If you have a dog, or are thinking of getting one, then you will need to learn about the Hundeführerschein. It isn't a license to allow your dog to chauffeur you around, but simply a dog owner's license. However, as you may have already experienced, in Germany this is not as simple as one might think. Unlike in the US (let me know if this is different in other states), where a dog license is a very simple registration process, in Germany you really have to go through a test.
The license certifies that you, the person walking the dog, are certified for this complex activity. The test is to see if you understand how to handle your dog in every day situations and to ensure that your dog won't endanger other people or dogs. The license is required by the owner and also anyone else who wants to walk your dog.
The test takes about 2 1/2 hours and is comprised of a practical and theoretical test. In the practical test, you will be exposed to every day situations. In the theoretical part, you will answer forty questions about handling and caring for your dog.
Additionally, you should consider having a tracking chip implanted in your dog by a veterinarian. In some parts of Germany, this is a legal requirement, but it may become a national requirement. The chip allows dogs that are found stray to be identified and connected with their owners. This became a big issue a while back when a small boy was killed by a dog. Now it may be that dogs found without chips will be put down.
Implanting a chip costs about 35 Euros and has no negative effects on the dog. The chip itself is about the size of a grain of rice and sits neutral in the body.
UPDATE:
Martina added a good point of clarification. The license is only required for owner's of certain types of dogs. This is intended to reduce the potential danger that certain dogs can pose.
