I am Sara Nenonen, a young woman from Päijät-Häme region, Southern Finland just an hour away from the capital Helsinki, who has fallen in love with poodles and grown up with them. The kennel name “Sara’s Standards” was granted to me in 2017, and the first Standard Poodle litter was born on a cold January night in 2018. That day was the fulfillment of a childhood dream for me.
Poodles have been a part of my life since I was born. My family at the time took in a gray medium-sized poodle, Hopeapilven Jasmin, as a family dog. Before that, our first black medium-sized poodle in the 90s was Evivas Nitehawanaguila, and later its puppy, placed as a breeding dog, FI CH Evivas Wide-Charm.
When I was finally allowed to get my own dog, I chose a Standard Poodle, and I’ve stayed on that path ever since. The Standard Poodle is the perfect dog for me because it is intelligent, eager to please, friendly, and structurally suited for versatile activities. I also enjoy grooming and trimming. There’s so much you can do with a Standard Poodle!
I primarily breed black Standard Poodles on a small scale in ordinary home conditions in the rural scenery of Orimattila, on the edge of the town. Currently, besides my partner and me, we have two Standard Poodles living with us. Each dog is a beloved family member to whom we want to offer a good and active life. Therefore, the number of dogs in our home is reasonable, and we also collaborate with cooperative guardian homes in our breeding program. I do not aim for large-scale breeding, so litters are born when there is enough time for them.
The kennel name refers to my first name and the English word “standard,” which reflects my motivation and eagerness to learn more, striving to breed and keep purebred dogs as well as I possibly can, and the opportunity to learn from mistakes. Collaboration with other breeders, veterinarians, and other canine experts, studying bloodlines, and comprehensive health examinations are tools in my breeding. I see breeding more as a team and cooperative effort rather than a personal project. I know that as a breeder, I am never complete; there’s always an opportunity to learn something new. All this together makes the world of dog hobbies very fascinating, and one of its great advantages is getting to know new people around the world.
I hope that the dogs I breed are healthy, long-lived, balanced, and typical Standard Poodles, with whom it is pleasant to live and have the opportunity to engage in diverse activities in everyday life. With each pairing, I strive to utilize the best of the knowledge I have at that moment. However, in this life and when working with living animals, not everything always goes according to our wishes and desires, no matter how carefully background work has been done.
We are open about the health and temperament matters of our bred dogs, and I believe that openness is one of the cornerstones of being a breeder. I also hope to keep in touch with the owners of my puppies, and it’s always exciting to follow the journey of a small puppy from adulthood to senior years.
It would be wonderful if someone acquiring a dog from us could experience something similar to what I have experienced living with poodles—a loyal friend for whom you are the whole world.
