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‘Welcome but expensive’: Is it worth having a dog in Denmark?

We asked our readers in Denmark about being the owner of a dog in the Nordic country.

Published: 22 February 2024 16:51 CET
Updated: 21 May 2024 16:47 CEST
'Welcome but expensive': Is it worth having a dog in Denmark?
A dog relaxes on a summer day in Denmark. Photo: Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix

Many people own dogs in Denmark, but if you’ve moved to the country from abroad and are bringing your dog — or if you want to get one after arriving — things might be different from countries you’ve lived in previously.

We asked our readers in Denmark for their thoughts. Many thanks to all who took time to get in touch.

How would you describe dog culture in Denmark, and how does it differ in comparison to other countries you’ve experienced?

“It’s weird: the Danes adore dogs in general, but at the same time it’s like everything is designed to make having a dog difficult,” said one reader.

“Moving to Copenhagen from Prague (Czechia), Denmark is not a very dog friendly country in my opinion,” said Barbora, who has a two-year-old Hungarian vizsla.

What costs are involved in owning a dog? Is it particularly expensive in Denmark?

“Paying for the dog, registration, mandatory insurance, it’s expensive but worth it,” said Ray, who moved to Denmark in 2022 and got a dog the following year.

“From what I’ve heard, compared to India, it is 7-10 times more expensive (for a Labrador),” said Namit Karlekar, who got his first dog after moving to Denmark.

In general, owning a dog appears to be costly in Denmark relative to other countries.

“I brought my dog from abroad and was shocked at the prices for everything dog-related,” another reader said.

“Vet expenses are insanely high and so are dog health insurances. Petsitting is very difficult to arrange and again very pricey. Finding a flat to rent that allows dogs is also a challenge, and forces you more often than not to pick a place with a high rent in one of the company-owned buildings,” they explained.

This was backed up by Barbora, who said that “vet costs are extremely expensive in Copenhagen, you really need to have a dog insurance.”

“Other than that, dog food is also more expensive than in other countries, but still okay,” she added.

How do non-dog owners tend to react to dogs?

Danes generally welcome dogs, our readers found, although there can be some restrictive rules, notably in residential buildings.

READ ALSO: What are the rules for dog owners in Denmark?

“Dogs are a part of life” in Denmark, Ray said, with Namit stating that “people are either friendly, or indifferent.”

“People in general seem to love dogs,” a third reader said.

“Little kids often ask me if it’s ok to pet my dog, which I think is great, because this means they’ve been taught that not all dogs welcome attention from strangers, and my experience regarding this in my home country was very different,” they explained.

Dogs can also be a great ice breaker in a country where chatting to strangers can be notoriously difficult, they also said.

“Having a dog helped me tie bonds in my new neighbourhood, because the other dog owners would talk to me and share tips with me,” they said.

Barbora noted that many apartment buildings “do not allow dogs, [the] same goes for cafes and restaurants.”

What is considered ‘normal’ for owning a dog in Denmark but might not be in other countries?

For this question, the standout answer was insurance.

“Pet insurances, especially health insurance. An absolute must. Three weeks after moving to Denmark my dog broke a couple of teeth on a toy, and I had no idea insurances were a thing. After being slapped with a 13,000 kroner bill, I quickly got wiser,” a respondent said.

Namit pointed out that “Getting a rabies injection is not mandatory in Denmark, as long as your dog stays in Denmark.”

Did you bring your dog with you when you moved to Denmark? What was the process like?

While this question did not apply in all of our responders’ cases those who did bring their dogs with them seemed reasonably satisfied.

“I brought my dog with me from another EU country and the process was smooth,” our anonymous reader said.

“There was some paperwork involved in Denmark though: compulsory liability insurance, then later health insurance, and it’s also necessary to register your dog at the Dansk Hunderegister [Danish Dog Register, ed.]. Finding a new vet was very easy, and all vets we’ve seen were very nice and skilled,” they said.

Barbora said she “registered online and it was pretty easy and straightforward”.

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WEATHER

‘I get more sunburnt’: How foreigners cope with Scandinavian heatwaves

Temperatures have recently hit levels defined as ‘heatwave’ in Scandinavia, so we asked our readers in Norway, Sweden and Denmark how they cope with Nordic summers.

Published: 1 July 2024 16:28 CEST
'I get more sunburnt': How foreigners cope with Scandinavian heatwaves

A temperature of 25C (77F) might not feel like a big deal in many countries, but in Scandinavia, it’s warm.

While Scandinavians are generally used to colder temperatures, there’s more to it than this: The way cities and buildings are designed — to retain heat rather than keep cool — goes some way to explaining why temperatures that feel like a regular summer day elsewhere seem so severe in the Nordics.

READ ALSO: Why are temperatures of 25C considered a heatwave in Sweden?

How do you get on with Nordic heatwaves?

“I get more sunburnt here due to the lack of humidity and dry weather,” wrote Zaki in Stockholm, who said that he had been used to similar temperatures but more humid conditions before living in Sweden.

Zaki’s experience isn’t unique.

“Gothenburg heat roasts me (give me slight burns) and wind cools it down quite often,” an anonymous reader stated. They described the climate in their home region of India as “hot and humid”.

Although Scandinavian summers can be hard going for some, they are a piece of cake for others.

“25C is not a heat wave. 45C and above is,” as Rajan from India put it.

Mohammed, an Egyptian who moved to Stockholm three years ago, says hot Swedish weather “encourages me to engage in more outdoor activities”.

“My country is much hotter, drier, and more humid (landscape is +90% desert). Population density is extremely heavier, and urban areas tend to be jammed by diesel-fueled vehicles, which usually turn on AC, which in turn contributes to more heat,” he explained.

Thomas, a US national who lives in Uppsala, said “summers are great here, even on the hottest days.”

“Humidity is low here and if you’ve experienced a 30+ degree day with high humidity, as I did often in the Southern and even Eastern US, you certainly will count your blessings to be in Sweden during the summer,” he said.

Another American reader, Chad from Texas, did say that Nordic heatwaves are “much worse when it happens with lack of air conditioning and having highly heat insulated home”.

Texas has “essentially the opposite climate. However, Dallas is fairly low humidity,” he said.

An anonymous reader who is Swedish but has lived in southeast Asia said that Sweden’s hot weather “affects me much more!”

“I am struggling when the weather is 25C or above,” he said.

When in southeast Asia, “the building is cooler, and also since the sunlight only lasts for 12 hours or so, it did not retain the heat from previous days,” he explained.

“It affects me more because people here are out and about when it’s 28C to 30C but back home, we’d rather stay at home/inside the mall with AC/hang out in coffee shops or restaurants with AC, but here AC is not so common,” wrote a reader from the Phillippines.

What can Scandinavia learn from warmer countries?

One key difference between Scandinavian building designs and those in warmer countries is a lack of air conditioning. While this would effectively cool buildings in hot weather, it would also consume more energy – something which would concern countries such as Denmark, which have politically-determined emissions targets.

“I don’t think we should introduce A/C here [in Denmark, ed.], so nothing in particular to learn. Just have lots of sunscreen and shade trees,” said a reader who moved from New York City to Odense.

Other appliances can also be used for cooling, however – and these are also rare in Scandinavia.

“Majority have ceiling fans at home which we use religiously. People of middle class and above also have air conditioners in their bedrooms,” Zaki said.

Hydration strategies also make a difference.

“Have lots of lime juice and lukewarm water. Avoid ice-cold water due to frequent change in weather. If you sweat a lot, make sure to have salty foods to balance your body,” the Gothenburg-based reader from India wrote.

“Air Conditioning and drink coconut water, Lassi with salt etc.”, recommended Rajan, also from India.

In Egypt, “we just use AC and ceiling- or stand-fans. We also have to take several cold showers during power outages,” Mohammed said.

“Chilled drinks and fruits (especially watermelons & muskmelons) can never be resisted,” he added.

“Not really sure if Scandinavia can learn anything from my country, but I guess fans might be a more environmentally-friendly (still a very effective) option than AC,” he said.

Some readers who are acclimatised to hot climates felt few adaptations are needed in the Nordics.

“Most I do is put on a short sleeve shirt. I turn on some fans in my apartment and make sure to keep the windows open at night and close them when the sun is strongest,” Thomas in Uppsala said.

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