The canton of St. Gallen stretches from the shores of Lake Constance to the striking peaks of the Churfirsten and offers hikers with dogs a tremendous variety of options. St. Gallen is an extremely liberal canton that places a strong emphasis on dog owners taking personal responsibility. To ensure your trip between the Alpstein and the Rhine Valley goes smoothly, I’ve summarized the most important rules.
Leash requirement and enforcement in the wild
A major advantage for hikers in the canton of St. Gallen: There is no general cantonal leash requirement in the forest, not even during the spring breeding season. However, this does not mean you have a free pass. According to Article 6 of the cantonal dog law, you must ensure at all times that your dog does not endanger or disturb people or animals. The dog must be under your control at all times and may not roam unsupervised in public areas. This information comes from the Office for Consumer Protection and Veterinary Affairs (AVSV) in St. Gallen (website only in German).
Strict rules in wildlife quiet zones
Even though the forest often feels like a place of freedom, that freedom ends at the boundaries of designated protected areas. The Office for Nature, Hunting, and Fishing (ANJF) expressly points out that wildlife quiet zones and other protected areas are clearly marked on-site (website only in German). In these areas, you must stay on designated paths and keep your dog on a leash at all times. Important to know: Violations are consistently penalized. Use the wildruhezonen.ch portal to plan your route and avoid protected areas in advance (map only available in German, French and Italian).
No breed-specific bans in the canton
For many dog owners, St. Gallen is a particularly attractive destination, as the canton does not maintain a list of restricted breeds. There are no bans or special requirements for certain dog breeds, as is the case, for example, in the neighboring canton of Valais. There is also no general muzzling requirement for dogs traveling with tourists, provided that the respective transportation provider (e.g., mountain railways or buses) does not impose its own rules.
Agriculture and livestock protection
In the St. Gallen Alps, you’ll often come across grazing livestock. There are no up-to-date cantonal GIS maps showing where cow pastures are located. Farmers are responsible for posting signs on-site. Be considerate during your hikes and, if possible, give pastures with cows a wide berth. When near livestock, it’s best to keep your dog on a short leash at all times. More information is available at mutterkuh.ch (website only available in German, French and Italian).
Additionally, St. Gallen is an area where livestock guard dogs are used. Before every hike in alpine terrain, you should check the interactive map at herdenschutzschweiz.ch to proactively plan for or avoid encounters with guard dogs.
My conclusion: freedom requires responsibility
St. Gallen is an extremely dog-friendly canton for hikers with dogs. The absence of lists of restricted breeds and a general leash requirement in the forest is a privilege. To ensure this remains the case, it is our duty as dog owners to strictly respect wildlife quiet zones and keep our dogs under control at all times, even when off-leash.
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