About us

My name is Kirsikka Nurmi-Haara, and I pure-breed Shih Tzus at the Red-Deego kennel, which is a home-based kennel located in Orimattila, Southern Finland. Red-Deego is lead by me and my sister Irina, who cares for the Red-Deego Chihuahuas. We’ve been doing this since the mid-1990s, approximately, so we are not newcomers in this field.

I love Shih Tzus almost more than anything else. This is a fantastic breed, lovely, loving and loveable at the same time. Playful and gentle, but slightly stubborn, too. Certainly not a toy without a will of his or her own. The Shih Tzu coat needs frequent care, which in practice means it has to be groomed, bathed and dried quite often. But of course one may cut it short, if the dog isn’t going to be taken to show rings until the coat has grown back to the full length.

At Red-Deego dogs live within a human family, not in their own enclosures or premises. That’s important, because we are dealing with companion dogs that are supposed to fit in and enjoy human presence. Moreover, we deliver our canine sweethearts to their new homes only when they’ve reached the age of ten weeks, in order to let them learn as much as possible from their flock and dams about being a well-behaving dog.

Breeding Shih Tzus is a true pleasure and privilege, and I’m passionate in developing as healthy, easy-going and esthetically appealing dogs as possible. And I’m keen on entering shows with my dogs, which is both exciting and fun. It’s nice to meet friends at these happenings, all fascinated by this fabulous species called dog and this highly-rewarding hobby.

I strive for finding good, loving owners for my puppies as well as providing as much support for them as needed. After all these years I think I’m quite skilled at this, and the rather long road behind me as a breeder has taught me a lot about dogs and people alike. In the canine world I rarely encounter so severe or surprising situations anymore that I couldn’t cope with, thanks to the abundance of past experiences.

I think that one remarkable virtue of being a breeder and dog aficionado is that you meet fine new people almost all-the-time, be it at shows, on sidewalks or in kennel premises. Perhaps you’re the next one?

Kirsikka