Y’all know what my first suggestion is going to be...
Before you go any farther, you and the family should do the SKN Theory course. This is the first of the two mandatory courses, and must be done before you acquire a dog.* No reputable breeder or rescue will allow you to buy or adopt a dog without your SKN Theory certificate, or proof of exception.
Not only is this course a legal requirement, but it will also help you focus on what factors are important to you and your family as you consider what sort of dog will be a good fit for you. The whole point of the SKN Theory is to prepare you for dog ownership in Switzerland - and finding the right dog, one whose instinctive needs and character fits with what you can provide for him, is key to that preparation. Your SKN trainer can help you as you consider what breed is a good fit for your family.
So step 1 - Do the SKN Theory course!
Only the adult(s) in whose name the dog will be listed is required to do the course, but I would suggest doing it with the whole family. The children are old enough to be involved, and the course would benefit everyone. Not all trainers will do it with family members present, but many will.
Do you need suggestions for a trainer? Can you do it in Geman?
You can read more about the SKN courses here:
https://www.blv.admin.ch/blv/de/home...de-halten.html
And here is the database of certified SKN trainers:
http://blv.bytix.com/plus/trainer/
Please read through the whole of the BLV ‘Hunde richtig halten’ site, there is more information that can help you in making your decision.
Next thing I’d like you to read - The BLV has put together a site addressing concerns around purchasing a dog. There is a very dark side to the dog trade here. Switzerland is a target for scammers and puppy mills because here you have the perfect storm of many naive consumers with lots of money to spend. These despicable dog traders, Hundmafia, etc cause so much misery - do not help to line these folks' pockets. It is often not easy for the first time buyer to spot these scammers and Hundemafia, some are very sophisticated in their approach to buyers. And now we are even seeing the same scams and battery farmers pretending to be rescuers, again to open the wallets of naive good hearted people. So please read through the site for background on this awful trade.
The Hundekauf site also details many issues you need to think about in deciding to bring a dog into your life.
http://www.hundekauf.ch/index.html .
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So now that you have done the SKN Theory course, now that you are armed with info to help you avoid the bad actors... what sort of dog?
I am not going to suggest breeds, but rather ask you to focus on what you can give your dog, to help you decide on which dog will best fit in with your family.
Be aware that breed or breed mix is only a starting point. Yes, breeds do tend to exhibit certain traits, they are bred to do so. But there can be a wide variance between individuals within a breed - you will also need to assess the individual for a good fit with the family. And of course there is the ’nature vs nurture’ issue. How you nurture your dog - training, socialization, daily routine, family dynamics, etc. plays a huge role in the development of your dog’s character and relationship with you. Your input is as, and often more, important than the breed.
So maybe you can tell us more about your family routine, what you envision your family routine with the dog will be, what kind of activities you wish to do with your dog, how much time you can realistically give to your dog now and in the future, what your expectations for the dog are. And very important: what are the things that you cannot have in a dog, the deal breakers?
These are things that need to be taken in to account as you look at breed characteristics - but you also must be always keep in mind that the individual character and your ’nurturing’ will have a huge impact. And be prepared to roll with the punches when your XYZ breed turns out nothing like what the book said. (For instance, none of my collies bear the least resemblance to the fictional film star. )
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An important point as you live in canton ZH:
In Zürich, all dogs whose adult size is expected to exceed 45cm or 15kg are classified as List 1, large dogs. These are required to do training courses above and beyond the federally mandated SKN Practical course. The ZH List 1 courses** are in three stages: Puppy (Welpenförderung), Adolescent (Junghund) and Adult (Erwachsene). Each course must be taken at the appropriate age of the dog, for a requisite number of training hours. If you adopt a dog at an older age, you will have to take more hours of the next level class.
You can read more about the ZH List 1 courses here:
http://www.veta.zh.ch/internet/gesun...usbildung.html
The database of List 1 trainers is here - be aware that certification for Welpenförderung and Erwachsene courses might be separate:
http://www.veta.zh.ch/internet/gesun...16_nachOrt.pdf
I am pointing this out in your ‘What breed?” thread because the expected adult size of the dog you choose will trigger the course List 1 classification and training obligation. If you know upfront that you are not willing or able to do the enhanced training, you cannot consider a dog that could possibly fall into the List 1 category, you would have to go with one of the small breeds. A list of the breeds by size type as defined by the canton can be found here - only the ‘Kleinwuchsig’ breeds do not fall into the enhanced training requirement.
http://www.veta.zh.ch/internet/gesun...typ-091130.pdf
A note on individuals: It is possible that an individual of a ’small’ breed might grow large enough to become a List 1 dog. That is the case with my Hooligan. She is a sheltie - and she is 52cm, far larger than the breed standard. Were I to move to canton ZH she would likely be classified as List 1 despite her breed - and I would likely have to do the course. Again when in doubt as to an individual, contact the ZH Veterinäramt for a ruling.
Also please note that 8 breeds are banned in ZH, and any mixed breed whose DNA includes more than 10% of those breeds is banned as well. The grace period for dogs of those breeds/mix already resident in the canton has long since run out - no dogs of those breeds/mixes may move into the canton, and any dog suspected of being of those breeds or a mix with those breeds who is living illegally in the canton might be seized... and possibly ordered euthanized.
More on the ZH List II dog situation in the above VETA link, scroll down to “Weitere Angaben zu Hunden der Rassetypenliste II"
The ‘Kleinwüchsig’ breeds in canton ZH only have to do the federally mandated SKN Practical course, by the way. You have 12 months to get that done. List 1 training replaces the federal SKN in canton Zürich for the larger dogs.
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Another legal issue to be aware of: Cropping of ears and docking of tails is banned at the federal level. No breeder in Switzerland may dock tails or crop ears, it is considered mutilation and rightly forbidden. But if you are considering purchasing or adopting outside of Switzerland, please understand that you cannot now import a dog who is docked or cropped.
There is an exception to this ban for families who move to Switzerland with a long time family pet that is docked or cropped. This exception is only available if you import your family pet at the same time you first move to Switzerland. But this exception is not available to you because you are already resident here.
Some breeders in other countries still practice this awful mutilation - so be aware of this restriction if you are drawn to these breeds.
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So... those are some legal things to think about that might influence your choice of dog breed or type of dog.
To my mind, though, more important is to think about what you can give a dog, what your expectations are - and then look based on that. So a bit more info from you might help up give you better suggestions.
But even more important than that - it’s a decision that should be researched from the ‘head’ but the family member who comes home to you needs to be chosen with your heart.
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Enough of my rambling for now - the Muttley Crew are calling. I’ll be back later with some thoughts on dogs in flats, the question of puppy vs. adult dog, and breeder vs. adoption. But for now the sun is shining and Heffalump says it’s time to step away from the computer and toss him a frisbee.
Welcome to Dogdom, where your time is no longer entirely your own. ;-)
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*For the pedants out there, the SKN Theory course is required of all new dog owners, that is, those who have not had a dog registered in their name in the Swiss federal database, (AMICUS formerly ANIS) prior to 1 Sept 2008. Foreigners who move to Switzerland after that date with their dog must contact the cantonal Veterinäramt for a ruling on whether the SKN Theory course is required in their case, or not. The decision is individual, based on individual records, proof, etc. So if your friend or another EF poster says ‘Well I didn’t have to do it” that does not mean you can assume you too will be excused. You have to contact the Veterinäramt yourself. And as the OP clearly states that he does not have a dog he clearly falls into the category of those who must do the course.
The same applies to the SKN practical class - all dogs acquired after 1 Sept 2008 must do the SKN Practical course within 12 months. Those who acquired the dog before that date but moved to Switzerland after it need to contact the cantonal Veterinäramt for a ruling.
** Again for the pedants: The obligation to do the ZH List 1 course is dependent on the date the dog was acquired - in this case, 31 Dec. 2010. As above, those who move to canton ZH with a dog acquired before that date but arrive after it, contact the Zürich Veterinäramt for a ruling.
For all these dates - please note that it is NOT the date the dog was born, but rather the date you acquired the dog.