Hanna Helynen, Siltakylä, Finland
tel. +358 (0)50 526 2613, e-mail

Timo Helynen, Heinlahti, Finland
tel. +358 (0)40 546 8695, e-mail

Dogs have always been in significant role in my life. My parents had a 1-year-old beagle Mimi when I was born. My father was hunting with her, but for me she was only a companion for her good 13 years.

After Mimi passed away, we had a part time dog German shepherd Brenda. She was our neighbours' dog, but lived with us when her owners were working overseas long periods during the year. I did some training, mainly teaching little tricks to her. I was also making "show jumping tracks" for her just like with horses and we raced the fences together. So I guess I have done agility already in the 70's?

Horse riding has been my hobby from 6-years-old until I was about 16, and the last three most active years I practically lived in the stables. I was competing in show jumping in district level and also in a few national level competitions. Dressage has always been too accurate for my taste. The best competitions I rode with a Polish gelding Mickey Mouse. Nowadays I don't have much time for riding, but once a week I attend a lesson to keep in touch with this dear hobby.

In 1982 my parents finished building our house in Siltakylä - the same house where I live now - and I decided that it's time to have the first "my own" dog. Like so many horse lovers, Dobermann was the breed that most pleased my eye. We visited some family friends that had Dobermanns and seeing them live made my decision even stronger. Dobermann is my breed. We began to search for a puppy and that wasn't so easy those days when there weren't many puppies available. In Kennel Vaahteramäki there was one male that was originally reserved to Sweden, but was cancelled. We went to see him and so happened that the black male puppy Vaahteramäen Eros came home with us.

Eros spent his life living normal family pet's life. I did some basic obedience with him, but that was it. He was missing one P1 tooth in lower jaw, so he was never shown. Eros was very social and easy to keep dog, so my love for the breed remained strong because of this good first experience. Eros crossed the rainbow bridge in November 1992 having spent 10½ years of good and healthy life.

I left home in 1985 and Eros stayed in Siltakylä with my parents. In the beginning of 1989 I moved to London, England to study marketing and advertising in The American College in London. I lived there my time of "dogless" life until December 1990. Just few weeks prior to my return to Finland I bought a black male puppy and so Vonmills Asta came home with me. With Buster I did some basic obedience. Later he had unsettled conflict with our 6 months younger male Picasso and so we found a new home for Buster. He didn't adjust very well and was put to sleep in August 1994.

During my holidays from London I had met Timo Helynen and we were a couple from autumn 1989. When I returned to Finland Timo had moved in November 1990 in our Siltakylä house that we had bought from my parents. My parents moved in Kotka, Eros stayed with us and had puppy Buster as his companion. We got married in July 13, 1991.

By this time I had gone "nuts" over Dobermanns and in June 1991 our flock had yet another member, brown male A'dreams Picasso. Picasso was Timo's dog and they trained protection to the ZTP level which Picasso passed in 1994. He was shown a lot and got three CAC's and one CACIB. In the summer 1996 I started training searching with Picasso and entered two trials with no results, so he never became a champion. Problems with his prostate and back were making training difficult. Picasso was castrated in 1997 just before the birth of his only litter and he was put to sleep in May 1999 when increasing problems with his back hindered full and happy life.

Next I had an idea trying a smaller breed to mix with Dobermanns and our Manchester terrier male Kimblewick Pride & Joy "Elmo" was born in November 1992. The equation of two dominant and stubborn males didn't work out and led to dangerous situations as the other was about four times smaller. Elmo has lived with my parents (with my father after my mother died in December 2006) since he was about 3-4 years. Elmo was put to sleep in March 2008 in well over 15 years' age.

In December 1994 A'dreams X-litter was born and from that litter we had a contract female Xandorah "Kaisa". Kaisa was my dog and I started training obedience with her. She was also shown a lot. When she was about 18 months I started training searching and I'm still on that road: search stole my heart. Kaisa was titled Finnish Champion and HK3 in search. She had the contract litter in 1998. In spring 2000 Kaisa was diagnosed multiple myeloma and she had to be put down in a week from diagnosis when her condition collapsed.

When Timo was training Picasso for the ZTP, he also began training himself as a figurant. As a result from that he also wanted to have a dog to train in protection. In spring 1996 we found and fetched our first so-called working line Dobermann, black female Jotunheim's Visna from Denmark. Visna turned out to have excellent qualities for SchH sport. In autumn 1998 training showed some worrying signs that everything is not right. After x-ray and myelograph she was diagnosed a narrow space between C6-7 vertebrae in cervical spine. Her career in protection was over. In spring 1999 I began training search with her and we reached the highest HK3 class. In 2005 we trialed once and then Visna retired training only for fun. During autumn 2006 Visna began losing weight and had other symptoms that couldn't be explained in basic health examinations. Because of her age I had to make the hard decision to let go when she is still feeling pretty good and the memory of her is like she always used to be: happy and lively. Visna crossed the rainbow bridge on October 27. Rest in peace my dear princess.

The realization of the fact that Timo didn't have a dog for protection led us to search for a new dog for him. It was easy to turn to familiar breeder and so in spring 1999 black male Jotunheim's Hugin came to us. Taisto has a great character and he has very positive and confident attitude for anything and anyone, very easy-going bloke. He wasn't trained in bitework as much as he should have, so I began to train search with him when he was a little over 3 years old. Training fully two dogs is nearly too much for a lazy and not at all ambitious handler like me, but somehow I've managed so far and Taisto has attended two trials gaining HK2 title in October 2006. We stopped active training of search after the HK2 title, but we are still trying to get the HK3 title in autumn 2007. Plans were cancelled when Taisto suddenly passed away in great condition and running happily during bicycle ride on September 1st 2007. We had still so many things to do and unfinished business together, but it was Taisto's time to go much too early. During his lifetime the Great Personality touched so many people and good memories of him remain. Taisto has sired four litters.

At the end of 1999 Timo had Visna's full brother Jotunheim's Lodur from later repeat litter. When Rape arrived he suffered a serious intestines infection and the life of the 8-week puppy was at risk for about two weeks. Being a tough little guy Rape made it, but when his adult teeth changed there were severe dental enamel damage in a few teeth. Rape's SchH training went well but slowly, because Timo's figurant work took a lot of time. When Rape was a little over one year old the damaged upper canine tooth broke from the base. It was root treated and training continued. After another year the other upper canine tooth broke as well and it had to be root treated. He was still able to train SchH but the loss of both upper canines was affecting his grip. Due to lack of time resources and in addition the teeth problem, Timo's motivation to train was zero.

Our marriage had reached its end in autumn 2003 and in January 2004 Timo and Rape moved out. Being a week away Rape returned back home and in the middle of January I found a new home for him with Mari Moisala. I am so happy about the great home and new opportunity that Rape got! Rape made nice career in sleddog racing. In February 2008 Rape's lymphosarcoma had progressed to a point where Mari had to let his dear boy go to eternal sleep.

For future breeding we got a contract female Brea vom Haus Mann who is born in September 2002. Brea's first home turned out to be something else that was agreed on and she was not trained according to the contract. In June 2004 she moved to live with my ex-husband Timo. Brea's first mating in 2004 failed, but the second time was successful and her first litter was born in November 2005. In September 2006 Brea moved to live with Sami and Minna Kiiveri and she is training mondioring. Brea's third litter was born in September 2008 with Sami and Minna, but the litter was registered to Brückendorfer name.

In May 2003 Leena Knaapi imported a brown female Ohra vom Eschenbruch from Germany and the plan was to lease Ohra for breeding sometime in the future. Suddenly the future came sooner than first planned, because after the failure with Brea's litter we decided to breed Ohra and so the first Brückendorfer litter was born on March 13, 2005. Ohra's second litter was born in December 2007, Leena as the breeder. In their first VPG3 trial Leena and Ohra won the Finnish Dobermann Championship 2008.

In May 2007 Brea had her second litter and female Brückendorfer Riska stayed at home with me. The future will tell what we will achieve... In spring 2008 I was determined to begin tracking with Reija, but only three times in tracking field confirmed that tracking is not for me. I cannot see myself as motivated trainer and this being a fact protection cannot be our event for the future. I find searching very interesting and enjoyable, so Reija's future occupation will be a search dog. Reija gave birth to Brückendorfer T litter in Christmas week 2009.

In September 2008 I imported black female Ascomannis Qaili from Denmark. Qaili lives with and will be handled by my friend Tarja Ivakko. Hopefully Qaili will give her input to Finnish Dobermann breeding in Brückendorfer and Darya's kennels. Qaili's breeder Lisa is my friend and great help in breeding questions for many years and she is also the breeder of Brea's mom Anushka Germania, so it was great to have a female from their breeding.

I have been more or less involved in club activities too. I have been active in the Kymenlaakso subdivision of the Finnish Dobermann Club since its foundation in 1992, also as the secretary for several years. I have done the layout of the Finnish Dobermann Club's magazine "Dobermann" since 2002 (year 2008 I had rest from the post) and 2005-2006 I was also the chief editor of the magazine. I was awarded the Finnish Dobermann Club's golden medal in 2010. Our kennel was awarded Finnish Dobermann Club's Breeder of the year 2010.

I was a board member and member of the breeding committee of the Finnish Manchester Terrier Club and also the chief editor of the club magazine for some years, but since my own Manchester moved out I have been less involved in the breed.

I have been active in the Kotka subdivision of the Finnish German Shepherd Association (SV) for many years, also worked as their secretary for two years. I was awarded the Finnish SV's bronze medal in 2005.

The FCI registered prefix Brückendorfer is owned together with my ex-husband Timo and the name comes from my home town, Siltakylä. Our goal and aim is to breed healthy Dobermanns that meet the standard in every aspect. Closest to my heart is maintaining and improving the working abilities and character qualities in THE Dobermann who will meet all the challenges in and out trial fields.

I hope that you enjoy surfing my site and please visit again. Thank you :)

November 2011

Me and Mimi

Me and Mickey Mouse

Me and Reija

Viia-Liina Aurora