Hi Jenny,

There are quite a few regulations for owning a dog in Switzerland: you will indeed have to register her, pay an annual tax, and also show that you've attended a course for new dog owners. Having said that, buying on the other side of the border is quite common and shouldn't cause any complications.

My advice would be to find your nearest vet and register yourself. They'll be able to talk you through the schedule for vaccinations and the paperwork that you'll need.

Just yesterday in the Tribune de Genève they talked about this: 

http://www.tdg.ch/vivre/achetez-chien-cinq-erreurs-commettre/story/11823615

Make sure your puppy has neither ears nor tail cut, it's not authorized in Switzerland (very very few exceptions allowed) and dogs with cut ears/tail risk the "put to sleep" penalty ....

Do you know if we need to take the class if we can show that we've been dog owners before?  Thankyou for that helpful information. I will try to find a vet that speaks or at the least understands english and hopefully we can communicate good. 

Thank you for that... google translate as usual :) yes we have looked very carefully and finally find a breeder we likes and think seems to be really good . it's just all the rules and regulations thats scares me.. i feel switzwerland can be really "good"on giving you a penalty if you do something wrong..

If we summarize the whole process when getting a dog, in a general way:

1) Your committment
- be available for your dog the next 10-15 years
- give your dog a chance not to pee inside your home if you're working full time, or have a budget for a daily dogwalker
- have either dogsitting friends or a kennel budget for your holidays (25.- to 35.-/day)
- be ready to pay a yearly dog tax (55.- to 105.-) and an mairie administrative fee
- follow the theoritical lessons (1x 4 hours, 60.- to 120.-) BEFORE you get the dog
- follow the educations lessons (4x 1 hour, price varies i.e. 80.-/hour if private)
- have a vet budget for all the basic cares (vaccination, anti-flees, etc.)
- have a vet budget for any major disease or accident

People who can prove they had a dog before (paid the dog tax in the past, invoice of breeder/shelter, etc.) do not have to follow the theoritical lessons.

2) The breed
- no cut tail or cut ears in Switzerland, with (almost) no exception
- no unauthorized breed (attack dogs, such as amstaff, boerbull, cane corso, etc.)
- dogs above 25 kg or taller than 56 cm (shoulder) are submitted to additionnal laws
- some breeds are subject to specific health problems (ie dashund and hernia)
- some breeds have some particularities which may not be ok with kids (too fragile, too strong, etc.)

3) The shelter or breeder
- from a dog shelter: try to find out as much as you can about the dog's past, to make sure he'll be the right one for you
- from a breeder:
      - avoid multi-breeds breeders (their motivation is money, not dog-loving)
      - avoid breeders offering delivery (a good breeder requires a visit from you)
      - avoid breeders who do not let you see the mother (puppy mills suspicion) (*)
      - avoid breeders who offer a cheaper price (puppy mills suspicion)
      - never get a puppy from a puppy fair (puppy mills suspicion)
      - avoid breeders who advertise their puppy as a Christmas or Valentine gift (a puppy is not a gift or a toy, but a living creature with a several-years committment; means that breeder doesn't care, therefore bad breeder)

4) Other potential issues
- have neighbours complaining about barking
- meeting other dog-owners with an uneducated dog ... complaining about yours
- more to find out when time comes ...

Once you have you new dog
- go to your vet to change the microchip under you name (Amicus database, ex-Anis) and you will get an Amicus certificate
- ask the vet for any additional vaccination if needed (anti-rabic is compulsory; deseases are not, unless you leave your dog in a kennel during holidays)
- have a tag printed (name, address, phone number) to hang on your dog's collar
- inform your RC insurance (responsabilité civile) that you have a dog and they'll send you an Attestation pour détenteur de chien
- go to your local mairie with the insurance certificate + Amicus certificate + vaccination passport (with anti-rabic vaccination done) to register your dog
- the taxation office will send you the invoice, later in the year
- be aware that Amicus database is "linked" to the taxation office and they'll know you have a dog ...

Then, depending on where you live, find out where you can walk your dog with or without the leash, or not at all (wild animal sanctuary, nature reserve) or when (in some areas, dogs cannot be walked without the leash from April to July or so, due to wildlife baby season).

(*) About puppy mills:
- mostly from Eastern countries, such as Hungary etc.
- mothers spend their life in cages, with minimum food, minimum vet car and no love
- mothers breed until they die from age, from womb infection, etc.
- fathers spend their life in other cages, waiting their turn to mate
- for small breeds such as chihuahuas, mothers may endure caesearen section from non-professionnal people and sometimes without anaesthesia
- puppies are removed from the mother too early = future behaviour and health problems
- many puppies die during the road transport
- puppies are imported without microchip, then chipped in France or Italy, to pretend they were born there

Dog lessons
In each Swiss canton, they are several people or associations competent for above mentioned lessons.
Here is a link to the Geneva dog shelter in Bernex, SPA, which offers both theoritical and education lessons (link in French).
- general info: http://www.educ-sgpa.ch/index.php/proprietaire-de-chien-a-geneve
- prices: http://www.educ-sgpa.ch/index.php/les-tarifs

If you wish to google for another dog trainer, type i.e. Cours éducation canine obligatoire Genève.

And of course, most of all, have fun with your new dog !!