Legal Requirements and Registration
Before Moving In: Check your tenancy agreement to see if dogs are allowed. Not all landlords permit pets. If you own the property, this point does not apply. For rental agreements: speak openly with your landlord. An unregistered dog can lead to eviction.
Registration with the relevant authority: In Germany, the dog must be registered with the municipality or in the animal register. Costs: 15 to 200 euros, depending on the city. Registration is legally required. The registration number should be noted down in case the dog goes missing.
Microchip: The puppy should already be chipped by the breeder. The chip number must be registered online (e.g., with Tasso.net in Germany, free of charge). With contact details stored, the dog can be returned if lost.
Insurance
Liability insurance is mandatory in numerous federal states and cantons, and recommended elsewhere. Costs: 100 to 200 euros per year. It covers damage caused by the dog (e.g., scratched scooter, fallen pedestrian).
Health insurance is optional. Costs: 50 to 150 euros per month. It covers vet costs in case of illness and accidents. Advantage: predictability. Disadvantage: waiting periods (often 30 days), exclusions for pre-existing conditions, ongoing costs even without vet visits. With a reserve of 2000 euros, insurance is less urgent. If your budget is tight, it can make sense.
Finding a Vet
Before the puppy moves in: find a vet nearby. Ask about opening hours, emergency numbers, and costs for standard examinations. Some practices specialise in puppies, others less so. A personal visit beforehand is helpful.
The vet should offer the following services: standard examination (50 to 100 euros), vaccinations (30 to 50 euros per vaccination), deworming (10 to 30 euros). In the first year, the puppy needs at least three vaccination appointments (primary immunisation), followed by annual boosters. Budget 200 to 300 euros for the vaccination routine in the first year.
Securing Your Home
Puppies explore their environment with their mouths. Everything on the floor will be chewed. Remove: electrical cables (risk of suffocation, electric shock), medication (poisoning), cleaning products and chemicals, small objects (buttons, toy parts, coins), poisonous plants (including Dieffenbachia, holly).
Room Division: One or two rooms are enough for the puppy. The entire apartment can be overwhelming. The puppy needs a retreat, e.g., a crate or a separated area. The crate offers security and structure, not a prison. A puppy running around everywhere finds it harder to rest.
Garden (if available): Secure all gaps in the fence. Puppies are small and slender, fitting through openings that are too narrow for adult dogs. Remove poisonous plants (yew, laburnum, some mushrooms). Store fertiliser and chemicals out of reach.
Costs of Puppy Preparation
Initial Purchases: food and water bowls (30 to 50 euros), leash, collar or harness (30 to 60 euros), dog bed (50 to 150 euros), robust toys (30 to 80 euros), food (buy the same food from the breeder or change slowly, 30 to 50 euros per month). Total: 200 to 400 euros before moving in.
Time Budget: Puppies require a lot of care in the first weeks and should not be left alone for long periods. Being left alone must be built up step by step and does not happen overnight. In addition, young dogs need to go outside regularly, especially after sleeping, playing, or eating. If you work, you should consider before the puppy moves in how care can be ensured in the first months. Support from family, friends, or a suitable care solution can be helpful here. If you work 8 hours and no one looks after the puppy, you risk messiness and stress for the dog.
Planning Holidays
The first two weeks after arrival, the puppy should be with you at home. Not on holiday, not with family. Holidays in the first year should be planned sparingly.
When away: A young puppy cannot go in an airplane (stress, long transport crate times). The puppy needs local care: family, friends, or a dog sitter. Dog kennels cost 30 to 60 euros per day and are stressful for young dogs. If you travel a lot, you should reconsider the timing for getting a puppy.
Preparing Your Family
Children must understand: a puppy is not a toy. Pulling ears hurts. The puppy can bite if it is in pain. Babies and toddlers should never be left unsupervised with the puppy. A puppy can accidentally bump into or knock over a baby.
With older children: practise commands like “sit” together. The dog learns through structure, children learn responsibility. This is work, not automatic friendship.