Keeping a fighting dog - requesting a behavioural test

If you keep or want to keep a fighting dog, you need a permit to keep a fighting dog.

You do not need the permit if the fighting dog status of your dog is disproved.

In order to disprove the fighting dog status, you must present proof that you have passed a behavioural test.

In the behavioural test, your dog's basic obedience and behaviour in various situations are tested. In addition, the proper requirements for keeping the dog, for example leashes or muzzles, are assessed.

Decisive for passing the test is the behaviour of the dog.

Please note the following:

If your dog passes the behavioural test, the certificate to be issued is limited to the statement that your dog is highly unlikely to be a fighting dog at the time of the test due to the behaviour shown in the test.
If your dog is not older than 15 months at the time of the successfully passed behavioural test, a repeat test is required between the ages of 15 and 18 months.
If your dog proves to be increasingly aggressive and dangerous at a later date despite having passed the behavioural test, then it is irrefutably considered to be a fighting dog.
If your dog has already successfully passed a test in another country and the fighting dog status has been disproved by official findings, you can have your dog exempted from the behavioural test. For details and the requirements for exemption, contact the office responsible for you.

Related forms and processes

Prerequisite

A prerequisite for admission to the behaviour test is effective vaccination against rabies.

Dogs are not admitted to the test,

have already been excluded from a behavioural test due to attempted cheating by the owner,
who have not passed the practical part of a behavioural test,
whose dangerousness has already been proven in another way has already proven its dangerousness in another way.

Responsible department

The local police authority is responsible for the application for the conduct test.

The local police authority is the municipal or city administration in whose district you live.

The district police authority of your main place of residence is responsible for conducting behavioural tests for fighting dogs.

District police authority is,

if you live in a city district: the city administration
if you live in a rural district: the district administration office.

Standard port

Procedure

When you register your dog, you will receive an application form with a survey sheet and instructions for the examination from the competent body. Details on the necessary forms and documents can be obtained from the competent office. The documents are also available for download.

The local police authority checks the registration forms for completeness and registers the dog with its identification. It forwards the owner's registration together with the completed questionnaire for the behavioural test to the competent district police authorityauthority.

The behavioural test shall be carried out by a veterinarian employed in the public service together with an expert officer or a veterinarian employed in the public servicethe behavioural test shall be carried out by a veterinarian employed in the public service together with an expert officer of the police enforcement service. Another competent person may be involved.

Before the start of the behavioural test, the following information is collected:

Name and address of the dog owner
Name of the dog
Date of birth or age, sex and breed or description of mixed breed type
unalterable individual animal identification
other identification or markings, if applicableeichen

The examiners also examine the equipment, e.g. leash, collar, muzzle, and evaluate the behavioural test questionnaire.

The behavioural test covers the following test parts:

Test part 1: Grassand obedience
Test part 2: Tying up the dog and removing the handler from the dog
Test part 3: Behaviour of the dog towards vehicles
Test part 4: Behaviour of the dog towards strangers
Test part 5: Behaviour of the dog Behaviour towards animals
Test part 6: Behaviour in response to acoustic and visual stimuli

Deadlines

varies depending on the municipality

Register your dog for the behavioural test early before it reaches six months of age so that the behavioural test can be carried out in time or you can apply for a permit to keep a fighting dog if you fail the test.

Required documents

Application for examination:

Identity card or passport
completed application form with survey sheet
Proof of rabies vaccination

to the examination date:

Identity card or passport
in some cases: completed survey form

Processing time

varies depending on the municipality

Miscellaneous

It is compulsory for dogs of the regulated breeds or breed types to be kept on a leash on public property. This obligation remains in force even after the certificate of passing the test has been issued.

Appeal

None

Release note

07.07.2023; Innenministerium Baden-Württemberg