Let’s start with the obvious: Australians generally do not enjoy being told to sit a test.
We already have driving tests, tax file numbers, council forms, parking signs written like riddles, and at least one online portal per government department that appears to have been designed during a lunch break in 2007.
So, the idea of making new dog owners pass a written test before bringing home a puppy may sound, at first glance, very un-Australian.
But then again, we also live in a country where someone can bring home a high-drive working breed, three chew toys, a retractable lead, and absolutely no plan.
So perhaps Germany is onto something.
First, what is Germany actually doing?
A small but important correction: Germany does not have one single national law that suddenly requires every dog owner in the country to pass a written exam.
Instead, dog ownership rules vary by state and city. Bremen introduced a compulsory dog licence requirement from 1 July 2026 for people acquiring a dog. The theoretical test must be completed before taking on the dog, and the practical test must be completed within the first year.
Lower Saxony in Germany, has had a similar system for much longer. There, dog owners are required to complete a theoretical exam before taking on a dog and a practical exam within the first year of ownership.
In other words, it is less “Germany has gone full clipboard” and more “some parts of Germany expect people to know what they are doing before taking responsibility for a living, feeling, barking, chewing, poo-producing family member.”
Which, when you put it like that, sounds less outrageous.
The case for a dog-owner test
At Spitz Groom, we meet many beautiful, loving, well-intentioned dog owners.
We also meet plenty of people who were never properly taught the basics.
Not because they do not care. Most people care deeply. They just do not know what they do not know.
A basic dog-owner education test could help people understand:
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Why early socialisation is not the same as “let every dog jump on your puppy at the park”
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Why grooming is not just cosmetic
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Why overgrown nails can affect comfort and movement
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Why matting is painful, not “just fluffy”
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Why retractable leads in busy streets are basically spaghetti with consequences
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Why dogs need sleep, structure, handling confidence, enrichment and safe boundaries
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Why “he’s friendly!” is not a recall cue
Australia has a lot of dogs. The 2025 Pets in Australia report estimated there were 7.3 million dogs in Australia, with dogs living in around 49% of households.
That is a lot of Labradors, Groodles, Staffies, Cavoodles, Dachshunds, German Spitz, Border Collies and tiny white fluff-clouds named Mochi.
And when there are that many dogs living alongside humans, education matters.
This is not about blaming owners
A written test should not be about shaming people.
It should not be a smug little quiz designed by someone who thinks every dog should heel perfectly while ignoring a roast chicken on the footpath.
It should be practical, accessible and genuinely useful.
Good dog ownership is not about being perfect. It is about being prepared.
Most problems do not start because someone is “bad” at owning a dog. They start because no one explained the basics early enough.
For example, many owners only learn about grooming when there is already a problem. A puppy misses early grooming introductions, becomes frightened of brushing, starts resisting handling, develops matting, and then everyone is stressed: dog, owner and groomer.
At that point, the solution is no longer “just give them a haircut.”
It becomes a welfare conversation.
A better-informed owner may have booked early puppy familiarisation, introduced brushing gradually, practised calm handling at home, and understood that grooming confidence is a life skill — not a luxury spa day with a bow at the end.
Although, for the record, we do love a tasteful bow.
Australia already has some responsible ownership rules
Here in Victoria, dogs aged three months and over must be registered with the local council, and first-time registration requires microchipping. Existing registrations must be renewed annually by 10 April.
Victoria also already offers a Responsible Dog Ownership Course covering legal responsibilities, dog welfare and management, behaviour, training and tests.
So, the foundations are there.
The real question is whether education should remain optional, or whether we should expect new owners to complete some form of basic learning before they bring home a dog.
And honestly?
There is a pretty strong argument that we should.
Because dogs are not plug-and-play
A dog is not an accessory.
A dog is not a lifestyle purchase.
A dog is not a furry sidekick who automatically arrives toilet-trained, emotionally regulated, cafe-ready and able to tolerate the hairdryer because you bought a cute brush from a boutique pet shop.
Dogs are complex animals.
They have needs. They have boundaries. They have fears. They have breed traits. They have teeth. They have feelings. Sometimes they have anal glands.
Responsible dog ownership requires more than love.
Love is essential but love alone does not teach a puppy how to cope with being handled. Love does not prevent separation anxiety. Love does not remove painful matting. Love does not explain body language, safe greetings or why a tired puppy turns into a land shark at 7:14pm.
Education does.
The public safety argument is real too
Dog-related injuries are not just a theoretical concern. In 2024–25, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reported 9,920 hospitalisations from dog bites, making dog bites the leading cause of injury hospitalisation in the “contact with people, plants and animals” category.
That does not mean dogs are bad.
It means humans need better education.
Many bite incidents involve stress, fear, poor management, misunderstood body language, lack of supervision, inappropriate greetings, resource guarding, pain, or people assuming a wagging tail means “please let a stranger’s toddler hug me.”
A written test will not solve everything.
But if it helps even some owners recognise stress signals, manage dogs safely in public, and understand that “friendly” does not mean “entitled to everyone’s personal space,” that is worth taking seriously.
But let’s not make it ridiculous
Here is where Australia needs to be careful.
A dog-owner test could be useful.
A badly designed dog-owner test could become another expensive, confusing barrier that punishes responsible people and misses the point entirely.
If Australia adopted a Germany-style approach, it should be:
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Affordable
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Online and accessible
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Available in multiple languages
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Practical rather than overly academic
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Focused on welfare, safety and real-life ownership
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Supportive, not punitive
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Paired with better breeder, rescue, council, vet, trainer and groomer education
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Designed with input from animal welfare experts, behaviour professionals, veterinarians, ethical groomers and responsible breeders
Because the goal should not be to create a nation of anxious dog owners clutching certificates.
The goal should be better-prepared people and safer, happier dogs.
What should be in the test?
If Spitz Groom had a say, the test would include the basics every new owner should understand before bringing home a dog.
Topics might include:
Dog body language
Can you recognise stress before the growl? Can you tell the difference between excitement, fear, appeasement and overwhelm?
Handling and consent
Does your dog feel safe having their paws, ears, face and body touched? Do you know how to build that confidence gradually?
Grooming needs
Do you understand your dog’s coat type? Do you know how often they need brushing, nail care, bathing or professional grooming?
Public etiquette
Do you understand leash manners, recall, dog park risks and why not every dog wants to “say hi”?
Puppy development
Do you know that early socialisation should be gentle, controlled and positive — not chaotic exposure to every dog, person, tram, bin and leaf in Melbourne?
Health and welfare
Can you identify when your dog may be in pain, overheating, fearful, under-stimulated or over-tired?
Legal responsibilities
Do you understand registration, microchipping, confinement, nuisance barking, dog attacks and local council requirements?
And, ideally, one bonus question:
Your dog has rolled in something mysterious five minutes before guests arrive. Do you:
A. Panic
B. Google “dog smells like death but emotionally”
C. Call your groomer immediately
D. Accept that dog ownership is a humbling spiritual journey
Correct answer: probably all of the above.
So, should Australia adopt it?
Our answer?
Yes, but sensibly.
Australia should not rush into a heavy-handed system that makes dog ownership feel like applying for a mortgage with paws.
But we absolutely should take dog-owner education more seriously.
A mandatory basic education course for first-time dog owners could be a good thing if it is done properly. Not as a punishment. Not as a bureaucratic hoop. Not as a way to make people feel foolish.
As a public good.
Because when owners understand dogs better, dogs are safer.
When dogs are safer, communities are safer.
When owners understand grooming and handling earlier, dogs are less likely to become frightened, matted, sore or overwhelmed.
And when people are taught before problems begin, everyone wins.
The dog wins. The owner wins. The vet wins. The trainer wins. The groomer wins.
The council ranger probably wins too, and frankly they deserve a break.
The Spitz Groom take
At Spitz Groom, we would love to see Australia move toward better, kinder, more practical dog-owner education.
Not because we think people are failing.
Because we know most people are trying.
They just need better information earlier.
A dog-owner test should not ask trick questions or expect everyone to become a behaviourist overnight. It should help people understand what dogs need to feel safe, healthy and supported in a human world.
Because dogs are not born knowing how to live in Brunswick apartments, navigate Carlton North footpaths, ignore delivery bikes, tolerate grooming dryers, cope with nail trims, or understand why the expensive couch is not technically a chew toy.
We have to teach them.
And before we teach them, perhaps we should teach ourselves.