Which dog breeds are banned as dangerous in Slovenia?
None – Slovenia has no list of »dangerous breeds« and no dog breed is banned as such. This is the biggest myth in the field: under the Animal Protection Act (ZZZiv) a dog's dangerousness is judged not by breed but by the behaviour of the individual dog. A dog counts as dangerous if it threatens its surroundings through uncontrollability, shows aggressive behaviour towards people or has bitten a person or an animal. The competent authority enters such a dog in the central register as dangerous, and stricter duties then apply: in public it must be on a lead and wear a muzzle, and at home be kept in a pen or behind a fence at least 1.8 metres high with a warning sign. A dangerous dog may not be entrusted to a person under 16. Separately, the general rule is that every dog must be on a lead in public – a 2025 amendment raised the fines for this considerably. A dog is therefore not »dangerous« because it is big or of a certain breed, but because of its actual conduct.
📋 The rules
- Slovenia has no list of dangerous breeds; a dog's dangerousness is judged by the behaviour of the individual dog, not by breed (ZZZiv).
- A dog counts as dangerous if it threatens its surroundings through uncontrollability, shows aggression towards people or has bitten a person or animal.
- A dangerous dog must be on a lead and muzzled in public, and at home kept in a pen or behind a fence at least 1.8 m high with a warning sign.
- A dangerous dog may not be entrusted to a person under 16; a breach is a fine of 400 to 800 euros.
- Every dog must be microchipped by 3 months of age and registered with a veterinary organisation within 7 days of acquisition.
🔓 Exceptions
- The dangerous-dog status is not tied to breed; a dog gets it on the basis of a specific event (a bite, an attack) and entry in the register, not at purchase.
- The muzzle-and-lead duty applies to dangerous dogs; other dogs are subject to the general lead rules, which municipal ordinances may also tighten.
- Trained working dogs (police, army, rescue) on duty are not covered by the same rules as pet dogs.
⚠️ Penalties & fines
The 2025 amendment to the ZZZiv sharply raised fines for irresponsible dog handling. For a dog that is not on a lead in a public place the fine is 600 to 1,200 euros, and for a dangerous dog without a lead and muzzle it is 1,000 to 1,600 euros. If the keeper fails to ensure through proper training and measures that the dog is not dangerous to its surroundings, the fine is 200 to 400 euros, and 800 to 1,200 euros for a dog with dangerous-dog status. Entrusting a dangerous dog to a person under 16 is a fine of 400 to 800 euros. The consequences go beyond the fine: if the dog injures someone, the keeper is liable for damages, and in serious cases (grievous bodily harm, death) criminal liability is also possible. Repeated attacks can lead to an order for professional re-training or even, as a last resort, the dog being put down. Oversight is carried out by the veterinary inspection and the police.
📎 Official sources
- PISRS · Animal Protection Act (ZZZiv) →
- GOV.SI · Administration for Food Safety, Veterinary Sector and Plant Protection (dangerous dogs) →
- Uradni list RS · Animal Protection Act with amendment →
❓ Frequently asked
Which dog breeds are banned in Slovenia?
No breed is banned, because Slovenia has no list of dangerous breeds. A dog's dangerousness is judged by the behaviour of the individual dog, such as biting or aggression, and not by which breed it belongs to.
When does a dog count as dangerous?
A dog counts as dangerous when it threatens its surroundings through uncontrollability, shows aggressive behaviour towards people or has bitten a person or an animal. The competent authority then enters the dog in the central register as dangerous, at which point stricter duties begin to apply.
What are the duties for a dangerous dog?
A dangerous dog must be on a lead and fitted with a muzzle in public, and at home kept in a pen or behind a fence at least 1.8 metres high with a warning sign. Such a dog also may not be entrusted for handling to a person under the age of 16.
What is the fine if a dog is not on a lead?
Under the 2025 amendment, the fine for a dog that is not on a lead in a public place is 600 to 1,200 euros. For a dangerous dog without a lead and muzzle the fine is higher still, namely 1,000 to 1,600 euros.
Do I have to microchip and register my dog?
Yes, every dog must be microchipped by three months of age and registered with a veterinary organisation within seven days of acquisition. Dogs declared dangerous are additionally entered in the central register of animals.
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