Me as a coach:
I have been in love with dog sports since 1997 when I started agility with my first papillon so agility has been in my life for the last 26 years. I couldn't imagine that I would feel the same passion for any other sports but then came hoopers which blew my mind.
Distance handling combines things I really enjoy: skills, dogs confidence and the relationship between dog & handler. This is also the reason why hoopers was just like made for me! I have been coaching distance handling in agility for several years to different types of dogs and handlers and now I can do it also in hoopers.
As a coach I teach people to build connections with their dogs and also help with different kinds of problems like pressure, sensitivity, low-drive and motivational problems. My goal is that I could encourage handlers to take one step further than they ever imagine they could.
As a coach I try to be encouraging, cheerful and listening. I want that people in my classes can be truly themselves and the same thing comes to the dogs.
Some of my special classes / events what I have had last two years
Need for speed: Special class for dogs with low-drive
Distance Hoopers / Eyes On Hoops: Hoopers event (with my colleague)
Distance Hoopers / online : Online-class about basic skills (with my colleague)
ChiliSoftis: Event for high-drive and low-drive dogs (with my colleague)
Distance handling for para-athletes
Hoopers for coaches
Me as a handler:
I have been training and competing in agility since -97 with different breeds like Whippet, Portuguese Podengo-mix, Papillon, Mudi and Border Collie. My training mentality is to get maximum potential from the dogs I have and not trying to find that "perfect top dog".
At the moment I'm training hoopers and agility with my Border collie Uppis and papillons Isla and Boom. I also have Mudi Vekku who is now retired and co-owned with my parents but we have been competing in agility and doing also hoopers with him.
I enjoy the vibe that I get when I can compete in bigger tournaments with my dogs but more I love just to train with them. With papillon Isla (who is only 22cm) I have been building distance handling with the idea that she could have as good skills like Border Collies. The same mentality comes also to my young papillon Boom.
Official hoopers competitions will start in Finland 2025 so my plan is to start competing in hoopers next spring (2024) abroad and also take part in the agility tournaments in Central-Europe & Italy. Also Boom (now 10 months) will start competing next year in agility and hoopers.
You can find us from instagram and youtube where you can see our daily life and training hoopers & agility. There you can also find couple of videos from my students.
MY STUDENTS: (THEN AND NOW)