What Makes Our Puppies Different

At Grand Smirnof, breeding is not based on convenience or availability — it is based on long-term selection, daily experience, and a clear understanding of what makes a dog reliable in real life.

All breeding dogs are carefully selected from UK and Irish working lines, where generations have been bred for cooperation, trainability, and performance. These lines bring not only working ability, but also the natural willingness to work with people — something essential for both training and everyday life.

However, pedigree alone is not enough.

I place a strong emphasis on true temperament — dogs that are:

  • stable and clear-minded
  • easy to train
  • loyal and people-oriented
  • capable of switching “on” when working and “off” at home

Because I train my own dogs regularly, I know them beyond titles or test results. I understand how they behave day to day, which allows me to make more accurate breeding decisions and match puppies to the right homes.

All dogs meet full health requirements, including:

  • DNA testing (extensive panels)
  • hips and elbows
  • eye examinations

 

Current Litters : Labradors

18 Jun 26

A carefully planned litter is expected mid-May from Aglabs Valyria ( Angus) × Nofelia (Chacha).

This combination brings together proven British working lines with a clear focus on trainability, balanced temperament, and real-life suitability.

Both parents are stable, cooperative dogs with good natural drive and an ability to switch off, making them well suited not only for work and training, but also for active family life.

Puppies are expected to be dark fox red, with strong retrieving instinct, good engagement with the handler, and a natural willingness to learn.

Suitable homes include active families as well as owners interested in training, working tests, or similar activities.

   At the moment only 3 males left available. 

30 Jun 26

3 yellow females

2 black girls

2 black females 

3 yellow males 

Expected suitability: active homes, sport homes and selected working homes

This planned litter is intended for owners looking for a working-line Labrador with trainability, confidence, enthusiasm and the ability to settle as part of family life.

We carefully match puppies to homes based on temperament, drive, sensitivity and lifestyle suitability.

Not sure if a working-line Labrador is the right fit?

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Experience and background

With over 20 years of breeding experience and more than 30 years of working and training dogs, my approach is based on practical knowledge, not theory.

My background includes working with dogs in demanding environments, including professional training and handling, where reliability, clarity of behaviour, and cooperation are essential. This experience continues to shape how I select breeding dogs and how I raise each litter.

The focus has always remained the same:

to produce dogs that are not only capable, but also stable, predictable, and easy to live with in everyday life.

 

Puppies (how they are raised)

Puppies are raised in a home environment, not isolated kennels.

From an early age, they are exposed to:

  • everyday household life
  • different sounds and environments
  • structured handling
  • early recall foundations
  • interaction with other animals, including cats

This creates puppies that are confident, adaptable, and easier to integrate into family life.

 

 

How the process works

At Grand Smirnof, puppies are not allocated on a first-come basis.
Each litter is planned carefully, and puppies are matched to homes based on temperament, lifestyle, and long-term suitability.

1. Initial enquiry
Tell me about your lifestyle, experience, and what you are looking for in a dog. This helps ensure that my dogs are the right fit for you — and that I can match you with the most suitable puppy.

2. Reservation list
A deposit secures your place in the selection process, not a specific puppy.

3. Development and observation
Each puppy is observed closely as they develop, focusing on temperament and behaviour. Because I work with my dogs daily, I focus not only on behaviour, but on subtle differences in temperament, confidence, and trainability.

4. Matching puppies to homes
At around 5–6 weeks, puppies are matched based on suitability, energy level, and lifestyle.

5. Going home
Puppies are ready to go to their new homes from 7–8 weeks of age.

 

Pricing

Puppies are typically priced from €2200, depending on the level of selection and matching.

Pricing reflects the time, care, and experience invested into each litter — including careful breeding decisions, early development, and individual assessment of each puppy.

Because each puppy is matched to a specific home, final pricing may vary slightly depending on individual characteristics and preferences.

What is included when you purchase a puppy

 

Each puppy is raised with a structured approach to health, development, and future trainability.
This is what is included as part of the puppy price:

Health and veterinary care

  • Veterinary health check before leaving
  • Microchipped and registered with the Finnish Kennel Club
  • Regular deworming programme
  • Parents fully health tested (hips, elbows, eyes, DNA)

Early development

  • Raised in a home environment
  • Daily human interaction
  • Exposure to normal household life and sounds
  • Introduction to different environments and surfaces
  • Focus on confidence and stable temperament

 

Training foundations

  • Introduction to recall (name and/or whistle)
  • Early engagement and focus on the handler
  • Basic daily routines established
  • Natural retrieving and play development

Support and documentation

  • Puppy pack (food and familiar items)
  • Written guidance for feeding and daily care
  • Advice before and after pickup
  • Support during the first weeks in the new home

Each puppy is matched carefully to ensure suitability for its future home.

Additional training guidance is available for owners who would like more structured support

Support after bringing your puppy home

 

Bringing a new puppy home is an exciting time, but it can also come with questions — especially during the first weeks.

All puppy owners receive initial guidance to help with the transition, including advice on settling in, feeding, and daily routine.

For those who would like more structured support, an extended guidance option is available during the first weeks after the puppy goes home. This can include help with:

  • establishing clear routines
  • feeding and development
  • early training foundations
  • common puppy challenges

This support is optional and can be tailored to individual needs.

Placement philosophy

Although these are working-line dogs, they are not bred exclusively for hunting or sport.

My focus is on producing:

balanced dogs that can work when needed, but live comfortably as part of an active household

Each puppy is carefully matched to the right home based on temperament, energy level, and lifestyle — not simply sold on a first-come basis.

 

If you are interested in a puppy, please get in touch with a short introduction about your lifestyle, experience, and what you are looking for in a dog.

This helps ensure that each puppy is placed in the most suitable home.