In Spain, having a dog involves some known expenses: veterinarian, food, chip. In Switzerland we must add a tax procedure that surprises almost all newcomers: the dog tax. It is not a joke or an urban legend. It is a real tax, managed at the cantonal or communal level depending on the canton, which is paid annually as long as you have the animal.
The amounts vary greatly depending on where you live. In the canton of Vaud, the cantonal fee is 100 francs per year per dog, including registration. In Geneva, the calculation combines a cantonal tax, communal centeaux additionnels and a fixed rate, which can result in similar or higher figures. Some cantons in the center of the country such as Zug or Schwyz have chosen not to apply it, but they are the exception. The first step is always the same in any canton: register the animal in the national AMICUS database, which is mandatory throughout the territory. Once registered, the administration will send you the annual invoice.
Beyond the fiscal aspect, there are traffic regulations that in practice are much stricter than in Spain. In many public spaces, parks, lake beaches, public transportation, the dog must be on a leash. In Zurich there are areas authorized for free running, but in most cantons the restrictions are rigorous and the fines for failing to comply with them are real. The building rules (Hausordnung or internal regulations) also usually regulate the hours in which the animal can make noise, and Swiss neighbors are usually not ones to look the other way.
For those who bring the dog from Spain, the veterinary requirements are the usual ones of the Schengen area: valid European pet passport, identification microchip and valid rabies vaccine. Once in Switzerland, you have to find a local veterinarian, complete the registration with AMICUS and catch up with the municipal tax. It is bureaucracy, not complication, but it takes time and has its dates.