Basel-Stadt

With the partial revision of the dog law (§ 2a Hundegesetz BS), a training obligation for first-time dog owners was introduced on 1 April 2025. Anyone keeping a dog for the first time must complete 8 practical lessons of the «Basic Course Human & Dog Basel-Stadt» within one year of taking on the animal. The course includes theoretical elements but concludes without an exam. The course content was specially designed by VKAS for Basel-Stadt; instructors must hold a qualification as an NHB specialist. Anyone who has previously owned a dog is exempt — proof is primarily via the AMICUS database or dog tax payments.

In addition to the federal regulations (AniPO, Art. 71 ff.), the following cantonal obligations apply in Basel-Stadt to all dog owners:

Tax exemptions & reductions

Those receiving social assistance or supplementary benefits receive a 70% reduction on dog tax (first dog in household only). Anyone who successfully completes a recognised training course (incl. NHB exam) with their dog can claim a one-time 50% refund of the annual tax — provided the course was not ordered as an administrative measure (§ 11 Hundeverordnung BS). The Basic Course Human & Dog does not qualify for this tax reduction; the full NHB exam is required.

The course integrates theory and practice across 8 lessons. The sequence must be followed as the content builds on itself. The 8 lessons can be completed with different VKAS-certified instructors, although changing is not recommended. Dogs must be at least 4 months old at the start of the course and should already know their name, be able to walk a little on a leash and be familiar with collar/harness.

1. 1

   Leash walking & everyday control

   Leading the dog calmly on the leash on busy streets, in restaurants and on public transport — in accordance with the legal leash obligations in Basel-Stadt.

2. 2

   Recall, basic commands & subordination

   Reliable recall even when distracted, sit and stay — essential for off-leash areas and for handling potentially dangerous situations in urban space.

3. 3

   Socialisation & urban tolerance

   Calm behaviour with urban stimuli: trams, bicycles, playgrounds, other dogs and people — especially important in a dense urban canton like Basel-Stadt for stress-free walks.

4. 4

   Dog ownership & law in Basel-Stadt

   Theoretical elements in the course cover leash obligation and dog ban rules, registration requirements, hygiene obligations (waste collection) and basics on potentially dangerous dogs (pgH) and authorisation procedures.

In the canton of Basel-Stadt, no dog breeds are banned, but 8 breeds as well as their crosses and visually similar dogs are considered potentially dangerous (pgH) and require a keeping permit from the veterinary office before acquisition (§ 8–9 Hundegesetz BS, RRB 365.101):

Conditions for keeping a pgH

No other dog may be kept in the same household in addition to the pgH. The permit must be in place before acquisition. Litters of pgH puppies must be reported within 10 days; they may only be given to already-authorised persons. Anyone who does not meet the permit requirements may neither keep nor walk the pgH. Out-of-canton list dogs are subject to a leash obligation in public spaces in Basel-Stadt. Applicants without prior dog ownership experience are generally not eligible for a pgH permit (§ 9 Hundegesetz BS).