Don't forget to register your dog, a metal identification disk has to be attached to the dog's collar to prove that annual dog license fee has been paid (in Hamburg: 90 EUR/year for a non-fighting dog).

Hip and centrally located quarters for young-professionals are Altona, Eimsbuettel, Winterhude, Barmbek-Süd, Eppendorf.
The rental market is pretty tight these days so allow yourself some time to find the right neighborhood and flat. Since you have no history there it might be a bit difficult, a letter from your employer stating your income is really a help in finding the right accommodation. The cost of move in may be a bit shocking for expats: 2 month realtor fee, 3 month security deposit, and often putting in a kitchen.
Most of the landlords prefer tenants for several years, so you should also opt for short-term accommodation (Google: "Wohnen auf Zeit in Hamburg").

Just run your preferred search engine and you'll find tons of expatriate blogs, toytowngermany is also a good source: http://www.toytowngermany.com/lofi/i...hp/t52658.html