I have entered into a wonderful world of sighthounds in 1982 when I bought my first borzoi. I have lived my childhood with different kinds of hunting dogs who lived in a house as family members but also went hunting with my dad. Hounds, terriers and elk hounds were nice but I was fascinated by the beauty and the elegance of a borzoi and I also liked their aristocratic temperament.

Nowadays I have silken windhounds which are quite a lot like their bigger cousin borzoi but easier to handle as they are smaller and to train as they are a bit more eager to please. Also silkens are very beautiful with their long, silky coat and they have a genuine sighthound temperament with a strong prey drive.

Me and my dogs live in Rajamäki which is a small village in Nurmijärvi, about 50 km North from Helsinki. I love to walk in the forest with my dogs running around me. You can meet us in lure coursing competitions and practises, and in different kinds of dog happenings. We also take part to annual Silken Specialty in Finland and occasionally go also abroad for silken shows.

My kennel name Tsaarikon was invented years ago when I was still a student and had borzoi. It comes from words Tsaari (czar) and Saarikon (Saarikko’s). I wish my pups to have an excellent temperament and health, beautiful appearance which meets the breed standard and hopefully they’ll also have a passion for running and the lure.

Enjoy your visit on my site and welcome again for updates!

Minna Saarikko