About us
Welcome to Kennel Ihku!
My name is Marie, and I am the driving force behind Kennel Ihku. We live in Southern Finland, in the town of Porvoo, in a detached house with a large yard surrounded by fields and forests. There are only a few neighbours nearby. Our family includes two adults, three children, dogs, a cat, chickens, and a muscovy duck. Our entire family loves animals, especially dogs, and the children are actively involved in daily life and often join us on walks.
Outdoor life and spending time in nature are an important part of our lifestyle. We do not actively compete in dog sports, but I truly enjoy attending dog shows. Our dogs are, above all, beloved family members. My oldest daughter also competes in junior handling.
When I was younger, horses were my hobby. Later, I completed a dogsitter course and occasionally worked with dogs alongside my studies during my teenage years. When my current husband Elvis and I moved in together in 2008, I got my first own dog, a Norwegian Lundehund named Hugo. Sadly, Hugo passed away at only five years old due to an autoimmune disease, and our female also died young because of illness. These losses took away my dream of breeding that particular breed.
After these experiences, I decided that health would be one of the most important priorities in our next breed. We considered breeds such as the Border Collie and the Stabyhoun, but eventually we fell in love with the Finnish Lapphund. Luna joined our family, and Kennel Ihku had its first litter in 2018.
Later, I became interested in a smaller breed and accidentally discovered the Miniature American Shepherd, which at the time had not yet been officially recognized by the FCI. I followed the breed with great interest, and when the FCI recognized it in 2018, I knew I wanted to learn more about it. It was love at first sight.
The Miniature American Shepherd turned out to be the perfect breed for us: the right size, active, intelligent, affectionate, and strongly devoted to its owner. I joined the waiting list of a German breeder, and after waiting through two litters, Dolly finally came home to us in the winter of 2019.
Soon after, I began searching for a male companion for Dolly. With the help of a friend, we found Toby in Texas, and he joined our family in the winter of 2020. Since then, I have imported dogs to Finland from Germany, Hungary, Estonia, Spain, the United States, and Serbia. The first Ihku Miniature American Shepherd litter was born in December 2020.
I am extremely grateful and excited to be part of developing the future of this breed in Finland, and I hope my breeding work will be respected and remembered in the future.
Our family has also welcomed a Silky Terrier as my oldest daughter's own dog. She loves accompanying me to dog shows and occasionally competes in junior handling and breed-related classes. The first Silky Terrier litter was born in October 2025, although this is not a breed I plan to breed very actively due to the limited demand.