September 18, 2025, 11:46 am | Read time: 8 minutes
Germany is known as a nation of dog lovers–but not every major city makes it easy for owners and their four-legged friends. From dog taxes to strict leash laws and public transport rules, regulations vary significantly depending on where you live. We examined the ten largest cities and other major cities from each state, creating a comprehensive ranking based on ten criteria. In the extensive PETBOOK ranking, we not only identify the least dog-friendly major city but also provide owners with criteria to evaluate their own location.
Our Criteria
Each city could score a maximum of 100 points. The criteria were:
- Dog exercise areas, off-leash areas, playgrounds, beaches, and swimming spots–number per square kilometer and district, ensuring dogs have enough exercise and variety.
- Public transport rules–ticket requirements, conditions, and muzzle regulations in local transit.
- General muzzle requirement–only for listed dogs vs. a general requirement for many dogs.
- Leash laws–whether they apply generally or only in specific areas/seasons.
- Dog tax–amount for the first dog.
- Dog tax–amount for the second dog.
- Dog laws–strictness and transparency of regulations.
- “Dangerous dogs” / breed lists–0 points for the strictest lists with prejudgment based solely on breed, 10 points for cities without.
- Forest and hunting laws–seasonal or general special regulations, right to kill for hunters.
- Veterinarians–density of practices, clinics, and emergency services per km² as an indicator of medical care.
Why We Chose These Criteria
We deliberately chose the dog tax as a criterion–for which we consulted the ranking from “Hundemagazin.com,”–and included public transport ticket prices in the evaluation. These costs reduce the household budget of dog owners and consume resources that could otherwise be used for food, care, or veterinary services.
Especially for people with low incomes, a high tax or additional ticket requirement can be the deciding factor in whether they can afford a dog at all. This affects not only private purchases but could also lead to fewer dogs being adopted from shelters because owners must shy away from ongoing costs.
In cities with strict leash laws in certain areas, it is also important that dog-friendly exercise areas are easily accessible, diverse, and available in sufficient numbers. Veterinary care must also be available, ideally with on-call veterinarians, clinics, and emergency services. For this data, we used online mapping services and related it to the square kilometers of the city.
There were also significant point deductions for strict and outdated dog laws, especially for the blanket condemnation of certain breeds. For each breed listed without proven danger, we deducted a point, so Hamburg (13 breeds) and Munich or Bavaria in general (19 breeds) received 0 points here.
The Most Dog-Friendly Major Cities: Places 1–3
Let’s first look at which cities stood out positively in our study and offer a high quality of life for dogs and their owners.
Place 1–Leipzig
Leipzig is the most dog-friendly major city in Germany among those examined in the PETBOOK ranking. The moderate dog tax (14 out of 20 points for the first and second dog) and the forest and hunting laws, which received the highest rating (10 points), are particularly positive. Here, there is no explicit leash requirement; instead, a basis of trust is considered. The density of veterinarians is also high (8.5 points), so owners can quickly find medical help in an emergency.
However, there are deductions for exercise areas: With 3.3 points, the offer per square kilometer is rather limited. The muzzle regulations also weigh in–with only 5 points, they are in the middle range. Rigid dog laws and breed lists still exist, which costs additional points. In total, Leipzig scores 67.8 points, landing it in first place in our ranking–a city that offers attractive conditions for many dog owners but could improve in off-leash areas.
Place 2–Kiel
Kiel surprises as the second most dog-friendly city in the ranking. The public transport regulation is particularly noteworthy: With a Germany ticket or subscription, dogs travel for free–earning the highest score of 10 points. The exercise areas are relatively densely distributed (9.9 points), and the density of veterinarians is solid (5.3 points).
In other categories, Kiel scores average: Leash laws (5 points), muzzle regulation (6 points), breed lists (6 points), and dog laws (6 points) are all in the middle range. However, there are deductions for the forest and hunting law, which has strict requirements (4 points), and the relatively high dog tax–though a lot is offered for the dogs here.
With a total of 62.9 points, Kiel reaches second place and shows that clear public transport regulations and good infrastructure can be crucial for dog owners–even if there is still room for improvement in tax and legislation.
Also interesting: These breeds are considered listed dogs in Germany
Place 3–Frankfurt am Main
Frankfurt secures third place in the ranking. There are plus points, especially for the dog tax and exercise areas: With 9.4 points, the city shows an above-average supply density, allowing dogs plenty of freedom of movement. The density of veterinarians (6.5 points) and the evaluation of the forest and hunting law (7 points) are also strong.
However, in public transport, Frankfurt scores only 3 points, one of the lowest values: For larger dogs, a ticket at the full adult price must be purchased–one of the most expensive rates nationwide. The city also scores poorly on breed lists (only 1 point), as certain dog breeds are generally classified as dangerous in Hesse.
Overall, Frankfurt scores 62.7 points, completing the top 3–a city with plenty of space for dogs but costly pitfalls in public transport and taxes.
Least Dog-Friendly Major Cities
Now, the three cities that unfortunately did not impress in the PETBOOK ranking for the least dog-friendly major city and received the fewest points.
Third Last Place: Dortmund
Like all cities in North Rhine-Westphalia, Dortmund lost some points due to the state dog law. Significant deductions for leash laws, muzzle requirements, dangerous dog rules, and the absurdly high potential fines of 100,000 euros are notable. The differences in the ranking of NRW cities are mainly due to costs and infrastructure.
In Dortmund, the dog tax is relatively high and noticeably burdens dog households. The city also scores poorly in exercise areas (3.1 points)–open spaces are scarce relative to the city’s size. Additionally, the density of veterinarians is only moderate (3.9 points), meaning longer distances to medical care may be necessary in an emergency.
With a total of 37.9 points, Dortmund lands in third last place. Compared to other Ruhr area cities, it shows that not the law but mainly the high tax burden and dog-unfriendly infrastructure make Dortmund less attractive for dog owners.
Second Last Place: Essen
The strict NRW state dog law also applies in Essen. Differences compared to neighboring cities are mainly in tax, exercise opportunities, and care. The dog tax rates are not favorable for owners. Additionally, the density of veterinarians is also rather weak. With a total of 35 points, Essen is the second least friendly city in the ranking.
The Least Dog-Friendly Major City in Germany
With a total of 33 points, Hamburg is the absolute bottom in the PETBOOK ranking and has become the least dog-friendly major city in Germany. The main reason is the Hamburg dog law: It is considered one of the strictest in the country and leads to massive point losses. Breed lists with numerous dog breeds (0 points) and extremely restrictive dog legislation (0 points) make the Hanseatic city a challenging place for dog owners.
The general leash requirement is also uncompromising (0 points): Dogs must be leashed almost everywhere–off-leash is the exception unless you have a listed dog. That dog must also wear a muzzle and leash even in dog parks.
In public transport, a clear ticket and muzzle requirement apply, and larger dogs must pay. With only 1 point, the density of veterinarians relative to the city’s size is also weak. Full points are given for the dog tax for the first and second dog (10 points), but these positive aspects cannot save the overall picture. Above all, a complicated, restrictive dog law, tight regulations, and few free spaces make the Hanseatic city one of the least attractive places for dogs in Germany.
Leash Requirement for Dogs in Bremen: Rules for 2026
When Every Dog Needs a Muzzle
Highlights and Lowlights from the Midfield
In the broad midfield of the ranking, many cities have a mixed record. Rostock, Potsdam, and Hanover stand out positively: They are in states that no longer maintain blanket breed lists and rely on modern dog laws that focus more on the behavior of individual animals–earning full points.
Quite different is Munich: Here, there are 0 points in many categories due to dog laws, as Bavaria has the longest list in Germany with 19 breeds and makes particularly strict regulations. Listed dogs are not even allowed on public transport. Despite high tax points and a good density of veterinarians, Munich lands in the lower part of the ranking. Mainz also stands out negatively. With only 43.7 points, the city is far behind, mainly due to the highest dog tax in the cities considered, which financially burdens dog households.
Overall, the midfield shows: While some cities score with modern laws, others fail due to high costs or outdated regulations–the balance of fair rules, good infrastructure, and affordable dog ownership is crucial.