My vet is a bit down the road from you in Küsnacht:
Dr Lorenz Jöhr
Allmendstrasse 4
8700 Küsnacht
Tel: 044 912 04 04
Email:
praxis@joehr.com www.joehr.com
Dr Jöhr has been looking after my dogs for several years now, and I respect him very much. He takes a more clinical approach, is very thorough, very compassionate, and my dogs respond well to him. He is also happy to listen to an owner's views on treatment options, and has been especially good with my geriatric pooches.
In Männedorf, try :
Dr Roger Weiss
Gewerbestrasse 4
8708 Mannedorf
Tel: (044) 920-0303
I went to Dr Weiss when we lived in Männedorf, and liked him - he is pragmatic, dealt well with my mutts' typical middle-aged complaints, and is a good surgeon. More importantly, he was one of the very few people my vet-hating-psycho-collie would tolerate. However, we had differing ideas as to end of life care with one of my elderly dogs, and I decided to switched practices at that point.
Both are small, single vet practices, but are part of on-call cover groups with vets in neighboring areas so if you have an emergency during off hours there is help available. Both work with the
Tierspital and will send you to there for consultation when necessary.
I have also had very good experiences with the
Tierspital (University of Zürich Klinik für Kleintiermedizin):
Winterthurstr. 260
8057 Zürich
044 635 81 11
This is the main veterinarian teaching hospital and research center in Switzerland. I have seen specialists there several times, and have been most impressed with the care and treatment given. In each case the specialist has worked closely with my own vet. On several (too many!) occasions, I've had to rush there with middle-of-the-night emergencies, and each time was treated promptly. If you call the main number you'll be given the after hours emergency number - someone is always on hand.
As far as I know there aren't any Swiss based English language dog forums. (Which is why I'm always blathering on about canine stuff here...
) There are two in German, though:
http://www.hundeweb.org http://www.mein-hund.ch
For organized meet-ups, your best bet may be to join a
Hundverein (dog club) or IG (
Interessengemeinschaft - loosely, hobby club) in your area. The rules for off-lead activities vary by canton and
Gemeinde, and restrictions seem to be changing with the public mood - so you want to be certain that dogs are welcome and allowed off lead before you let them play. (For instance, in canton SZ dogs are not allowed off lead in public areas, although the rule seems to be somewhat more disregarded than followed.)
If you are into agility, mobility or flyball, take a look at:
http://www.agility.ch/
A good group for agility:
http://www.at-wollerau.ch/
(about half an hour from you - you can probably find a group closer, though.)
This is structured training, however, with play breaks before and after class - typical of many
Hundvereine. I've yet to find a more relaxed play group or dog park like we had in the States. If anyone knows of one, please, let me know!
In the Männedorf area, take your dogs walking along the Pfannenstiel - you'll meet plenty of fellow dog lovers up there.
---
Edited to add: You also might want to look into the
Zwerghunde Club (Toy/Small dog club - the group within the SKG/Kennel Club which includes chihuahuas.) Might be a way to meet other chi owners in the area.
http://www.zwerghundeclub.ch/index.p...mid=77&lang=de 
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