ABOUT US

Mallorn's labradors are located in the Finnish Lappland, 20 km from Rovaniemi.

This is in the north of Finland, very close to the arctic circle.

We breed puppies for showing and breeding, and of course to become your companion and pet.
You can make enquieries by email or telephone.
If you want to get a Mallorn's puppy, be prepared to travel to my place to pick him/her.
Fresh chilled semen can be shipped worldwide but not live animals.

I have bred labradors for 40 years, I got my first labrador 1980 and my first litter was born in 1983. I started with chocolates, as my foundation bitch was a chocolate, but the colour wasn't really so important to me. Actually I was looking for a black bitch to be my foundation, but the breeder only could offer me a chocolate! Of course I like the colour very much, but I try to breed in all three colours, and I don't really have a favourite colour.

I also have a couple of jackrussells terriers, the first one came from Australia 2002 and now I have 4 generations of them. They are lovely little dogs and great fun! This breed is becoming very popular in Finland, and there are a lot of similarities in breeding labradors and jrt's, but the big difference is that the jackrussels have been a registered breed in this country for only 20 years, while labradors have such long traditions and history.

We live in Lapland, very far in the north of Finland, but I still try to show my dogs in most Finnish specialities and Club events. It's a long way, a 12 hours drive to most shows… Earlier I tried to make my dogs qualified in the field for the FIN CH –title, but I must admit that I have become lazy with age… In Finland we need 3 CC's and a working qualification in a cold game test for the Champion-title. Most of my dogs have the CC's. A few years ago we got a new title in Finland, the Junior Champion title, and for this title we do not need a working qualification. Since the new rules I have owned 6 Junior Champions, bred 7. Living so far in the north makes travelling to many shows quite difficult, especially the ones outside Finland. Our work is also seasonal so this means I show very little during the busiest winter tourist season. My husband has a big sleddog kennel (this is our job) and he does some long distance racing, too. We are a very “doggy” family! I have been very much involved with the Finnish Labrador Club, being a board member from the beginning of 90's, I was the chairman of the breeding committee for almost 10 years, and since 2003 I was the chairman of the club for almost 20 years. I am still a board member.

I have had “Show Labrador of Year” in 2002, 2003, 2009, 2013, 2014 and 2020, and bred the “Show Labrador of Year 1994”. I have bred a number of Finnish Champions, a couple of International Champions and many Champions in other countries, including Sweden, Norway, Germany, Holland, Hungary, Estonia, Russia, Belarus, Japan, Philippines… I am deeply grateful to all my wonderful puppy buyers all over the world, for the great job they have done with dogs by my breeding!

The story of my kennel wasn't really just glamour and winning from the beginning… I had some luck with my first litter in 1983 – it's like someone would like to make sure you get really hooked in this hobby! But then I had a long period of bad years, with disappointments after disappointments. It seemed almost impossible to breed or buy a healthy, good looking labrador… I couldn't keep very many dogs at a time, so every time I failed with a dog I had to start all over again with a new puppy.

But when you are really committed and know what you want, you will get it eventually, if you are stubborn enough and prepared to work hard…! Finally I found a nice black bitch who is the foundation of my “black line”, and I bought two chocolates from England from Boothgates kennel who were the new start of my chocolate line. I am forever grateful to Marilyn and David Nightingale for lettinng me have them, especially Boothgates Miz Showbusiness! I bred these two bitches back to my old chocolate lines to get my foundation line back, and I have also combined these lines to my black/yellow lines with very good results.

I have done some occasional judging in Open Shows, Club Shows and other unofficial events. I thought earlier that trying to become a judge would be my next challenge, but you never know what life has to offer... In 2007 my daughter wanted to get some riding lessons. I took her to the local riding stables, she loved it and soon I was back in the saddle, too, after a 25 years brake! First we bought a very nice finnhorse, and 2 1/2 years later we bought another horse, and since then we have owned two horses together with my daughter Roosa, and we still do. Sometimes you need to make choices, you just can't find time for everything!

Labradors have been an important part of my life since I was a teenager and they still are. I am happy and proud to be part of the big international labrador community! I have got so many friends during these years, actually a very big part of my adulthood friendships are labrador people in one way or another. Over 40 years in the breed is a long time. The world has changed, the kennel world has changed and even the breed has slightly changed. You really need to be resilient to adapt to all the new requirements. When you live in Scandinavia, the standards for breeding dogs are very high, especially what it comes to health. It is not always easy to compete in the international level, when different countries and their breed clubs and kennel clubs have so different rules and practices. Our breed is huge, but we still need new breeding material from other countries and co-operation and contacts from abroad. It is essential for the breed and also an important source of motivation for the breeders. 

Anu Honkapirtti 2026