claiming ‘but I haven’t done X, Y, or Z and I got away with it, no one cares’. Sure, that does happen, YMMV is pretty much the only constant in Switzerland.
Nonetheless, even if your neighbors are scofflaws do not make the mistake of thinking that it’s OK for you, too, to ignore a law, etiquette, or norm. All it takes is one complaint. I am strongly of the opinion that a responsible dog owner, an owner who loves his dog, obeys all laws - because that is not only the right thing to do, more importantly that is the way to ensure that your dog is kept safe, is able to live a very happy and healthy life in Switzerland. That goes double for anyone who has a dog classified as a restricted breed, you need to be the advocate for your dog, and a good ambassador for his breed/mix at all times. The stakes are higher for listed dogs and their people.
CherryTree has linked the ZH Code of Conduct. Please read this, and read it again and again. While you may end up living in another canton, the principles in that document are applicable everywhere - this details the general expectation of dog owners all over Switzerland.
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And a last suggestion:
Even if not required by your canton, I strongly recommend that all newcomers to Switzerland get involved in formal dog training. Expectations are different here than elsewhere - taking classes with your dog is the easiest way to learn quickly what you need to know to make your life more enjoyable here. Classes are fun for you and your dog - and a chance to meet kindred souls quickly on arrival here.
There are many course options to explore. Obviously if you move to a canton with education requirements for your dog you need to do those specific classes. If your canton does not have those requirements you have more choices.
A new set of courses have recently been introduced, the National Hundehalter Brevet, referenced in an earlier post. The Brevet is made up of two courses, a theory course that discusses general and specific knowledge every dog owner needs to have, and a practical training course covering the basics. If you browse through posts from before 2017 you might see reference to a federal mandatory course, the SKN. The SKN was abolished in Jan 2017, so that mandate no longer applies. The NHB is designed as a voluntary (and more in-depth) replacement for the SKN. I would strongly suggest looking into the NHB, you and your dogs would benefit.
Other formal training options would include something like a Familienhund course, the various sport (just for fun or for serious competition, both are available) or join a dog club. All my dogs do Familienhund their entire lives long, and those who are so inclined do the ‘plausch’ (fun) version of various sports. The dog world is quite active here, you can find pretty much anything that you and your furry friends might want to do.
* Be aware that if your dog is determined not to have sufficient % of a listed breed in the mix, and thus you were able to live in ZH, you would still fall under the List 1 educational requirements. List 1 are all dogs, of any breed or mix, who are over 45cm or 15kg. These are currently under debate in the cantonal parliament, the next discussion is scheduled for 5 March 2018. So the current info on the ZH Veterinäramt applies, but one should keep abreast of the news.
https://veta.zh.ch/internet/gesundhe.../de/hunde.html
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ETA, with a comment about finding a dog sitter with a listed dog:
In general it is not easy to find responsible dog care in Switzerland. There are lots of people who dabble in sitting, certainly, but not many who take it seriously, who can be counted on to keep commitments, who have the skill, knowledge, sense of responsibility needed to do the job. So make finding care a priority when you arrive, well in advance of any holiday travel.
There is a thread running on dog care in ZG; you could start by researching the suggested sitters or care options there. Finding dog care is another reason to get active in a Hundeschule or club; other local dog owners are your best bet for finding a good care option.
All the best to you and your doglets...