I got my first dog at the age of 11, it was an Airedale Terrier named Darling. This bitch had two litters in 1976 and 1978. In 1978, I imported my first Miniature Schnauzer from Czechoslovakia. I’ve bred black and silver, pepper and salt, and black Miniature Schnauzers under prefix Tmavi Knir. During these years, we have bred more than 70 champions and also dogs that have won the World Winner title. In 2011, I got the golden badge of honour of the Finnish Schnauzer Pinscher Club. In 2013, I was awarded with the Finnish Kennel Club’s Vuolasvirta prize for merited breeders. I've also had a German Shepherd, an East-European Shepherd, and Dobermanns.

I became a dog show judge in 1980 and an all-breed judge in 2013. I’ve judged on different continents, in 35 different countries in total.