Leash rules in Germany: all federal states compared
Where do dogs have to be on a leash? This page puts all 16 federal states of Germany side by side: 15 of 16 are sourced from official sources, the latest check was on 29 October 2026.
Leash rules by federal state
| Federal state | Summary | Source | Checked on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baden-Württemberg | Dangerous dogs | Official source | checked on 28 October 2026 |
| Bavaria | Set by the municipality | Official source | checked on 28 October 2026 |
| Berlin | General | Official source | checked on 28 October 2026 |
| Brandenburg | At certain places, dangerous dogs | Official source | checked on 28 October 2026 |
| Bremen | At certain places, dangerous dogs | Official source | checked on 28 October 2026 |
| Hamburg | General | Official source | checked on 28 October 2026 |
| Hesse | Dangerous dogs, at certain places, set by the municipality | Official source | checked on 29 October 2026 |
| Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | At certain places, dangerous dogs, set by the municipality | Official source | checked on 29 October 2026 |
| Lower Saxony | being checked | Official source | checked on 28 October 2026 |
| North Rhine-Westphalia | At certain places, large dogs | Official source | checked on 28 October 2026 |
| Rhineland-Palatinate | Dangerous dogs | Official source | checked on 28 October 2026 |
| Saarland | Dangerous dogs | Official source | checked on 28 October 2026 |
| Saxony | Dangerous dogs | Official source | checked on 28 October 2026 |
| Saxony-Anhalt | Dangerous dogs, set by the municipality | Official source | checked on 29 October 2026 |
| Schleswig-Holstein | At certain places | Official source | checked on 28 October 2026 |
| Thuringia | Dangerous dogs | Official source | checked on 28 October 2026 |
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No guarantee
As of: 29 October 2026. The official text alone is authoritative. Source and date checked per row.
Not legal advice. We summarise the rules in plain language. This is a guide and does not replace information from the competent authority.
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