My name is Sari Solanti, and I am 40-year-old vet from Central Finland. I used to work at a small animal clinic called Keski-Suomen Eläinklinikka, even though I am now at home due to some unlucky complications that followed knee surgery after an old sportsinjury. With some bad luck I have developed numerous severe infections and CRPS2.  Meanwhile I build up my web site. I live just outside the city of Jyväskylä with my two Border Collies and there is an aquarium in the house as well. It used to belong to my old dog Cola
Here you can see my old dog, Cola. She was my everything at the most difficult times. She was my support, she was my ultimate life savior and always knew what to do when I did not know it. When life did not feel worth living, she made me believe it is. When I did not have strength to believe I can make through this hardest time. Cola was by my side until the diagnosis was finally done, and she passed away before Christmas 2004 at 15,5 years of age. Her mates Sally and Ace had left at 16 and 15,5 years of age in August 2000. My dear little Sheltie Ansu went to the rainbow bridge already one year earlier, also at 16 years. To help the situation a bit, Ace´s and Cola´s granson Mike joined us in April 2002, and Tuisku joined us just before Christmas 2004. Ch Borderfame Sheer Delight
My favourite hobby along with my work is dogs. I used to love the long, slow walks in the forests dogs running around off leash, obedience and tracking sessions when we were training, and occassionally I also enjoyed competing. All of my dogs have attended conformation shows with varying degree of success These days I am retired from the obedience and show rings, only the dogs continue :-)

I am interested in breeding, too. I find genetics very fascinating, and spend hours and hours every week studying genetics, finding out about the dogs in the past in our pedigrees and the dogs that are related to our dogs in one way or another or dogs that I am interested in. I watch lot more videos of obedience trials, character tests, agililty trials and conformations shows all around the world than I dare to admit. I collect all the information  about official health checks of Border Collies, surveys of Border Collie related health problems and in general, all Border Collie - or just dog - related information. I collect trial results of the dogs that are related to ours where ever in the world they live. 

Based on all sorts of information I try to build combinations that in my opinion would fit into my picture of an ideal Border Collie: healthy, mentally and physically sound dog that is enthusiastic worker in any form of activity that the owner has chosen for them. 

I have concentrated in developing a high quality bitch line, where I occassionally bring a new blood by choosing a stud (or a new bitch) in aim to improve any traits that might be special strengths in this new dog. Quite often this sire we have chosen do not live anywhere nearby. Sometimes we do travel with the bitch, sometimes we import frozen semen. As long as we can use the stud that we consider will be the best match for just this bitch. As based on lots of consideration, I usually end up keeping one of the pups on breeding terms for my future breeding  plan.

There usually are several families waiting for a puppy from each litter prior mating the parents. We do our best to evaluate the pups in aim to find the most suitable puppy for each owner. The decission is made by the characteristics of each puppy and interests of each prospective owner. 

As I never give my old ones - nor any "ugly" ones or silly ones - to a new home, I have spent most of my life with the oldies.  And I love it that way. For two years I only had one spayed bitch at home. In April 2002 my dream came true, and despite my illness, I managed to bring my boy Mike back from his foster home in United States. 

In December 2004 I had to face one of the hardest moments in my life when Cola passed away on 9th of December. She slept peacefully next to me, and she was so ready to go. It was me who was not ready to let her leave. She had done her job here, more than most of us ever can do. She had left her inheritance in her progeny, and after that she had looked after me, and more than once saved my life. Without her, I would not be here. 

When Mike arrived, both Cola and myself enjoyed the company of this true gentleman, who steels everybodys heart by his charm. 18 months later arrived also Tuisku from her fosterhome, a couple of weeks after the loss of Cola. There was plenty of difficulties on the way getting her here, but finally our current family was ready, as it has been planned since their birth. Now I share my household with Mike (born -99) and Tuisku (born -01) wherefrom Mike studies to be assistant dog and enjoys  his life as being a therapy dog and Tuisku trains obedience and both loves lots and lots of free runs in the woods daily with their dogsitters and other friends several hours per day. 

My other hobby is photography. Even though I do concentrate in dogs, I occassionally do take other animal pics too.
I hope you enjoy my web site, and I`d be delighted of your comment at my guest book. You can also email me. Thank you for your visit!