[Countrywide] Which pet stores in Norway are actually helpful — and what should newcomers know about Norway pet laws and Norway pet import requirements?

I’ve bounced around Norway with my dog, and pet stores were way more about navigating rules than just grabbing kibble. MOST PET STORES IN NORWAY ARE ONLY “HELPFUL” IF YOU ASK VERY DIRECT QUESTIONS—otherwise you get polite smiles and shelves of overpriced gear. From what I’ve seen, the smaller neighborhood shops were better at explaining Norway pet laws and sanity-checking Norway pet import requirements, especially when I mentioned crossing borders. but there’s a nuance… some staff clearly don’t want the legal responsibility, so they’ll hedge or tell you to “check the official site” even when they obviously know the answer. As a traveler, I appreciated when someone just said, “That leash won’t survive winter sidewalks,” instead of upselling cute nonsense. It feels like Norway pets culture assumes you’ve done your homework, and stores are backup support, not hand-holders. Did anyone find a store that actually walked them through paperwork step by step? Or am I just expecting too much customer service Scandinavian-style?

Yeah, that matches my experience almost exactly. When I traveled through Norway with my dog, the big chain pet stores were fine for basics, but the real value came from smaller local shops where staff had clearly dealt with border crossings and confused newcomers before. One guy actually pulled up the Mattilsynet rules on his phone and double-checked chip and rabies timing with me, which was way more useful than another rack of winter jackets. Prices were higher than elsewhere in Europe, but at least the food and gear were clearly chosen for cold, wet conditions. That said, you’re right—Scandinavian service assumes you’ve read the rules already. Stores help best when you ask very specific questions. What’s your route through Norway, and are you crossing borders with your pet more than once?