With its diverse landscapes—from Lake Constance to the Churfirsten—the canton of St. Gallen offers ideal conditions for hiking with dogs. We lived there for two years and loved it. Compared to other cantons, St. Gallen is very liberal: there are no cantonal breed lists and no general leash requirement in the forest. Nevertheless, the canton relies on dog owners to exercise a high degree of personal responsibility, especially in designated protected areas and when interacting with farm animals.
An overview of the regulations
| Topic | Regelung im Kanton St. Gallen |
| Leash requirement | There is no general cantonal requirement in forests or on hiking trails. However, you must keep your dog under control at all times (Art. 6 of the dog law – website available in German). Important note regarding wildlife quiet zones: In the canton of St. Gallen, wildlife quiet zones and protected areas are marked. Please note that violations of the right-of-way rule or the leash requirement in these zones will be consistently fined. Check wildruhezonen.ch in advance (website available in German, French and Italian) |
| Public transportation | No special cantonal provisions. The regulations of the transport companies (e.g., SBB/mountain railways) apply. In accordance with Art. 9 (1) (d) of the Dog Act (HuG), dogs must be kept on a leash at all times when using public transport, or while at train stations and stops. |
| List of restricted breeds | No. There is no list of restricted breeds in the canton of St. Gallen, and no breeds are prohibited. |
| Muzzle | No general requirement for dogs accompanying tourists. |
| Cows | No cantonal GIS maps. Follow local signage and the recommendations of Mutterkuh Schweiz (website available in German, French and Italian). |
| Livestock protection | The areas of operation are shown on the central map at herdenschutzschweiz.ch. |
| Tourist tax (dogs) | No registration requirement or tax for short-term visitors. |
Data sources:
- Dog Laws & Supervision: Office for Consumer Protection and Veterinary Affairs (AVSV) St. Gallen – available in German
- Agriculture & Pastures: Agricultural Office of the Canton of St. Gallen (available in German), as well as additional information from Mutterkuh Schweiz – available in German, French, Italian
- Hunting & Wildlife Protection: Office for Nature, Hunting, and Fisheries (ANJF) St. Gallen – available in German
- Maps: wildruhezonen.ch (wildlife protection – available in German, French, Italian) and herdenschutzschweiz.ch (livestock protection)
Blog posts about the St. Gallen region
A dog-friendly hiking paradise: rules for the canton of St. Gallen
St. Gallen is considered a very dog-friendly canton. Find out everything you need to know about leash laws, why there are no breed-specific restrictions, and how to behave properly in the wildlife protection zones between Lake Constance and the Churfirsten.
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