My name is Katja Säilynkangas, and I am an active dog enthusiast from Oulu, Finland. I completed the breeder course in 2015, but I did not apply for my kennel name until 2018. I have training in mental coaching for dog sports, animal training (studies currently ongoing), and animal care. I was the editor-in-chief of the magazine of the Finnish Chodský Pes Club from 2018 to 2023, and I have been a member of the board of the Finnish Chodský Pes Club since 2024.
We did not have dogs when I was growing up, even though I would have loved to have one. I had to settle for admiring my friends’ dogs instead. I went to watch a friend’s agility training and immediately became interested in the sport. I decided that once I got my own dog, I would start doing agility with it.
I got my first dog, a Miniature Pinscher named Säde, in 2009. My interest in obedience training also started with Säde, even though the sport was completely new to me at the time.
Our first Chodský Pes joined our family in 2017, and I completely fell in love with the breed. The breed was a great fit for me: the right size and with a strong desire to work with and please its owner. However, there are also challenges within the breed, including the relatively small population and puppy mortality.
Today, I share my home with three Chodský Pes: Loiste (2016), her daughter Valo (2019), and Säihke (2025), who is my own breeding.
I actively train and compete with my dogs in obedience, rally obedience, dog dancing and nosework, as well as tracking during the summer. Every now and then I also get carried away with dog shows. It would be wonderful to have the opportunity to attend shows abroad in the future. My dogs are not just couch companions – I want to do things and share experiences with them.
I hope that the future owners of my puppies will also be active people who have the enthusiasm and willingness to train, participate in activities and enjoy the things that are typical for the breed. All our dogs, including the puppies, live indoors with the family as part of everyday life.
I hope that everyone who takes a puppy from me will commit to having their dog health tested at least according to the breed’s Finnish PEVISA health programme, no later than when the dog turns two years old. I would also like to see some form of evidence of the dogs’ temperament and qualities.